Sharpening stone

[A.Merrill]

I'm thinking about buying some more sharpening stones. Do you guy's  like stones or the diamond plate things ? And what grit do you use ? This is for wood chisels and what for metal gravers ?    Al

[Mike Brooks]

I use the diamond stuff, don't know what grit.

[Clowdis]

I have an old stone that I've used for years that is about 2 inches by 6 inches with coarse on one side and fine on the other. Got this stone from my Father-in-law years ago and this is my "go to" sharpening stone. I have a set of Washita and Arkansas stones that are very fine but also very slow when putting an edge on a knife or chisel. I also have a diamond sharpener that I really don't use, just don't like it for no particular reason.

[hortonstn]

Check out Lindsey engraveing diamond plates

[J. Talbert]

I've  got several Arkansas stones and several diamond stones. Can't remember the last time I got out the Arkansas stones. The diamond  ones cut so well and do such a fine job.

Jeff

[Lucky R A]

      After grinding the edge to my preferred angle, I use nothing but W/D sandpaper from 220 -500 grit to sharpen my chisels.  I keep the small squares of sandpaper on a piece of plexiglass (smooth and flat).  I the strop them on a piece of leather charged with buffing compound.   I have a drawer full of various and sundry stones that do not get used....  Ron

[Craig Wilcox]

Not having a grinder, I use 300 and 600 grit diamond plates for shaping the correct angles.  Then switch to a 1200, then 2000 grit for polishing.  Lastly, I either use fine film in low micron sizes, then hone on a leather strop with some Simichrome on it.  The edges really cut well, and only require buffing/honing on the strop when starting a new job.  I use the 2" x 6" diamond plates.
I glued the diamond plates to various pieces of wood to get the 1/2" height for sharpening gravers.  That height is required for the Lindsey graver sharpening system.

[Nhgrants]

Ideally I would like to have all diamond plates but until then
I have been using wet and dry paper.
First I bought a piece of granite floor tile at Home Depot.
Then with double sided thin tape, stuck a piece of 400, 800, 1200 and I think 3000 paper to the tile.

I use windex for lubricant.  Because of the paper, I have to be careful about direction the cutting edge is moving during sharpening.

Then on a piece of leather attached to a board I strop using turtle wax chrome polish.

I have had very good results.  This I got from a Paul Sellers Utube Video on sharpening chisels.

I bought a small blue AMT diamond hone which I use to shape and flatten the cutting edge.

[DHS]

I use the 3M lapping film sheets that have grits measured in microns.  Have sheets from 40 micron to .3 micron which cover reshaping an edge to stropping.  Never going back to stones.  The sheets are crazy fast and produce a crazy sharp edge.  Use with water on a surface plate for which I use a 12" X 12" marble tile.  Available on Amazon.  The abrasive on the .3 micron sheet is 0.00001181 of an inch which produces a mirror finish. 

[Bustedknuckles]

I've been using ez-lap brand diamond plates for years, top quality for decent prices. The 2"x6" plate is the most useful size to me.
Any diamond plates you get, I recommend mounting on a block of wood, makes them easier to use.
Haven't used a stone in years.

[Jerry V Lape]

Quarter sheets of 3M films on a granite block similar to DHS comments above.  Inexpensive compared to diamond plates and better stones and having tried about all the options the 3M films produce the best results for me.  And the edges on my hunting knives are truly scary.   Hope to be using one on elk this weekend.  (Taking teen granddaughter on her second elk hunt; she got one last hunt two years ago.) 

[Bob McBride]

I take about half the number of strokes on the fine and very fine diamond stones that I do on my old stones to get the same result. Other than that they’re exactly the same....

[Clark Badgett]

I never liked sharpening until I got a set of Arkysaw stones. Something about it is just therapeutic.

[A.Merrill]

  Thank's guy's. I seen diamond sharpening plates on ebay for $4.00 each.  Maybe worthless I don't know.  I'm going to look into this 3M stuff. Seen an assortment of it for $18.00 not bad.    Al

[Scota4570]

Check out Lindsey engraveing diamond plates

Ditto.

I use a 280 and a 600 for chisels.  I then strop with leather glued to a board.  I put jewelers rouge on the leather. 

[Nhgrants]

When I looked into diamond stones they were from about $30 to $50 and much more depending on grit and size.
I had good luck with WD paper.  Did not have good results with very cheap diamond stone/plate. 
I have not used all my WD paper though I will probably the #M film mentioned.   used to only use oil stones
but never got the chisels or plane irons as sharp as I have with WD paper and windex but that is probably me and not the oil stone.





 

[jerrywh]

 I threw all my stones away 20 years ago. #1 if you drop them they break. #2 they get grooved and wear.  #3 they are messy. #4 they cost too much. Look up easy lap on Ebay. They make everything you could want. They never  wear out.

[rickw]

There are many ways to sharpen, and all of them have been discussed to death on the woodworking forums.
I just use a fine India oilstone. I hollow grind on a grinder, hone on the India stone, and strop on bare leather.
What is it about your current stones or method of sharpening that is a problem?
Rick

[will payne]

I use the diamond stuff, don't know what grit.

Is the diamond stuff expensive.

[WadePatton]

I use 'em all, but the diamond plates get most of me regular sharpening done. They're also quite handy for keeping razor sharpening waterstones and natural stones flat.

Coarse DMT for most work, and stone flattening. Fine is great when a smoother edge is desired. The continuous coverage plates are preferred.

On chisels and gouges I'll follow with a 2400 grit paper instead of honing compounds.

[mark esterly]

will - the dmt and ezy lap diamond bench stones are costly.  the cheap stuff from my experience dos not stand the test of time especially if you like to use water or glass cleaner with them.  seems to me that the bonding process of diamond to metal is lacking.  you can get a smaller good quality "pocket sized" sharpener for your knives for less than $20 if that is where your mind has gone.      https://www.homedepot.com/p/Smith-s-Diamond-Combination-Sharpener-50894/300202323

[A.Merrill]

   WoW never thought I would have that many replys. Thanks guy's.     Al

[smokepole45cal]

I'm with Lucky on the sand paper. I have light grit glued on 1 inch wide wood pieces. Different grits each side (200/400). Finish up leather stropping with buffing compound. Shaves hair every time!

[smylee grouch]

What does a guy use to glue the WD paper to a piece of stone floor tile that you can remove when the paper wears out?

[mark esterly]

just wet the tile and lay it on.  it'll stay put