what Richard Wilson said.

  that said, once I started shaving with straight razors my attitude
toward sharpening changed, or maybe just the goalposts did. I mean,
sharp enough for woodworking, even delicate cross grain work in
squishy soft woods is dull enough to leave your face on fire after a
shave. really put the pressure on to up my sharpening skills. good
enough for chisels and planes isn't good enough for razors. but I'm
still after good enough for the application at hand, and the most
efficient way of getting there.

Bridger, who just ordered some 0.3 micron lapping film to deal with a
problem razor.

----- Original Message -----
From: "yorkshireman@y..."

To:"Cliff" 
Cc:"oldtools List" 
Sent:Thu, 25 May 2017 10:30:59 +0100
Subject:Re: [OldTools] open question: diamond grit

 Cliff is asking about edges…

 Some good info about diamond grits and suchlike. All very relevant to
the question, but I’d just like to weigh in with my usual mantra of
‘sharp enough’ 

 Now, I know some folk have a singleminded pursuit of sharpness, and
going down to a half micron level sounds as if it will yield me a
blade to split cobwebs. The thing is, of the woodwork I do, there’
may be only ten minutes of needing a blade like that in the course of
a half a week of making. 
 The great, maybe revolutionary, idea behind using glass and
replaceable abrasive sheets is the time it takes to get from too blunt
for the job, to way past sharp enough so you can get back to work. 

 Most of my sharpening regime is based around a rotating wet stone to
give a hollow ground, and a quick touch to a fine carborundum stone -
which I have always used only with water. A pass over the back, and a
strop to remove the wire edge, if any, and back to work. As the blade
dulls, a refresh on the stone is quick, and back to work. For the
final clean up on something tricky, then I may turn to some fine
compound on an oak bound leather strop - 10,000 and 15,000, and there
are a couple of planes set up with their blades honed this way so that
work isn’t interrupted. 

 If sharpening isn’t the object of your tie in the workshop, I’m
merely saying that there is a seduction in sharpening to a half micron
mirror finish which is detrimental to output. 

 Wait - did I suggest that we’re meant to be turning out finished
items? Ooops, sorry, pass the spittoon. 

 Richard Wilson
 Yorkshireman Galoot 
 in Northumberland

 > On 23 May 2017, at 17:26, Cliff  wrote:
 > 
 > Some years ago I built what I thought was going a totally slick
sharpening rig. Three Glass plates and a leather strop the plates were
20" long 4" wide and 3/8" thick
 > 
 > I got some diamond grits for it. they were the wrong grits. Too
fine. I really didn't know much about the sizes of diamond grits.
Still don't.
 > 
 > I got half, one, and two micron. They don't seem to make a dent in
an edged tool.
 > 
 > What three grits would you choose ? Assuming you know more about
this than I do.
 > 
 > Know a good source?
 > 

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
 aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history,
usage,
 value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
 traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.

 To change your subscription options:
 https://oldtools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

 To read the FAQ:
 https://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html

 OldTools archive: https://swingleydev.com/ot/

 OldTools@s...