Nice work. Did you use a stone, diamond plate or sandpaper?
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Nice work. Did you use a stone, diamond plate or sandpaper?
mdf:Nice work. Did you use a stone, diamond plate or sandpaper?
Yes :-).
Started with a flat file (!!), since even going to 60 grit wasn't removing enough material, then 60 grit on a random orbit sander (see earlier note about how much material needed to be removed), then 120, 240, and 400 grit on a flat block, then 1000 and finally 3000 grit diamond polishing block. That's the Chinese-made foam block than you hold in your hand and run over the surface to polish it, see my response in the knife-sharpening thread for where to get these.
It's not terribly critical, I just experimented with whatever was needed, I only resorted to the flat file when I realised that no sandpaper was going to do the job unless I was prepared to spend days at it, and the sander was for the same reason. They got things close enough that the final finishing wasn't so tedious any more.
Just to be pedantic, Lie-Nielsen are an American firm.
If you're looking for some superb planes (with, regrettably, prices to match), look at the Veritas series from Lee Valley in Canada. Many of them should be available also through Carbatec in Auckland.
neb: <snip> then 1000 and finally 3000 grit diamond polishing block. That's the Chinese-made foam block than you hold in your hand and run over the surface to polish it <snip>
Interesting, I hadn't seen these before. On the recommendation of Stumpy Nubs and Paul Sellers, I bought this style of diamond back sharpener: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Diamond-Coated-Plate-Sharpener-Whetstone-Sharpening-Stone-400-1000-Grits-/302701741329?hash=item467a6e0511
Naturally, Stumpy was most interested in the premium stuff including some super expensive lapping fluid. However, I've found even this cheap stone + window cleaner (thanks Paul Sellers) incredible on chisels and won't ever go back to old style stones or sandpaper. Might be a bit small for planes though.
neb: If only the Stanleys weren't so expensive... I've also heard their quality has been slipping in the last few decades as well, so there's no guarantee you won't need to do additional work on a Stanley either.
mdf:Interesting, I hadn't seen these before. On the recommendation of Stumpy Nubs and Paul Sellers, I bought this style of diamond back sharpener: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Diamond-Coated-Plate-Sharpener-Whetstone-Sharpening-Stone-400-1000-Grits-/302701741329?hash=item467a6e0511
Got one of those two a while back from a generic Chinese vendor, mostly as a convenient way to sharpen the machete I use to keep the brambles/gorse/whatever in trim. It's OK, although I'm not sure I'd use it for a chisel or plane blade for anything but a very coarse grind. I'll use it as the first stage of dressing the blade on the Indian Stanley and see how it goes, but follow it up with a proper whetstone. The diamond-dust ones don't seem to go beyond about (claimed) 3000-4000, which probably won't give it a fine edge.
The edge on the Stanley is better than on the Bombay Special, but it also looks like it was never sharpened by the owner so it's just the generic from-the-factory finish, I'll do that in the next day or two and report back.
Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the $30 Bombay Special, apart from the plastic furniture which the newer Stanleys have too it gives the $150 Stanley a run for its money.
mdf:However, I've found even this cheap stone + window cleaner (thanks Paul Sellers) incredible on chisels and won't ever go back to old style stones or sandpaper. Might be a bit small for planes though.
Just out of interest, how do they deal with loading? With a whetstone you're wearing it away as you hone, with the Chinese foam-backed pads you toss them once they're clogged, but with these its unclear how long they can remain usable...
neb:mdf:Just out of interest, how do they deal with loading? With a whetstone you're wearing it away as you hone, with the Chinese foam-backed pads you toss them once they're clogged, but with these its unclear how long they can remain usable...
However, I've found even this cheap stone + window cleaner (thanks Paul Sellers) incredible on chisels and won't ever go back to old style stones or sandpaper. Might be a bit small for planes though.
Using lapping fluid (which for me is a $4 bottle of windex) seems to make a positive difference; the steel dust (tailings?) basically floats itself away. I sharpened a new 4 pack of Irwin chisels from cold and it seemed to get better by the end (or perhaps I got more practised on the way through). I've since used it to touch up the chisels as I go. Haven't noticed any degradation, though I am careful about using all bits of it sort of equally.
I used Paul Sellers method:
400 diamond
1000 diamond
Green honing compound on wood (for the back) and a leather strop (for the bevel)
Seems to get it sharp enough for my needs. Certainly was taking the hair of the back of my arms with no effort. And without drawing blood.
The 400 diamond is also aggressive enough that I should probably invest in a bevel guide. I got a bit sloppy on one and rounded over a corner, fortunately at the back of the bevel.
Next is sharpening the blades, accompanied by wishful thinking about owning a Veritas honing guide.
which AFAICT is what it would have looked like originally. Only bit still to go, and the motivation for the digression into planing, is the nonstandard trim not visible at the top of the photo.
It did a pretty nice job, and felt just like using the Stanley. Or at least one of the newer ones with plastic furniture. Just need to patch it into place, since they did the cuts with a multi-tool the edges are nowhere near square.
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