Thread: Cast Iron blocks and Diamond paste for honing

Originally Posted by AdamAnt

It may be easier to flatten while still whole than after its cut, but then may go out of flat again when cut.

The box Derek made to house it should be easy enough to hold for any further flattening, I should think.

Originally Posted by AdamAnt

Do you all find your woodwork is actually significantly better or easier with your *perfect* edges? Not having a go, just curious )

Well I'm told that a sharper edge stays sharper for longer, and it really is nice to have a chisel that cuts effortlessly, particularly for use without a mallet. With the diamond paste system it's just not much effort to go another grit or two, and extremely cost effective to add those two grits, so as far as I'm concerned - why not?

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

The box Derek made to house it should be easy enough to hold for any further flattening, I should think.

Yep, agreed, and probably it's easier/quicker to flatten a smaller section than the whole sole.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Well I'm told that a sharper edge stays sharper for longer, and it really is nice to have a chisel that cuts effortlessly, particularly for use without a mallet. With the diamond paste system it's just not much effort to go another grit or two, and extremely cost effective to add those two grits, so as far as I'm concerned - why not?

Ok, quick,clean, cheap, great results, beautiful chisels, effortless paring. Why not indeed... You talked me into it )

Hi Sam

Do I use these cast iron plates and diamond paste still? Not often. I find it more convenient - less upkeep/mess - to use ceramic Spyderco Medium and Ultra Fine stones (very hard and minimal to nil wear), and finish on green compound. The diamond is useful for lapping the backs of old blades.

Regards fro Perth

Derek

Hey Derek, I have seen many people reference green honing compound, but rarely a brand. What brand(s) do you recommend ? I have purchased Josco but I am not sure it's the right solution for hand honing.

Hi Glenn

I use Veritas green compound as it is a known commodity. I have not read reports or reviews of other brands or makes.

Keep in mind that compounds are not "pure" and will differ from one another. The Veritas is a nominal 0.5 microns, but may be made of slightly larger and slightly smaller grit. It is this variation that is relevant.

Regards from Perth

Derek

It's strange that the honing stick is now referred to as Veritas, as last I checked, it was the same stick sold by other retailers with the label "microfine" on it (and made by formax).

It's described as a nominal 0.5 microns, but it's 70% aluminum oxide with particles as large as 6% permitted in it, and there are those large particles in it as the folks on the razor board have posted pictures of edges stropped with it. A user can look at the edge or back of whatever they're honing and see spider web patterns from them.

For woodworking, we want those particles in the compound, though, pure green chromium oxide graded at 0.5 microns cuts significantly less fast than the green microfine compound (and often costs a lot more). It will make a uniform bright polish with no spiderwebbing for the obsessed, though.

What's curious is that LV doesn't usually participate in naming something exclusively if it's not exclusive (and the price is higher than anyone sells the formax microfine stick - LV has it for about $13, Woodcraft $9 and Industrial Suppliers $7) - I'd be curious if they have had formax mix a special batch that is different than the microfine.

I have my doubts that the average particle size is 0.5 microns based on its cut speed, though. I've got graded pigments down to 0.09 micron (they are all a waste of time for woodworking, and in my opinion, for razoring, too, where they are popular because they do make a blindingly sharp edge for a shave or two), and the pure graded green chromium at a much higher concentration than 30% does not cut as fast as the compound LV sells.

(the stuff that the razor people were nutting over damaging a 1 micron film honed edge came from LV -their definition of damage is different than mine - they couldn't stand the random large scratches, but the overall effect on a shaving edge of that stuff is not nearly as pronounced as it is visually).

I've had other green sticks, but none are as fine overall as microfine, except for the ones that are pure chrome ox, and woodworkers would whine if they had to use those because half of a micron on a leather surface cuts slowly.

Hi all.
well, after yet another hospital admission (the dreaded cancer.... yeah I know, but don't worry, I won't die from it, I'll probably die with it - hopefully in about 20 years or more )....
Anyway, I'm all good now and have got back to running the shaper again.
So the project is getting back on track.
Here are a few photos of the machinery and the plates, showing an example of one of the cast iron pieces progressing to flat:
IMG_20160623_194631.jpg IMG_20160623_194543_1CS.jpg IMG_20160623_200325.jpg IMG_20160623_194806.jpg

Fantastic to hear playing with big toys.
Is far better than being stuck in big buildings.
Glad to hear your on the mend
Cheers Matt

Thanks for the update. Sorry to hear you've been in hospital.

Good news sir, AND THANK YOU AGAIN.....

Been using this method for a little while now since getting the plates off Joe at Crowies.
I found that the method was as described in terms of repeatability. I also enjoyed not having to flatten a number of stones. Have used it for chisels, plane blades and some scandi grind knives getting sharp tools with a minimum of fuss but with one problem - black oilymess particularly doing a longer session. Granted not as much mess as with water stones but enough black stuff to get it from A to B to the residue shown on 1 of Derek's honing plates.
Brett or anybody else who uses this method did/have you experienced this? were/ are you wipingbthe residue off the plates at the end of the session?

You mean black stuff on the CI plates, or transferring to perhaps a final water stone?

I don't clean up the CI plates at all - just wrap the rubber sheet (non-slip mat) around them and back in the drawer. If you clean them up you lose whatever paste is on top.

If you mean getting onto the final water stone, sometimes I wipe down the blade with white spirits (turps will prolly do), but there is still some transfer. I don't worry too much about it on the stone - has to be flattened soon enough anyway.

You don't need to add paste every time either. Just a drop or two of camellia oil will get you going again with the embedded diamonds in the plate.

Pac Man

You can wipe the paste residue away. It is what is embedded in the cast iron that cuts. The surface still seems to leave a grey film on fingers.

Regards from Perth

Derek

What nominal grit particle size do you all recommend for diamond honing paste?