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Switching sharpening systems

2K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  rfusca 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
For my hand sharpening system, I've been doing scary sharp. I like the results, but dealing with the paper is a serious PITA. So, I've been looking at switching to the EZE-LAP diamond sharpening stones. The plan is to get the coarse, fine, and super fine. Then finish with a strop with green honing compound.
My concern is if the super fine is 'fine enough' before going to the green compound? It says its 1200 grit. I've been going considerable higher with paper first.

Will this work well - or do I need something after the super fine, before the green compound?

(Also, I recently switch the lathe chisels sharpening to a Harbor Freight belt sharpening system ala Jim Echter and LOVE IT.)
 
#4 ·
Chris, I've been doing the Paul Sellers system you are describing for a few months now. I was skeptical as well as you until I saw him in person at the WW show. All he works at the show is pine and after seeing his end grain I had no doubt it was sharp.

I love this sharpening system! I've been using it for a while now and it works great.

The thing I do different is that after working the bevel of the iron, I rub the bur off with a couple of strokes on some old 2000 paper I have on glass. Its only two strokes so the paper lasts forever.

Paul Sellers rubs the bur off on the 1200 grit stone but his is well broken in and mine is new and a little course.

Look at it this way, going to 8000 grit water stone might give you better edge retention in theory but at what cost in time? All the water and mess, flattening, etc…

With the diamond stones and strop you refresh the edge easily in under a minute. It all leads to less procrastination to sharpen which means you will always have sharp tools.
 
#5 ·
Oh and use the Glass cleaner from the dollar store as a lubricant. Not Windex! There is something about the cheap stuff that keeps the swarf from rusting on your stones.
 
#6 ·
Sweet, glad to hear from somebody who has it. I'm setting up a little sharpening station that will have the lathe sharpener out and the diamond stones and all 'ready to go'...so hopefully I shouldn't have any excuse!
 
#8 ·
BigRedKnothead got me on oilstones with the Veritas MKII sharpening jig and I am very happy with the system. Any system is good though, I know someone who is dead set on scary sharp and another person set on oilstones and another person set on waterstones. To each his own. Find which one you like and go for it.
 
#9 ·
Its true that all the sharpening systems work but at $35 per diamond stone with free shipping on Amazon its hard to beat. Also, the diamond stones allow you to sharpen A2 steel (not that I'm a big fan of it anyway)
 
#10 ·
@Mauricio - yup, and the double stone is like 57 for the fine/super fine. So really, you could get all three grades for just over 100. Which is pretty great for a set of 8 inch 'stones'.
 
#11 ·
Yeah but the single stones are so cheap. And having single stones allows you to make one of these:

Hood Wood Automotive exterior Bumper Gas


So its even faster to sharpen, no flipping the stones in the middle of the process.
(I already had the DMT Duo sharp, otherwise I would have gotten the EZ Lap)
 

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#12 ·
Yup, I was planning on individual stones. I'm going to buy them one at a time to swap out the grades of paper in my current setup and then over the course of the next couple of months acquire all three and ditch the paper (but maybe keep the 2000).
 
#13 ·
I use the diamond stones up to 1200 grit and then a 4000 and 8000 grit waterstone. Works pretty well for me. I was using the scary sharp method but found the same as you; it works well but dealing with the sandpaper was a PITA.
 
#14 ·
you can also get a 3 micron dmt that is equal to 2000 grit. I have one and it would work with a strop. I have a hard oil stone that works just a little better, so thats what I use. I keep my strop dry.

I did this write up about it.
 
#15 ·
http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/3179

I use/used scary sharp and occasionally still do, HOWEVER, switching to a belt based sharpening system is sooo much easier and faster that I don't even have to stop and think about it. I mostly use 180-grit belts but could go as high as 600-grit. That said, when using a belt system, you do NOT need to go at such a high grit because of the speed at which the belt passes under your iron to be sharpened. Then a touch up on the buffing wheel with 10,000-grit and it becomes a mirror finish. Just my 2-cents…
 
#16 ·
@DonW - Ya, I'm considering a hard arkansas or such after the super fine eze-lap - but…I'd really love to avoid the mess if I could. I guess its just going to be getting it all setup and finding out if I think I need another level.

So many folks stop at so many different levels, I guess between everybody using different steel and different standards - there is no 'right' answer, eh?
 
#18 ·
I've been sharpening my lathe tools free hand and it seems to be working. But then again I know very little about turning so I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.
 
#21 ·
Yeah, 1000 grit sandpaper is much smoother than the 1200 grit EZE Lap.

I started sharpening carving chisels free hand so it doesnt seem much different than sharpen lathe tools.
 
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