Thread: Help/Guide Feedback on Finishing Stones (10000 plus)

I think everyone will have different opinions on when to stop sharpening!

Some tools need finer edges to function and others, it's a bit of over kill putting a hair splitting edge on it.

Like the other posts above, most carpentry work I have found about 6k and a good strop is plenty sharp.
Some of my old wood hand planes with a very tight throat want a fair bit more...

Take the same sharpening to Japan and I would probably get laughed at!

8000 + strop is good enough for most blades, I agree. I too have gone the diamond plates backed up with a couple of fine waterstones - it is nice to be able to hog metal off rapidly to create a new primary bevel from time to time. Of course, a Tormek would do the same thing.

I confess that I do own a 12000 waterstone, but would normally only break it out for paring chisels (where i kid myself that I can tell the difference....)

Anyone sharpening to the 12000, 15000, 30000 (!) level should be shown a magnified view of their beautiful shiny cutting edge after only about 1 minutes actual use on timber.....