Diamond stone

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BladeJogger

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Mar 23, 2011
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105
I'm 2 knives into this little habit and I got myself a 1200 grit diamond stone.The dealer
recommended the grit for all around sharpening.To finish the blade he uses 3M lapping film 3/1 micron.I also read about finishing a blade on cardboard,I would appreciate any other budget tool ideas to get my knives as sharp as possible.I'm practicing on a dremel leatherman and am right on with the angle, surprised myself,it's just taking a long time with the 1200 which I don't mind.When I get this one right I want to put a good finish on it.Thanks in advance.


http://img189.imageshack.us/i/img1964i.jpg/
 
Backside of a good leather belt. Or I would just goto a local leather shop and get a good scrap. I got the leather for my strop for 3 bucks.
 
I definitely recommend loaded cowhide strops, and unloaded horsehide strops.

Also, in addition to your fine diamond stone, you might want to pick up one of these Diamond Life hones for setting an edge and light reprofiling:
image_2555.jpg

Harbor Freight sells these, I'm not sure who else does. I know that the Harbor Freight brick and mortar stores usually stock them though, and they perform as though designed for knife makers.

Also, cardboard isn't only good for finishing, it is also great for maintenance sharpening. I'd say that some high quality, heavy duty corrugated cardboards are almost as good as a horsehide strop block for this purpose(not as durable though.)
 
BladeJogger said:
I'm 2 knives into this little habit and I got myself a 1200 grit diamond stone.The dealer
recommended the grit for all around sharpening.To finish the blade he uses 3M lapping film 3/1 micron.I also read about finishing a blade on cardboard,I would appreciate any other budget tool ideas to get my knives as sharp as possible.I'm practicing on a dremel leatherman and am right on with the angle, surprised myself,it's just taking a long time with the 1200 which I don't mind.When I get this one right I want to put a good finish on it.Thanks in advance.
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The 1200 sounded a bit too 'fine' to me, for all-purpose use. It's good for light maintenance & touch-ups. If you eventually need to do a major bevel fix/reshape on a bigger blade, or with a more challenging steel (S30V or the like), you might consider something more coarse to start. If you're liking the cardboard for stropping, you might also try some wet/dry sandpaper on a leather backing (on wood), or even on a cardboard backing, if you prefer. Use it the same as if for stropping, with an edge-trailing stroke. The wet/dry sandpaper, on a budget, will also give you some more grit options, if you need to do some heavy metal removal on your blade. It'll also fill in some of the gaps in the finishing grit chain, before going to the 3M lapping film. That'll yield a higher polish in the end, IF you want to take it further. ;)
 
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2x4 and some 400-600 grit sandpaper,My stone 1200,cardboard,then the 3m lapping film in that order,
and the only movement into the edge with the stone,how does that sound?
 
BladeJogger said:
2x4 and some 400-600 grit sandpaper,My stone 1200,cardboard,then the 3m lapping film in that order,
and the only movement into the edge with the stone,how does that sound?
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I think the 400-600 grit will speed things up a bit. I think, in time, you'll see a use for something lower, like 220/320. What you have listed, is enough now to generally maintain your knives. There's quite a large jump in grit from the 1200/cardboard up to the lapping film, so you'll not likely get a full polish. BUT, that's a matter of preference. If you're like most of us knife fanatics, I think you'll start looking to take it up another level, eventually (just a hunch :p).

Regarding edge movement into the stone, I assume you're referring to the stone only? You can do it with the paper, but just be sure to keep the pressure light and the angle as low as possible, so you don't cut the paper. The light touch required for edge-leading on sandpaper is a great way to learn good technique in general (light pressure always works better).
 
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Does the cardboard act as a replacement to a ceramic rod after the stone? and what other sandpaper grits would fill in the gaps.I'll start with around a 300/400 to sharpen.
 
BladeJogger said:
Does the cardboard act as a replacement to a ceramic rod after the stone? and what other sandpaper grits would fill in the gaps.I'll start with around a 300/400 to sharpen.
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I wouldn't view cardboard as a replacement for a ceramic rod. Ceramic is great for quickly removing burrs from ANY steel, and it'll also polish the edge a bit (after the stone). Cardboard is sort of a toss-up, in terms of what it'll do for you. It's handy for stropping rough/big burrs from relatively common steels, but isn't guaranteed to do the same for harder/tougher steels. If I were to 'replace' one for the other, I'd use the ceramic rod and forget about the cardboard (as used by itself). The cardboard can be used as a backing for the sandpaper if you wish, but then any relatively firm-but-softish material will work for that (such as leather, or a mousepad).

For grit progression with sandpaper, I'd go with 400/600/800/1000/1500/2000. But, if you don't want to take it that far, you can do something like 400/800/1500/2000. The wider the 'gap' between grits, the harder it'll be to remove all the scratches from the previous steps. The 400/600 will produce a satin finish, the 800 will refine that slightly, and the 1000/1500/2000 will begin to polish it to a mirror-like finish.
 
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Thanks for the info Obsessed with Edges,you've been very helpful.I found 1500 grit sandpaper at pepboys today and a ceramic rod online and am ready to practice.Gonna go with 400/800/1200 diamond stone/ceramic rod/1500,and see how it goes.If I need more I'll pick up the 3m lapping film (3-1micron) later on.By the way my current knives are the BK-2 and a Rat 1 which arrived today.
 
BladeJogger said:
Thanks for the info Obsessed with Edges,you've been very helpful.I found 1500 grit sandpaper at pepboys today and a ceramic rod online and am ready to practice.Gonna go with 400/800/1200 diamond stone/ceramic rod/1500,and see how it goes.If I need more I'll pick up the 3m lapping film (3-1micron) later on.By the way my current knives are the BK-2 and a Rat 1 which arrived today.
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You're welcome.

I forgot to note in my earlier post, I found my sandpaper (Norton wet/dry; in all grits specified) at a Woodcraft store. Can also be found at their online site, if you don't have a local store. I've also been able to find most of it in other places, like Home Depot/Lowe's or Walmart (they both carry the 3M Wet-or-Dry variety, usually in 220-600 grit or so). Many others here have found the higher grit paper (800+) at auto/body refinishing shops. I think most of that is also the 3M brand.

Good luck. :thumbup:
 
A quick update
After using everything stated in post #10 I can slice through newspaper with any blade I sharpen,just cant quite shave hair yet.As for stropping I use the spent 1500 grit sandpaper on a piece of cardboard with very light pressure to some success,some blades respond better then others.I wonder what grit the used up 1500 is at.
 
BladeJogger said:
Thanks for the info Obsessed with Edges,you've been very helpful.I found 1500 grit sandpaper at pepboys today and a ceramic rod online and am ready to practice.Gonna go with 400/800/1200 diamond stone/ceramic rod/1500,and see how it goes.If I need more I'll pick up the 3m lapping film (3-1micron) later on.By the way my current knives are the BK-2 and a Rat 1 which arrived today.
Click to expand...

BladeJogger said:
A quick update
After using everything stated in post #10 I can slice through newspaper with any blade I sharpen,just cant quite shave hair yet.As for stropping I use the spent 1500 grit sandpaper on a piece of cardboard with very light pressure to some success,some blades respond better then others.I wonder what grit the used up 1500 is at.
Click to expand...

What exact sequence did you apply, when using the items quoted in post #10 (referenced above)? I noticed you've got the diamond stone/ceramic rod referenced before the 1500 grit sandpaper. Although the diamond is listed at 1200 grit, it's not likely going to 'fill the gap' in the sequence, between the 800 grit sandpaper and the 1500 grit sandpaper. Diamond cuts much more agressively (more deeply) than the silicon carbide in the sandpaper, so the net effect will be coarser with the diamond. If it were me, I'd put the diamond & ceramic aside for the time being. Try the sandpaper only, through the full grit sequence (400 thru 1500). if possible, see if you can get some sandpaper in the 1000/1200 grit range. When using grits at & above 1000, go extremely light on pressure.

Also, not sure what type of cardboard you're using as backing. If it's the corrugated stuff, that might be a little 'bumpy' or uneven as a backing. Try using something as smooth as possible to back the sandpaper. Very smooth & very light is the best strategy, when trying to get to the shaving sharpness level. And it definitely won't hurt, after the sandpaper, to try out some compound on leather, bare leather, or the lapping film on a leather or smooth, hard backing. Again, with extremely light pressure.
 
For stropping,cardboard is out and now I'm using 1500 grit sandpaper that's been used up,no bite to it at all it's very smooth and works pretty good.I'll have a piece of leather within a few days but for now that's what I'm using.

As for the sequence I use sandpaper on 2x4's 400/800/1200 diamond stone/ceramic rod/1500 then the used smooth 1500 for stropping.I start with about 1lb of pressure to start and by the time I hit the ceramic rod I'm just holding the knife and guiding it,no pressure.

My diamond stone broke in nicely and no longer chews on the edge but I'll still move it down so the next sequence I'll try will be 400/diamond 1200/800/1000/ceramic rod/1500/leather.
 
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