Thread: How soon do your waterstones go out of flat?

Here you go Ben.

Set up and ready for use. Block on the left is 1200 grit (facing up) and 3000 grit on the other side. Block on the right is 8000 facing up, 14000 underneath. Start with 1200, then flip the block over, go to 8000, flip the block over. Each block has the grit number engraved in the top left corner. Box of paste syringes at the back.






Packed away in the drawer (immediately - no waiting for them to dry so they don't rust other tools in the drawer):






Paste usage in two years (depends on use of course). Almost 2ml of 1200 grit (40%), about 0.75ml of 14000 grit (15%):






Typical mess on the bench (after a really big session on 6 chisels and 2 plane blades), which wipes off quickly with turps or white spirits:





Typical mess from.....well, I'm sure you can guess



Not sure how easy to see the finish on this Douglas Fir is - this is my reference piece for checking the resultant surface finish. It was from the neighbour's block plane (USA Stanley). You can see a bit of sheen I think, but it is exceptionally smooth.





This is a piece of Spotted Gum planes with an HNT Trying plane, honed with paste:





Those two pics of the results may not prove much due to the limits of photography.


As for the CI blocks - well, a member made them for me. There was still a bit of flattening to do (helluva job that) using 80 Colour Coded Grit stuck to granite. I didn't take all the pits out because they act as little reservoirs of paste (which may be useless ). The diamonds get half buried in the relatively soft CI and a tiny bit of paste goes a very long way. Very often I don't even add more paste - just a drop of camellia oil to get it going again. This particular CI is Fully Annealed Grey Cast Iron from an old boiler, and works a treat.

Carbatec have the mild steel blocks from Lee Valley which I think they sell for about $50. I would hope that they are flattened on both sides, but don't know for sure.

Nice one FF!
Thanks for the info and pics.

I understand why they can stay so flat now!

I hope you don't mind but I'm going to pick for more answers!

When you flip the plates, is their an issue with cross contaminating the grits or once they are pushed into the Soft CI that's where they stay?

Any advice on brands of diamond paste you have been happy with?

And finally, the back of an iron or chisel is self explanatory but when you are sharpening the micro bevel, is it the same action as with a stone or is a stropping action only? (Pulling the edge rather than pushing it into the plate)

Thanks mate!
Ben

No worries Ben.

Excellent service buying Diamond Paste from Gemcuts in northern NSW.

Cross contamination could be an issue, so I make sure I always use the same part of the rubber mat for the same grit. Actually, they just seem to stay that way without much effort.

Yes I use all the same actions as I would on a waterstone, including the ruler trick.

Lots of good info!
Thanks for taking the time mate!
Ben

makes me wonder why "they" dont make CBN sharpening stones.

Originally Posted by Evanism

makes me wonder why "they" dont make CBN sharpening stones.

Probably just a matter of time I suspect.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Typical mess from.....well, I'm sure you can guess

Funny you finish up with all that mess from the waterstones. When I have finished with mine I put the lid back on the pond and put it back on the shelf. NO MESS AT ALL!

In fact it is common for me to do a big run of kitchen knives at the dining table. My significant other was already set up with her crochet work on the dining table a couple of weeks ago when I brought out the waterstone pond. She did not say a thing like "get that dirty stuff out of here, you'll make a mess of my wool." She just knew from previous times that her white wool was safe and we could share the table.

Would you get away with doing that with your diamond paste?

Brett, it seems you have only adopted half the system of using waterstones. make or buy a pond and keep the stones in the pond. Then they are then always wet and ready to go when you need them and you can put them straight away when you are finished with them and no cleanup required. All the slurry stays in the pond. No need for the turps or white spirits, just straight back to the job with nice sharp tools.

Cheers

Doug

Brett,
No wonder you dont like using water stones! I hope you swim between the flags.

I always thought CBN wheels and diamond sharpening plates were pretty much in the same category. I think I must have missed something with them? I have only used the wheels a few times when I was younger.
....things always look different to a teenager! (Damn...I kind of miss knowing everything!)

When I work with Water stones I end up with a mess as well. I tidy as I go to keep on top of it all but their is always a big cleanup at the end of the session.

I think I'm just a grubby worker with them. I have a stone pond and a kitchen bench in my shop with a sink... It think that's partly the reason for it. I have never been forced to contain the fallout!

Well I'm off to do some very non technical sharpening! An angle grinder with a 40grit flap disk under the slasher makes for short work! I must look ridiculous under the cutting deck on my back grinding away..I can't see how they expect you to strip the cutter blades and bench sharpen.. It takes a good 30mins to strip them including setup time.

Actually, I just guessed that's the way it was done. I never asked the question before....
I think I should put that one to the brains trust!

Nope! Just can't buy an edge in 2015, you still have to learn it! Puzzles have solutions.
My only waterstone is a LV combo 1K/4K which seems to have lasted a decade.
From time to time, I scribble pencil on it and pretend I know how to lap that away with the face of a slip stone.
Alas, it may be beyond redemption now.

Cleaned off some birch with a Stanley #5 to look at the grain for the D-adze handles.
More rock dust than I imagined and dinged it up but good.
On with the felt marker, onto the 1K waterstone only to do the corners!
The solution was 2k grit 3M paper on a base piece of polished stone countertop.

I'm doing only gouges and even with a poor waterstone face, the tune-up goes as predicted.
You all doing so many long straight edges, I'd go nuts in your shoes.

BTW, my sympathies to all with the bush fires.
I never needed to get up close to comprehend the devastation.