1st Waterstone use and some questions (very long)

The question is then...

Christopher Fitch @ Memphis

>what do they mean by long term?

:)

One side note about flattening...

Christopher Fitch @ Memphis

>According to Norton's info sheet that came with their stones, they recommend using 400 and 600 grit sandpaper to flatten the 4000 and 8000 grit stones.

Joel, what do you use to flatten them?

Re: waterstones + one other strange thing...

joel

>Bascially yes. I form the wire edge on the 1k stone and then chase it first on the 4k then the 8k. You can actually feel it getting smaller and it abrades and fatigues away.

Re: One side note about flattening...

joel

>I have been using the coarsest box of sandpaper open - usually 80 grit. I don't care about the finished texture - the stone will cut to the grit of the stone not the grooves and the grooves prevent "stickion".

I also use SC powder. I used to use a diamond stone but I wear them out.

one reason I like oilstones is there is less maintancene. I've just been using waterstones a lot latey because I'm in that groove. (I use everything interchangably - they all work)

Re: Good Points. Thanks.

Hank Knight

>

Re: 1st Waterstone use and some questions (very lo

Charles

>And another thing.... I'd rather have a system that cut fairly slowly when I'm putting on the microbevel on a freshly ground iron or chisel. You don't want to end up with your MB a fat 16th up the blade. I go for a tiny glint on the end - it's far easier to touch up and you get many, many more honings before a fresh re-grind is needed. And if you do all this by hand, the re-grinds are time consuming so you want to maximize time between re-grindings. FWIW, I use 80 grit on a small piece of glass for re-grinds. Everything else is handled on ceramics.

I need as few worries in the shop as I can manage. I don't like worrying about out-of-flat stones regardless of how 'easy' it is to flatten them. It's just something else to do. I have plenty to do. Don't you?

Re: Waterstones - observations from a novice

Doug LIttlejohn

>I am also a new Norton Waterstone user and can pretty much mimic what else have said. One difference for me is that I also got the Veritas Waterstone Station. Basicly a tub and cover, two devices to hold the stones above the water for actual use and also a plate glass/plastic film/compound for flattening the stones when needed.

I also keep mine soaking all the time, 8000 side up.

Sherwood