Grit vs. Micron

phillipsted

phillipsted

Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
1,315
I was getting confused recently trying to translate between grit (for my sharpening stones) and microns (on compounds and strops). Not to mention the fact that different folks use different scales for grits - it all gets very murky.

Anyway, I needed a table to keep things straight in my mind, so I made the attached reference. I know somebody is going to quibble with the accuracy here - but the simple fact that grit numbers are a black magic.

Sorry if this has been hashed over in other threads. Just wanted to pass along some potentially useful info...

TedP

=====

micron grit
1.0 14000
3.5 4000
5.0 2800
8.8 1600
10.0 1400
14.0 1000
17.5 800
23.3 600
35.0 400
70.0 200
140.0 100
 
The only way I ever got my noodle wrapped around the hole mystery was:
- Sharpening stones start with a LOW number and go to a HIGH number.
- Strops and related goo start with a HIGH number and go to a LOW number.
Almost opposite :D

Then go look for band-aids because I can never find one.:eek:
 
Here's another possible variable. My DMT diamond hones list grit according to 'mesh' and the equivalent 'microns' (as labelled on each hone). As an example, my EF DMT hone lists the '1200 mesh' as equivalent to 9 micron. This would appear to conflict (at least a little) with the 'grit' spec of 1600 = 8.8 micron, and 1400 = 10.0 micron. Logically, one might assume the 9 micron size to fall somewhere in between those two (between 8.8 and 10.0; therefore between 1600 and 1400), but it doesn't. A little more of that 'black magic', apparently.
 
I'm going to actually go look for the Micron/Grit dude and slap him around a little bit just for being so frigging VAGUE !
 
When I first received my WEPS I was plugging along and I got to the strops and Wham! the brakes went on. I sat there staring at them - no clue. It was late, nobody to call.
I was stuck.
Thanks to my peeps on BladeForums I got the answer I needed and away I went.
I am sure Phils chart will save someone the way I was. Good info.!
For those with my limited capacity- stones (start Low) strops (start High) BooYah!
 
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