Thread: Best way to flatten 300 grit waterstone?

I use one of these https://www.carbatec.com.au/sharpeni...-plate-ceramic

Eventually they can become dished as well, but I'm a home user so it's going to be awhile for me.

Try these on the glass plate https://www.bunnings.com.au/rocket-p...-pack_p1661400 Not sure how they will go on the 300 grit stone, but cheap enough to give it a try.

If you use two of those flattening stones and alternate them when you flatten your waterstone, then use the two stones to flatten each other they will cancel any dishing and stay flat until they are totally gone.

Hook the wet and dry paper over the top and bottom of the glass plate and use it vertical under running water. The water takes the spoil away so you can actually get somewhere before the paper clogs or wears out.

Originally Posted by Dengue

Can anyone please suggest a quick and easy method of flattening a 300 grit waterstone?

I have tried 80 - 180 grit W & D paper on glass plate, with plenty of water, but it clogs up quickly. DMT do not recommend the use of their diamond plates on this grit.

I use a dedicated 325/400 grit Atoma diamond plate to flatten the waterstones with higher grits, starting at 1000 grit. Even that wears out after a couple of years.

Dengy, the simple solution is "don't"! Throw the 300 grit waterstone away - it does not even make a good doorstop.

The fact is that a low grit waterstone must be, by design, soft. This softness makes it very vulnerable ... constantly vulnerable ... to dishing. That means it is quite unreliable is the surface you are working (such as a chisel back) needs to be flat. It will not stay flat for long. On the other hand, if you want to use the 300 for a bevel - such as grinding the bevel - then it does not need to be flat. Remove the material you want and move onto the next grit.

In the 300 range I would use a diamond stone.

Regards from Perth

Derek

if you want to use the 300 for a bevel - such as grinding the bevel - then it does not need to be flat.

thanks for your reply, Derek, much appreciated.

Can you please elaborate on the comment you made above? I thought that waterstones needed to be flat for making a bevel and for honing the edge

Hi Dengy

There are many, many old oilstones that are sold with a pronounced curve. They must have been used that way for a long time.

The area of a stone that gets the most wear is the centre - which is how a curve develops. The outside ends are still relatively flat. It is not difficult to hone on a curved stone if freehand sharpening. One does not need much area to work on.

I think that a honing guide would create a rounded bevel on a curved stone. Their introduction to Western woodworkers is probably why stones needed to be flat. Even with a rounded bevel, enough may be removed to move to the next, higher grit stone where it would be straightened. Still, I think that this is unnecessary extra work, and in modern times there are much better alternatives.

Regards from Perth

Derek

It's alright for those of us who can freehand sharpen Derek. My father was a master, but unfortunately this ability was never passed on to me either in the genes or through instruction.

Dengue, in the trade we would get a bucket of water and rub the oil stone on a flat concrete slab to flatten the oil stone. It was a slow, but effective method. I use a 800# water stone constantly for honong and can get the blades sharp enough to shave with. I have two and to maintain the surface flat and true, simply rub them together as needed. I have been doing this for about 15 years with the same two stones with out any major problems. I have been sharpening tools for about 60 years, so I have had a little practical experience.