Since I'm on a budget, but still wanted to bridge the gap between the 1000 grit diamond stones and the strops from the Pro Pack, I hunted down some very fine grit auto body sandpaper. A few folks here have mentioned using it and getting good results, so I'm experimenting with what I have (just 600 wet/dry) and treating the sandpaper as a strop more or less. Surprisingly good results, hoping to get in the other grits (1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 in aluminum oxide paper) by the end of the week to try those out too.

From what I've read and my couple of experiments with the 600 paper, the main difference is sandpaper is more fragile and breaks down quickly, while usually giving a finer finish even in the same grit as diamond stones.

I can definitely recommend some more strops, probably down to 0.5 micron paste. That's where I'm heading with my first round of upgrades, particularly if the sandpaper experiments work out well. I think having a good progression of strops, including maybe a final finish set in kangaroo leather, would go a long way toward that mirror finish! Just remember that sometimes the most polished edge isn't the right one for the job

Once you switch over to real waterstones you will not go back (IMHO).

Absolutely! But until I can get a couple sets of waterstones for about ten bucks at Autozone, my budget has me making do with what I can

I'm definitely looking forward to adding more stones and some ceramics to the mix, but it'll be quite a while before that happens. If nothing else, getting the extra fine grit paper gives some extra experience with different finishes at low cost, as well as being usable for plenty of other things around the shop!

Stones are the ONLY way to have real consistency. The problem with the WE strops is that they are mounted on a very uneven plastic platen. Bob Nash has some leather, roo and nano cloth mounted on aluminum and glass platens. That said if you use stones in the various grits you end up with a very consistent finish and have better control on what you want for micro teeth. Yes you have to have a little tooth or the knife rolls off what your cutting. Now if what you want is the mirror finish and have bragging rights go for the strops. What Stropping I now do is on 3x8 blanks of balsa using diamond paste and sprays only to finish on roo or nano cloth with the same demensions. Instead of small strokes I use large sweeping strokes on those materials. The results are amazing.

I just wanted to say thank you again to you all that responded. I am getting some truly amazing results. Thank you all so much!

kmm

Fabulous images and very enlightening.

ApexGS wrote:


Just keep im mind.. 3000 grit "P" rated FEPA is eqiuvalent to the 1000 grit WEPS diamonds...

600 P is close to the 400 WEPS diamonds. This is just grit size. The fact that the sandpaper abrasive is more fiable.. and it comes off of the paper easily, makes it do things differenlty at the edge...

I tried getting a
'mirror"
with papers up to 3500 grit... Not really there.

You can get some of the 3M abrasive papers with PSA, and go down to the one micron level and get a pretty bevel.

As Steve says, if you ever get to the point of hainve the capital to invest, the waterstones will give you a real pretty ..and scary sharp edge.

Not sure of what you get at Autozone... but by the time you cut it and mount it... it is more than 10 bucks.. and I am dubious about the results...

The WEPS Ceramics will do much to get to a pretty edge.. and a real sharp one.
If you want a real mirror... edge, go with the water stones.. Choseras...not from Autozone...

Phil