My first (almost perfect) mirror edge!! Tips wanted.

[eb1118]

I recently bought a Gatco diamond system and I just brought my Paramilitary 2 to a shaving-sharp almost perfect mirror edge. I'm having trouble getting some scratches out particularly near the choil. I did this using the ultimate finishing hone which is about 1200 grit. I know there are much finer grits out there and also stropping, but I haven't done much research into those yet. Does anyone have useful tips specific to the Gatco diamond system or the ultimate finishing hone?

 

[chaddbernard]

Have you ever tried the Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener? It's very easy to get a mirror edge every time. And fast!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I recently bought a Gatco diamond system and I just brought my Paramilitary 2 to a shaving-sharp almost perfect mirror edge. I'm having trouble getting some scratches out particularly near the choil. I did this using the ultimate finishing hone which is about 1200 grit. I know there are much finer grits out there and also stropping, but I haven't done much research into those yet. Does anyone have useful tips specific to the Gatco diamond system or the ultimate finishing hone?

The remaining scratches are likely ones that didn't get quite enough refinement in the stages before you used the finishing hone. Any mirror edge done by hand (with unpowered means) will have to be done extremely thoroughly in all grit stages, making sure each stage has accomplished as much as it can. If coarser scratches aren't refined/minimized adequately in earlier steps, the finishing hones won't be aggressive enough to clean them up.

It's best to use a well-lit magnifier to closely inspect the scratch patterns as you work. It'll be easier to see deeper scratches in earlier stages this way, so they can be cleaned up in time, before going all the way to the finishing step, only to see the high polish reveal them in glaring fashion.


David