Frehand equipment recommendations? + question about grit #

[sogflash]

First the question about the grit number. Is the grit number used on stones the same as on sandpaper?

What equipment can you recommend for freehand sharpening? I'm thinking about stones and diamond covered plates.

I currently have a Buck 3 stone sharpening system. Sometimes I just use sandpaper for sharpening.

The Buck sharpener has 325 and 750 grit diamonds and a fine Arkansas stone. Or that's the information I found on one at amazon. The Arkansas stone in my set is marked "medium".

I want to step up and get finer stones or diamond plates for sharpening, but I'm not familiar with the brands that are out there.

Can you recommend something?

 

[Jason B.]

Grit is different from sandpaper to stone and often stone to stone, there is no one single grit standard to keep it all in check but many from different country's to confuse the hell out of you.

My default stone recommendation is Shapton Pro, they work faster and sharpen better than most and won't break the bank (unless you get all of them). The 1k and 5k stones would be a good start and you already have diamond plates which will aid in keeping them flat.