Mike; enjoyed your link. I am still a little curious why you would stop at a Coarse/ Extra Coarse Diamond Plate to resurface your stones. I would have thought the surface on your stones would have ended up rather coarse from that type of treatment. Not what I would have expected as an ideal honing surface, even for ceramic stones.
regards Stewie;
Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 11-19-2016 at 4:05 AM.
Hi Chris; interesting experience with the float glass. Mine seen close to 3 months of use with the loose sic, and its seen constant use from flattening hard Norton Carborundum to hard nats, and I haven't noted an issue. If there was an issue, it would show up when I transfer to the smaller float glass with the 400 w & d adhered to its top surface. In effect the 2nd float glass is acting as a reference plate to the integrity of the larger float glass. I am just not seeing the disparity, judging by the pencil marks that are being worn evenly.
As mentioned in my intro in an earlier post, all that's being required is a light work out on the 400 grit. It maycome down to the difference in technique between how I work the stone across the full surface of the float glass. Bear in mind my piece of float glass is 4ft in length x 1 ft in width.
The use of the sic lube is a product I am not familiar with. It would be appreciated if you could post a couple of photo's so I could better understand your technique.
regards Stewie;
Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 11-19-2016 at 4:36 AM.
Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 11-19-2016 at 5:45 AM.
When you sharpen a blade on a stone, your movements across the stone are random. And any irregularities (coarseness) in the stone caused by flattening with the diamond plate are essentially random. So the edge is worked evenly as you sharpen the blade.
But the best answer is to sharpen a blade as I describe and then examine the arris with a magnifying glass. Or better still, use the blade and see if you can discern any difference in how it functions compared to sharpening on a stone that has been smoothed to a greater degree.
My experience is that a stone flattened with a coarse/extra coarse diamond plate produces an excellent arris on the blade. Of course, my diamond plate is somewhat worn, so it not as coarse as it was new. And once you began using a stone to sharpen, the stone becomes smoother with every "swipe".
But results are what count, not theory. And my system works for me.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Stewie, I used with 120grit paper, Klingspor brand . With the heavier backing paper, I didn't have problem adding grit. Though it did migrate to the edge. I buy the paper by the 50 pack box and tend to use it as if I have a never ending supply.
Since I refurbish old chisels and planes, the cost of the waterstones is spread over a lot of $1 English and Swedish chisels. I don't find as many American or Canadian chisels.
Personally, my flattening is quick and simple. I use a diamond stone on all my water- and ceramic stones. Years ago I would first cross hatch them with a pencil. Now I do not since they are discoloured already from use, and it is easy to see where the surface is being removed. For Pro Shaptons 1000 - 12000 and Sigma 6000 and 13000, I use a Shapton diamond plate. This replaced a DMT Duo Ultra Coarse (both about 250 - 275 grit). The DMT is still going strong after 12 years. The Shapton is also still working well and about 7 years old.
What I want to ask is why the obsessive flattening routines? The only time I get this way with waterstones is when I need to lap the backs of blades, which is not the same as working the very back of the bevel. Since I freehand on a hollow grind, absolute flatness is not needed. It is more so for using a honing guide, but even there, absolute flatness is unnecessary on the bevel side. Generally, for myself, the flattening process is more about removing a glassy surface than flatness, per se. So why is it so important to you?
Regards from Perth
Derek
Last edited by Derek Cohen; 11-19-2016 at 7:34 PM.
What is up with your obsession with photos?
Trust me, nobody learns anything from seeing a photo of a waterstone sitting in a puddle of swarf. It's a waste of time, space, and bandwidth. If gratifying your photographic compulsion makes you feel good then fine, but don't insist that others behave in the same manner.
I post photos when they are the most efficient way to convey a point, for example to dispell your nonsense about the superiority of Glardon needle files (compared to all of the other ones that are obviously the same design manufactured to the same tolerances) a while back.
Last edited by Patrick Chase; 11-19-2016 at 9:06 PM.
Derek; I assume I owe some responsibility to answering your question since I am the OP.
The use or non use a honing guide is not something I have a great concern with. What ever method best serves its purpose, I don't see why there should be a given demarcation on the merits of free hand v honing guide. You may want to revisit your own website on past practices with a honing guide. http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Woodwor...ues/index.html
On the question as to why I like to keep my honing stones flat; some of the reasons are tied in with keeping my stones in a condition that allows me the choice of using a honing guide or free hand to work the bevel side of my irons and chisels. But more importantly, I am not a fan of David Charlesworths Ruler Trick, much preferring the traditional approach of working the flat side of my irons and chisels on a flat surface of a stone. As you well know, its not an overly large area past the cutting edge that needs to be worked flat.
Again refer back to your previous practices before you adopted Charlesworths method. http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Woodwor...ues/index.html
Finally, as closing comment on the common reason given by those that abandon nat stones and turn to even harder ceramic's. "They are less prone to go out of flat compared to nat stones." That in itself tells you that users of all types of honing stones are sympathetic to the needs of keeping the top surface of their stones from going out of flat.
I hope I have been able to answer all of your concerns, but if I have missed some critical information, your just need to ask I will try and assist with that delivery.
regards Stewie;