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If there is anybody on the list using a diamond stone for sharpening their plane blades, do you have a recommendation on who to buy one from and what general grit to buy? (Bill Walters) I've been sharpening with diamond stones for blades & chisels and found a company (here’s their web site) that has really great stones for low prices. The 2x6" is $23.95 and with a leather pouch [good for quick final hone] $27.50. If you use only a new A2 you won't need a coarse grit, but I use Fine 600, superfine 1200, then to a Norton 8000 wet for polish. I use No. 3 planes for roughing and only use 600 to sharpen the A2’s as it's quick and gets the job done. I do the steps to the Norton on my LN block plane for finish work. (Chad Wigham) My good wife bought me The EZE-LAP Diamond Sharpeners from Woodcraft as a Christmas present a few years ago and they do a very good job. The two that I have are the Fine and the Super Fine and they are not cheap. I use them along with sandpaper to put a very good edge on your plane blade. (Tom Peters) I use a progression of stones every time I sharpen. I line them up on a piece of Plexiglas and sharpen a dozen + irons at a clip. Here is the order: Fine diamond, 1,000 grit water stone, 6,000 grit water stone, 10,000 grit polisher. Woodcraft has a nice selection of Diamond stones. (Marty DeSapio)
Can anyone recommend a brand of Diamond Stone (or ones to stay away from) and a source? I think its time to upgrade my sharpening gear. (Scott Wolfe) I have the following whetstone that I ordered through Amazon.com. The cost is about $90. Works great, stays flat. I find the extra fine side sharpens plane irons just fine for planing bamboo. The fine is 800 grit and the extra fine side is 1200. I always use the 1200 side. You just need a little water for lubrication and I clean it off with a little GoJo hand cleaner when I'm done. DMT W250EFNB 4" x 10" Duosharp Extra Fine & Fine Diamond Whetstone. (Tom Mohr) Before you pop for $90+ for a diamond stone or any other stones may I suggest you consider the following. www.handamerican.com has a leather honing belt that will fit on your 36 inch belt sander, he will also make custom sizes. To that you apply abrasive compound, which he also sells, the finest being 0.5 micron chrome oxide. This belt by itself should be all you need to sharpen a plane blade. Personally, I have just finished sharpening several plane blades by using a similar method. I had a very worn 36 inch belt, took it off and turned it inside out, put it back on the sander, rubbed some honing compound on the belt, put the blade in the honing guide and started the sander, placed the blade on the sander and held it there for 60 seconds. Much sharper. I then sprayed the belt with WD40 which made the compound more liquid and filled in the pores of the woven belt then applied some more compound and WD40 and sharpened again. This works. Just remember to take the burr off the back side. Fast and easy, accommodates different lengths and widths of blades, very comfortable speed of operation, no curvature to the bevel. I believe the leather belt would give a sharper edge. A friend has ordered one so after he has tested it I will let you know if it is sharper than mine. (Randy Tuttle) And for those of you who like the sandpaper-on-glass-or-marble, I glued a small piece of thin leather to a board (could have used the glass, but didn't think of it...) with contact cement. I then coated it with some of the green honing compound from Woodcrafters, and I have a great final honing surface after my last sandpaper. It keeps my chisels and knives looking like mirrors on the bevels. (Claude Freaner) EZE-LAP Diamond Products, Inc I've been pleased with the quality and they're around $20 (Chad Wigham) To sharpen I use a combination of a Diamond Stone (Red fine)(Rockler sells them for about 30 dollars) and the scary sharp method with 1200 and 2000 grit sand paper I get at the local automotive paint and body supplies store. Seems to work for my limited means and readily available. The local hardwood lumber place sells the diamond stones for around 45 dollars. I was looking at and extra fine stone but beat back the impulse to buy. (Jim Tefft)
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