Thread: difference between 6k and 10k grit

A "10K" edge is pretty sharp, depending on what stone did that edge, how the stone was allowed to make the edge and who made the edge as well.

You could take a 10K stone, and come away with an edge that would only be a little better than you are getting with your 6K at the moment. Some folks could take your 6K stone and make a better edge with it than many folks could do with a good 10K stone.

Sounds confusing, and it can be, but generally speaking, a finer grit stone will yield sharper edges so long as the finer abrasive is capable of taking up where the previous grit left off.

Rather than shell out $100 for a 10k grit stone you should try a strop after your 6k stone. You can either get a leather strop and load the surface with honing compound, or do what I do and use a strip of 18 mm MDF loaded with Autosol (a chrome polish for car brightwork). With the strop you only ever pull the blade towards tou or the sharp edge will dig in. Hope this helps.

Cheers from Sunny Scotland (25 cm of snow and it's not even December yet).

George

(Background noise: the sound of a can of worms being opened )

At the risk of stating the obvious, whether you go to 10k also depends on what the edge gets used for (its geometry and application).

(So George, you've had to take the kilt off? Or put long johns on underneath )

Originally Posted by luckduck32167

is 10k grit like scary sharp edge, the type u dont wanna run ur finger over it? my 6k gets sharp edge but im not scared to carefully run my finger over it.

Your 6k grit should be giving you an edge you are scared to run your finger over. If not, I would shelve plans to buy a 10K until the 6k edge does scare you. At the finer grits you are increasing durability of the edge rather than sharpening it IMO.

Cheers
Michael

Luckduck,

I have a 10k stone, but only because I bought it along with lots of other goodies from a bloke on this forum.

I agree with the comments of the other posters thus far; if I am sharpening well enough I don't need the 10k stone and most times it just stays in the box. I only go to 6k at most, and even that is probably over kill.

I think there is a bit of a misconception amongst some that we are trying to split an atom here. There have been hundreds of years worth of beautiful furniture made by those before us on tools sharpened on way less than we have now. Makes you realise what is possible, doesn't it?

I try to just enjoy the process and not worry about the minutiae. Each to their own I suppose.

Regards,

Anthony

I bought a 12000 Shapton recently and the result is so sharp that you can't even feel it when you run a finger along the edge.

It turns scary-sharp into cower-under-the-bed-sharp, thus it falls into two categories: overkill and because-I-can.

Having said that, the finish it puts on timber is immaculate. It's also good for turning plane blades into mirrors.

If you want to try the finer grits on the cheap, Shapton have a range of ceramic stones called M5 that are cheaper than a full 10K or 12K stone:

Shapton M5 series waterstones. : Tools from Japan, Japanese woodworking tools direct from Japan.

These M5 stones have about 5mm thickness of abrasive bonded to a ceramic "carrier'' of similar thickness. Since the fine grits are a polishing stone only (e.g. for microbevels) this much abrasive is sufficient to last the average user many years.

I bought the 5K and 12K Shapton M5s from Stu - excellent service, prompt delivery, and the stones work exactly as advertised. It is possible to come off an extra fine diamond plate or 1K stone for the primary bevel, then go through the 5K and 12K ceramic stones to make your microbevel.

Is the difference noticeable?? Well, if it isn't, you're not using the stones properly.....I can get an almost gloss finish on timber straight off the plane.

+1 to Tools from Japan. Excellent advice and service.

I'm a big fan of his #1000 Bester ceramic stone.

I always finish sharpening on MDF with a very thin film of Tormek paste. I find little difference using 6k or 10k stones, if any, after stropping. I get a perfectly flat mirror either way.

Don't be tempted to use more than the tiniest amount of paste or you'll end up slightly rounding over the edge. Which is not good.

Keep your stropping MDF at hand for a quick swipe of two as you work.