Thread: Water Stones: Have I got the right mix?

The 1200 should be stored in water, but make sure it is raised above the bottom so it doesnt get flooded with sludge. Not sure about the 6000, but an 8000 usually should not be permanently stored in water, it tends to degrade the grit.

Also I would have thought that the jump from 1200 to 6000 is a fairly big one from what I have been reading but I have no personal experience with this.

Need some input from Derek on this one.

Originally Posted by routermaniac

The 1200 should be stored in water, but make sure it is raised above the bottom so it doesnt get flooded with sludge. Not sure about the 6000, but an 8000 usually should not be permanently stored in water, it tends to degrade the grit.

Also I would have thought that the jump from 1200 to 6000 is a fairly big one from what I have been reading but I have no personal experience with this.

Need some input from Derek on this one.

Hi Routermaniac!

That was my point really; do I need something in between? a 4000 maybe?

Cheers!

Another point,

On the far side of the coin, is 6000 enough? should I go for a 10,000 or even 12,000 stone to achieve that really fine burnish? It mightn't affect the sharpness all that much (corrections welcome!), but it can look really nice, having seen some of the tools owned by deep-black dark-siders )

Cheers!

Hi Steve

The 1200 and 6000 are fine. Store the 1200 in water (anything 3000 and below should be stored in water) and just spritz the 6000 with water when needed, otherwise stored dry. The honing gap between the two is fine as well.

There are fine and finer waterstones coming along every day it seems. And yes, they do produce a smoother edge. But it is a law of diminishing returns. The difference between a 6000 waterstone (= 2 microns) and a 8000 stone (= 1 micron) is not much. The Veritas green rouge is rated at 0.5 micron. The price of a 6000 King stone is about $40 and the 8000 King stone about $125. The 8000 is worth it to me, but then I am a tad obsessional. Just a tad.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

but then I am a tad obsessional. Just a tad.

Derek

If you keep leading with your chin like this Derek........I'll have to crack!

REgards Lou

Originally Posted by derekcohen

The 8000 is worth it to me

Hi Derek!

If it's good enough for you, then I shall aspire to it

Having seen some dark-siders tools, I wouldn't mind (and hang the expense, [quietly!!!] <QUIETLY!!>) having a >6000 stone just to burnish the Sorby and LN and Veritas blades..

The dark-side is getting to me; where's my (deWalt) light sabre????

Cheers

Steve
as an alternative to getting a stone finer than 6000, you could use 0.5 micron film glued to a piece of glass. or auto polishing compound on a piece of MDF


BUT, if you want to become truely obsessional, you could get a 30000 grit Shapton water stone

Originally Posted by ian

30000 grit Shapton water stone

Hi Ian,

Did I get that right, a 30,000 grit stone?!?!?!

Maybe I should get the GWMBO to sharpen her (really crappy) kitchen knives on that; should keep her quiet for a month or so...

Then again...

Cheers!

30,000? that must be worth a bit! :eek:

This business of sharpening stones seems to come up every where. I started working with wood about 50 years ago. I completed my apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner in 1962 and spent about 17 years in the trade, then taught apprentice carpenters for 25 years and still play with wood. I own and use oil stones, slate stones, natural arkansas stones, japanese water stones and ceramic stones up to the equivalent of about 10,000 grit. In my opinion a 800 grit water stone, realistically produces as fine an edge as is necessary for wood working. I prefer water stones because oil stains wood. Any finer stone does produce a finer edge, but is it necessary? We are dealing with wood and all its variations. Harder woods do need a stronger edge than soft wood. I prefer to work wood rather that spend all day getting that razor edge to be destroyed by a defect rather quickly. I keep the water stone in water constantly in a shallow lidded plastic tray bought from an opp shop for 50 cents.
Jim

I forgot to add that I do get an edge capable of shaving the hair off my arm.

Jim

Steve,
I kid you not, Shapon make a 30000 stone. Japan Woodworker lists them for USD$475, but you can get for a lot less in Japan. The 30000 is the step after the 12000 stone.

Do you need one? well if it's for sharpening kitchen knives, you'll need a set — 220, 320, 1000, 1500, 2000, 8000, 30000 — that's a cool UDS$896 + shipping and duties.
The fun bit is that for some knives you would use the 220, 1500, 8000, 30000 stones, while for others the starting step is 2000.

However, if you're only sharpening WW tools, Shapton suggests 120, 1000, 5000, 8000

ian

Hi Steve,,,,,, I wouldn't use your stones for sharpening your chisels for starters. Just an opinion....you can do it a lot faster and as accurate freehand from grinder to buffing wheel and most importantly you won't wear little lines in your stones as much......but you've got that jiggy thingy so I guess your hearts set on using that....

Anyhow, heres a tip that I found works for me. Buy 2 of every stone type......so if you have a say 800 medium and a 6000 polishing by 2 of each for a total of 4 stones......the reason behind this is its far easier to flattern a stone when its dry,,,, yet the 800 stone is stored wet...so its harder to flattern......so this is what I do with the two 800 stones

I have one stored wet and already flatterned in my tub and the other in the stone clamp (or whatever you use the fix the stone to the table), whenever I go to my sharpening station the first thing I do is flattern the dry stone, which will be slightly hollowed from last sharpening session. And this is very easy because its dry, once its flatterned I put it in the tub and pull out the already flatterned wet one and use it immediately to sharpen whatever it is I'm sharpening.......speeds up the whole process which is nice when you don't want to loose a good rythm(spelling?) going at your workbench......and means you can swap over stones again in the same session should you feel one of them is getting too dished.......

The only downside is that you have to buy 2 of every stone.....but since your going to always go through stones its not as if your wasting any money

Anyhow goodluck to ya

If you can do a scan of the package, send it here and we shall see what we can read.

For the fine stones, they usually say wet them for a minute or two before, and occasionally while you are using them. The coarser ones, you can keep them in water, but in Melbourne, it might be a tiny bit risky if you leave them outside. Inside, the water shouldn't freeze. My fine stone, I don't wet it at all, just some water on the tool being sharpened so the mud doesn't wash away and leave me with a bit of rock that doesn't do anything. It's a strange one, so don't do it with your stone.

The 30,000 Shapton? about AUS$340 to my door, cheapest I have found it. Seems the price has come down a lot in the US, maybe I scared them by threatening to send them there? Last month they were well into the US$500-600 range...

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to try and decide wether we will move house.

Seems there is a 12" jointer and 12" table saw stuck in the garage there, and I guess I can use them.