Comments on: Questions on diamond sharpening methods, stones and plates

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Thanks!

By: Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:31:00 +0000

I think that this is my point. How can a company like Rubbermaid that makes plastic buckets and bowls know much about what we want. I wiouldn;t hesitate to bu a Faithful chisel even though their chisels are made in China too. They don’t hide it and they cost between £2.60 and £3.50 in both metric and imperial sizing. I have tested these for abpout five years and they have been consistently good and pleasing to use. They take and keep a good keen edge, are slim enough for finer cabinet work and feel just like any Marples or Irwin Marples for a third of the price. Buy these top get started and see how you like them longterm. I am still smitten with wooden handles.
I cannot say with Faithful sharpening plates. From what I have seen, they fall short.

By: Christopher Harvey

Christopher Harvey — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Hi Paul,
I bought a Faithfull double sided diamond stone, one side 300, and the other side 1000. I think that the diamonds have been put on a bit thin, after six months the stone is not up to much.
Great thing about your blog, is it has made me much mless trusting of manufacturers, for example I was talking to an owner of a real tools shop in Brussels the other day, and I mentionned Marples to him. He said they were now in one big importing group, bringing in Chinese stuff; and living off their name. Thus have the mighty fallen.

By: Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:52:00 +0000

Go for the 220. That’s coarse enough but not too coarse.

By: Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:37:00 +0000

250-350 grit will work well. No stone or plate keeps its original grit size as they do fracture to the larger size.

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:21:00 +0000

Hi Paul, thanks for such a comprehensive reply! It seems like you definitely recommend a 15,000-grit polish on the strop, and a 1,200 diamond grit prior to the strop, which is good to know. What grit size would you recommend for the first stone when using a two stone plus strop setup?