Anyone using/sharpening PM-V11 on Pride water stones?

[Meryl Logue]

Hi - I’ve asked Pride specifically and read the PM-V11.com testing page. Pride has done no testing, and the PM page makes no mention of sharpening media.

Anyone? I’m leaning towards the Veritas #6 and a LN rabbet block plane.

[Rob Luter]

I use Shapton Glasstones on PM-V11. They work well.

[Christopher Herzog]

Tormek with the factor stone does a good job.

[Meryl Logue]

Yeah, I read everything on SMC forums on this steel. Lots of folks using lots of stuff. I’d hate to invest in this steel only to find that my other investment in Pride stones was throw-away, or at least has to be duplicated in Shapton or something else just for these blades.

[Rob Luter]

I think you'll be just fine. I have plane irons made from O1, A2, and PM-V11. They all sharpen up the same way. That is to say, I can't tell the difference. The Illuminati will say that the PM-V11 wears better than A2 but hones as easy as O1. OK. Whatever.

I generally hollow grind with a low speed wheel or use a 100 grit diamond plate to establish a primary bevel. I use the stones for a secondary and tertiary bevel. They hone they same way for me on a Norton Aluminum Oxide oilstone, 3M Abrasive Film, or my Shaptons. The stones (or film) can't tell the difference in the steels. I'll wager your stones won't be able to tell either.

Disclaimer: I have not conducted multiple double blind studies with lab grade instrumentation or digital microscopy. While I have many years experience using tool steels, I am not a metallurgist nor have I played one on TV. I'm just a guy in a basement shop trying real hard to suck less at woodworking.

[David Bassett]

Yeah, I read everything on SMC forums on this steel. Lots of folks using lots of stuff. I’d hate to invest in this steel only to find that my other investment in Pride stones was throw-away, or at least has to be duplicated in Shapton or something else just for these blades.

Haven't had a chance to try the Pride stones, but you should be fine. Pride uses the same abrasives as the other stones and PM-V11 is very well behaved for a "super-steel". (Stone differences will be more in how closely the grit is controlled, the binder's inclination to release dull particles, how much soaking or not is needed, and how the stone "feels" in use.) Worst case the Pride stones release used grit a little slowly and you'll need to refresh your stone's surface (basically the same as flattening) every so often as it slows down. Given the reports of how well PM-V11 sharpens on a wide variety of stones, I doubt you'll actually have this problem.

[Frederick Skelly]

You might be able to get some insight by calling Lee Valley, Rona.

[Meryl Logue]

Disclaimer: I have not conducted multiple double blind studies with lab grade instrumentation or digital microscopy. While I have many years experience using tool steels, I am not a metallurgist nor have I played one on TV. I'm just a guy in a basement shop trying real hard to suck less at woodworking.

Absolutely love your disclaimer and totally accept your input as-is. 😄

[Meryl Logue]

You might be able to get some insight by calling Lee Valley, Rona.

I hadn’t thought of that. But I’m reading enough on this thread I’m about ready to officially stop fretting and dithering.

[Howard Pollack]

Ask Joel at Tools for Working Wood. He will likely know. -Howard

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Pride stones are claimed to cut A2, D2, and O1

I believe that they are using Aluminum Oxide but that might not be all of their stones. Will be surprised if they do not work fine for you.

[Jim Matthews]

I can sharpen PM V-11 on Shapton pro waterstones or plain Jane oilstones. My only difficulty is teasing off the wire burr between grits.

In practice, I run the edge of the plane blade sideways through a woodblock before getting on to the next stone.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

In practice, I run the edge of the plane blade sideways through a woodblock before getting on to the next stone.

This sounds familiar, but I have never tried it, thanks for the tip!

[Meryl Logue]

Thank you all for the confirmation. I just ordered the Veritas DX block plane with the PM-V11 blade. I’ll post to this at a future date with my experience.

[Michael Bulatowicz]

I have the Pride 3k and 8k waterstones, and I can confirm that they work well on my PM-V11 blades. Light pressure is all that’s needed; I apply just enough pressure to feel how the bevel is sitting on the stone.

I like to follow the 8k with additional refinement of the edge, with my chosen method depending on what kind of blade it is. If I don’t care about a little rounding off of the very edge, I might use David Weaver’s “unicorn” method with a cotton buffing wheel: this works well for the bevel on a block plane. Another good option, particularly for the back of the blade, is Autosol on a scrap of closed-grain (and flat) wood: for me, it works better and faster than the green honing compound.