Stop Sharpening with Sandpaper!
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- Опубликовано: 15 мар 2022
- You can ditch the sandpaper and get sharp with affordable diamond stones.
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Products from this video (affiliate):
STILL IN STOCK: 2-Sided 400/1000 Grit Stone: amzn.to/3CNVSeD
(I didn't mention this one in the video, but I've had it for years and it offers excellent value.)
*3 Diamond Stones for $17: amzn.to/3u6fsyL
(The 4 stone set might be out of stock, but this 3 stone set is even cheaper and should get the job done.)
Another 3 stone set: amzn.to/3wdympS
Another: amzn.to/3MX3v76
Another: amzn.to/3CNGWwR
2 Diamond Stones for $9: amzn.to/3uchrSi
Another set: amzn.to/3wffPty
4 Diamond Stone Package: amzn.to/3Ii2qD8
Green compound for your strop: amzn.to/3MX0p2K
Honing Guide: amzn.to/3u91SuC
Contact Cement: amzn.to/3Ia9hPf
Hardpoint Saw: amzn.to/3u0YRMK
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More videos on sharpening:
Fast freehand sharpening: no jigs, no guides, no sandpaper.
• Fast freehand sharpeni...
True Beginner: Basic Sandpaper Sharpening
• True Beginner: Basic S...
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Wood Work for Humans Tool List (affiliate):
Cutting
Gyokucho Ryoba Saw: amzn.to/2Z5Wmda
Dewalt Panel Saw: amzn.to/2HJqGmO
Suizan Dozuki Handsaw: amzn.to/3abRyXB
(Winner of the affordable dovetail-saw shootout.)
Spear and Jackson Tenon Saw: amzn.to/2zykhs6
(Needs tune-up to work well.)
Crown Tenon Saw: amzn.to/3l89Dut
(Works out of the box)
Carving Knife: amzn.to/2DkbsnM
Narex True Imperial Chisels: amzn.to/2EX4xls
(My favorite affordable new chisels.)
Blue-Handled Marples Chisels: amzn.to/2tVJARY
(I use these to make the DIY specialty planes, but I also like them for general work.)
Sharpening
Honing Guide: amzn.to/2TaJEZM
Norton Coarse/Fine Oil Stone: amzn.to/36seh2m
Natural Arkansas Fine Oil Stone: amzn.to/3irDQmq
Green buffing compound: amzn.to/2XuUBE2
Marking and Measuring
Stockman Knife: amzn.to/2Pp4bWP
(For marking and the built-in awl).
Speed Square: amzn.to/3gSi6jK
Stanley Marking Knife: amzn.to/2Ewrxo3
(Excellent, inexpensive marking knife.)
Blue Kreg measuring jig: amzn.to/2QTnKYd
Round-head Protractor: amzn.to/37fJ6oz
Drilling
Forstener Bits: amzn.to/3jpBgPl
Spade Bits: amzn.to/2U5kvML
Work-Holding
Orange F Clamps: amzn.to/2u3tp4X
Screw Clamp: amzn.to/3gCa5i8
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0:00 Intro 
Хобби
The four-stone set might be out of stock, but I've added links to a couple of 3-stone sets that cost even less. They're in the description.
You should make a video about all those garbage Tools we never see, so everyone knows what not to buy and why. Noone would have to waste money on crappy tools just to find out that it´s crap.
Thanks, I was just typing my follow-up question about these while you were adding this information!
The 3-stone set version comes with 400, 1000, and 1200 grits and is $13.99. There is also a 2-stone set with 600 and 1000 grits for $9.79 so for $25.74 I got all four grits and an extra 1000 grit stone. Still a great deal! Thanks Rex!
Rex….you da’ man! I just got slammed from my HVAC inspection, and I need a new furnace! 10K plus! Ouch!!!! So if there is anyway that I can “save a dime”, I’m all for it! I owe you a couple of Toasted Lagers! (I just discovered this fine lager from a microbrewery on Long Island….purposefully did not use the name of the microbrewery--wasn’t sure if I was allowed to do so on RUclips!). Thank you, sir!
The 5 stone set is like $22
I realize you probably prefer to keep videos positive, but I think a video doing a round-up of the cheap tools you've tried out that turned out to be bad could be really interesting. It could be helpful to know what to avoid, or how to look for red flags when buying new tools.
I was going to suggest this also as soon as he said started talking about that. I don’t think it has to be a negative thing either, since a tool can be great for one person, just barely good enough for another, but awful for someone else. But it might be helpful to see the tools he ended up not liking that much just to show that everyone goes through that process in one way or another, buying tools they thought would be great but ended up never using. As long as you’re not dogmatic about it, and don’t insist that everyone will have the same experience with it that you did, so you don’t alienated anyone who does like the tool. But I doubt Rex would have that problem much anyways. And heck, maybe it would balance the market from all the tools he did recommend that then became rare and expensive ;)
Very much this!
I totally agree. Especially tools that look like they'd be a great bargain, but turn out just to be unsalvageable landfill because they used cheap materials or due to shoddy manufacture.
What to look out for is a great idea. I'd be wary of showing the bad tools he's bought though as any publicity is good publicity.
Everyone loves the junk tool videos... AvE does them brilliantly.
Ive found no better, simpler or cheaper method than the traditional technique of simply chasing the burr on a medium grit oil stone and finish with a strop. A norton medium india or a soft arkansas can be had for 16 bucks or less and will outlast most men.
You stop that with your facts and logic. 😂
I wonder if people here know who you are lol, ive been a sub for a LONG time, love the content, stones ordered. Since you are mainly by hand, im sure a sharp tool saves alot of effort, and I would say youve put in the effort to know. Love your channel btw. I am building a new house and am incorporating alot of your techniques with my carpenter.
It's so true. All these years of having perfectly sharp tools, and I've never thought to blitz through a fortune in wet'n dry
As a toolmaker/machinist, I can assure you that this is definitely the best solution.. particularly if you get a double sided india stone to get your initial bevel fast with the black side. I also recommend a smaller ruby stone which can be had for under $30 and work as good or better than a strop for straight edges.
Mostly yes, but newer crucible steels can gum up an Arkansas stone something terrible. A1, O2, HSS, 1080, etc are fine, but the sintered S35VN, D1, VG10 don’t play well with Novaculite.
It's worth saying that the surface of the melamine may be waterproof, but the edges ARE NOT and the board will gradually self-destruct if water goes over the edge. May wanna seal it up somehow.
was thinking the same thing watching him sharpen with the water. some epoxy or silicone on the edges would probs be enough to do the trick!
When water drips over the edge and seeps into the particle board, it will completely warp the melamine board. This guy sounds confident but I’m skeptical
@@MrSmith-rk4jq Two coats of carpenter's glue brushed on works well.
I really can't understand why you would glue them to a piece of 2S melamine and have to deal with sealing the edges.
Use white spirit or WD40 and there won’t be a problem. It’s better than water anyway.
I have two of these cheap diamond 'stones' glues back to back in my backpack, they are you need to keep your bush-craft knifes and axe more than up to the job :)
That's very clever!
I’m doing the same. I’ve got some in the shop, some with my bushcraft gear and also, with my scythes when trimming the property. I may even cut one up to put on my keychain. Glueing a piece of strop leather on the back might be a good idea too.
@@chopsddy3 but there is a reason why scythe stones look the way they do..
I’m glad to get early access as a Patron!! I ordered these when this video hit my email a few days ago, they’ve now sold out on Amazon and are ranked #1 in sharpening.
Even the 3-piece set is sold out now. :P
@@HepauDK In Europe you have 1meter sandpaper for under 1 dollar...
These particular plates came to my attention last September. I’ve been using them regularly since and they might be the best diamond abrasives I’ve ever used regardless of the price. They are not showing any signs of bare spots after a lot of use on edged tools , most of which have a Rockwell hardness of 60 or above. Price doesn’t necessarily indicate quality. These plates are working better than others I own that cost five times as much! Definitely a best buy.
I have a pair of those, a 600 and a 1200, used to sharpen my kitchen knives for the past 12 years. They have some minor damage near the edges, but still work nice enough. I paid about 100 bucks on the pair back then, and at that price they were already good value.
What you say about the more expensive plates doesn't at all surprise me, given some of the disappointing long-term user reviews I've read over the years. Those and the frequent can't-tell-the-grits-apart comments!
In terms of longevity of this exact type of plate, I think you can expect a good number of years yet based on the experience of myself, some friends and online acquaintances. I've been using my 1000-grit plate as my day-to-day hone almost exclusively since ....goes to check.... early 2016 and as far as I can tell it still works the same as it did after breaking in.
get the plain Chinese diamond plates and they're OK. Certainly cheap enough. I pay a bit more than Rex did but the plates I get are bigger. I get the 3" X 9" size ones. Then I glue them to some 1/4" thick plexi so I can hold them in a stone holder. Because the thin plates are impossible to hold. I call them "Crapton Plastics" Instead of Shapton glass plates. 😀
Your ability to demonstrate and your communication style hooks me every time I watch. Thanks Rex. I am a rookie and your channel is a new one to me and an absolute favourite now. Thanks again.
Hey Rex, long time viewer here:
Great video, but I've got two important nitpicks:
1. There are two different types of diamond stones, polycrystalline and monocrystalline. The latter costs more, (though still way less than it used to) but you get much more consistent results because in the former the diamonds break down over time.
2. You should wipe down whatever you're sharpening before taking it to the strop, otherwise you're going to transfer those tiny broken off diamonds onto your strop and it'll scratch the edge you're trying to polish.
Yes, very true on point 2. I learnt that myself the hard way on some mini DMT stones I use for sharpening ice boat runners. If you aren't careful, the abrasive from coarse stones will damage your fine stones.
It would also help if you got diamond stones that won't stop working after a week because the diamond is not sintered only glued on the cheap ones.
Your plan set for all the planes has been an absolute joy for well over a year. I'm glad you explained the break in process for new diamond stones and the reason for it. Over the winter I purchased the set you're speaking of and now that it has warmed a bit it's time to sharpen my toys for the first time of the year.
When the scary sharp system got popularized, I had to go to 2 hardware stores and 3 auto parts stores, plus a big box to get a slab of marble to get set up. Inexpensive diamond sharpening plates? Wow! guess what's currently unavailable? You're a trend setter, Rex!!
The feeling you get from super sharp sometimes can be amazing. The feeling on the wood that is.
Most of his links are now either unavailable or the prices are higher hahah
They set of four is back in stock, as of 4/15. Just order them.
im so thankful for people like you on youtube, educating all the young men on this platform who grew up without a father, thankyou
Wow! Thank you for sharing! I actually personally use these cheap diamond stones! They were so cheap but they worked really well and they sharpened my tools really well.
Thanks for the vid! I was always skeptical about cheap diamonds and invested in a bunch of DMT stones, each of which costs several times what that entire set does, but this looks like a perfect thing to have in the back of the truck for on-site use!
Bought them directly. Nice tip Rex! Had to buy two different packs as the 4 and 5 packs were out of stock. Now got the 400 - 600 - 1000 and 1200 grit for just over $30. They work like a charm! Thnx a LOT!
Got a few old tools recently that need love. Was going to order sandpaper literally today but the 4pack was in stock and it was a no brainer. Thanks, as always.
Rex, your influence is amazing!! By the time I viewed your video (just 23 hours after you posted), all stones in your suggested list were out of stock, except for the 2-sided unit. Nicely done! It will be interesting to see how soon they are re-supplied and at what price. Nice video. I've been following you for years (well, since 2020 at least. :=D ) You are the one responsible for beginning my woodworking journey. Without your down-to-earth basics approach to woodworking, I would never have begun. I've gone through all your sharpening videos with you, getting the same equipment and trying it out. Its been a learning experience, and from a retired teacher's perspective, that's a worthy accomplishment. Thank you.
Great video as always!
I’d like to see a video on some of the worst tools you’ve bought and tested, maybe compared to what we should buy instead.
Thanks for the video. I think my father had me sharpen my first knife when I was 5 or 6, the age he decided I could carry a pocket knife (official Girl Scout 2 blader, lol- it had been my mom's). Then I got to do the hatchet and axe. As I sharpen all sorts of things, I'd never attach stones to a surface. It leaves no knuckle room or blade clearance between stones. I like having a couple heavy bases I can just pop whatever stones into. Just a preference.
Followed your technique, glued the plates as you did, and WOW .... after 12 chisels, I am a fan. Rejected sandpaper and very costly stones. Used the Veritas honing guide, sighted the angle instead of using the paper guide, then I patiently worked thru 12 chisels to a mirror finish. AWESOME. Thank you.
Good information. Am from India, hobby woodworker, here in the villages they ve a much cheaper method. They crush a white transparent stone (don't know what's the name of it, we find it when we dig the earth). They sprinkle that powder on a wooden flat surface. They they hold the chisel and move it to left and right. You won't get a flat beveled edge. It'll have a curvy profile. But it works. It's a old school method. Sparks come out when they do this. After the powder becomes fine and is consumed, they put some more fresh crushed powder
Sounds like silica powder. Ancient Egypt and ancient China also use them to cut through granite and other hard rocks.
The sandpaper method is what you do when you need to put a new edge on a blade. It saves the life of your stones and will do a better job at removing more metal
When once tried sand paper on old tool it not even cut to until I took my diamond plate - those old tools are better metal than nowdays they sell
@@kestans well for sandpaper get the sheets at the store. You then glue them down to a flat surface and sharpen like you would a stone. It will remove much more metal than a stone much faster. Just the paper will wear out after a few minutes in the spot you use. Move to a new spot or use another sheet. If you want to put a brand new edge on a blade this is the best way. Get some 500 or 1k sheet sandpaper and you'll have a brand new perfect edge in like 10 minutes. Then use the stones to polish it.
@@kestans In regards to your metal, it isn't due to the fact that "better metal then nowdays", but due to the kind of steel and temper on the tool used.
Wouldn't be surprised if your older tools were high carbon steel with a pretty hard temper. Chisels often are, but (as a result) edges are prone to more chipping vs rolling.
Think where the whole "old is better" comes from is that there's a lot more cheaper modern tools that usually skip/cut corners in quality. Can still buy durable, long lasting, or even lifetime tools if you're not just buying the cheapest stuff (this also includes the diamond sharpening stones in the vid, sadly).
Or just use a stone of appropriate grit. I.e. 300 diamond stone for quick removal of material.
There's no reason a 400 grit sandpaper would be more effective than a 400 grit stone. Unless the stone is used up.
@@mathiasstielzchen2227 it is. Idk why but some rough sandpaper will remove more metal than a rough stone. Stones work better at high grits like 2k
I actually started woodworking with hand tools after watching your videos, but never used the sandpaper method. I ordered similar cheap diamond plates from Aliexpress and they're still holding up today. They have slowed down for me, but still get the job done. (And for anything requiring a heavy grind I've got a €40 bench grinder /belt sander combo now)
Anyways, great video! And it's important that you mentioned lubricating the plates with water, as they will fill up with steel powder if you don't.
Realistically if anyone's going to do this woodworking thing you need a bench grinder with an angle adjustable tool rest to grind the primary bevel. Establishing that by hand is not very efficient.
Just bought the same set. Agreed this is cheaper than wet dry sandpaper. Thanks for the find.
I never did sharpen with emery paper, because I had a father who could sharpen, we used oilstones, just like everyone else, almost never stropped, and made whatever we wanted.Exactly like the joiners shop up the road. I still carry an oilstone on site. Later I came across Arkansas stones and that black German stuff in
cabinet shops. Again, until recently most woodworking tools, that made all that wooden-stuff we are surrounded with, were sharpened on a double sided india stone covered in oil
Hey Rex, a good way to mount the plates on a piece of plywood is to use super glue and painters tape. Stick some wide painters tape down to the plywood the length and width of your plates. Cover the back of your plates with painters tape. Put super glue on the tape that’s on your plywood. Put your plate on the tape on the plywood so you’re gluing tape to tape. Doing this makes it easy to remove the plates to clean them or reposition them. It will work for the strop as well.
Right on brother preach it!
Long time lurker, first time commenter. I have really enjoyed your videos, truly appreciate the information you have shared. Figured I would pick up a set of these stones, but it appears you have successfully broken the supply chain on these as all the links you had posted were OOS. Keep up the good work!
I'm really excited for this series. Just got my first hand plane last week (vintage no5 stanley bailey) so this video was perfectly timed as I think about constructing my sharpening setup. Really appreciate all the effort you put into all of your videos.
I would still get a piece of tile for some large full sheets of paper for flattening the sole and frog of that plane.
@@James_T_Kirk_1701 I ordered sand paper for sharpening earlier this week and plan to use it with a glass 3d printer bed I don’t use anymore.
5 is my favorite size. Not too big and not too small. For me the 5 is the best bench jack going. Though 4s are the most common. After a 5 my most used plane is a block plane. They're just handy.
The author does like to from scratch, ruclips.net/user/postUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practise the full stack project, is still great.
Totally agree with this Rex. I have a student who does scary sharp. It does cost. I'm still not convinced that all on the same board is a good idea. Professional Woodworking for 40 years now. Btw I'm loving the latest theme of cheaper woodworking.
I agree about mounting these side by side, Paul Sellers style, being the most advantageous since I _always_ hang chisels and plane irons off the edge of the bench when honing, so individual plates or boxed stones have been and always will be my preference.
Scary sharp may work better pulling as opposed to the traditional pushing into the hone. Different materials often demand different techniques. Not that I'm advocating for scary sharp. I have diamond plates myself. Sometimes being cheap you're only cheating yourself. With woodworking you can often make a sound argument to invest in better tools and materials.
This video was suggested to me while I was browsing other videos, looking for methods to sharpen Swiss Army knives. But I’m also a hobbyist wood worker, so this was interesting to me in more than one way. Your presentation in this video made me subscribe immediately and I just wanted to let you know. I’m looking forward to more.
Thanks Rex! Spring is on track and my barn workshop is opend again. And, some of my cheap water stones are frozen to death. I forgot to remove the water out of the storage box. Everything which doesn't like temperaturs beneath 5C I brought to the house, exept, the water stones. So your advice comes to the right time.
Yeah stones don't like to freeze. I had some spall here on me. Diamond plates are better than water stones are anyways. Unless you have traditional Japanese woodworking tools. Then water stones make sense. Otherwise use diamond plates. They stay flat and cut faster.
That Melamine board will last about a week before the water (or even humidity) swells all the edges. You need to edge band or seal those edges after construction. Or use moisture resistant coated MDF board from a bathroom cabinet or door.
I've been buying a larger completely flat diamond plate from Ebay, they cost under AU$7 delivered, so perhaps US$4.50 each. There is about 10 different grits between 60 and 3000, and the diamond is glued, not electroplated like the expensive stones. The plates are steel that rusts, so I will try this other style as a comparison.
I used to be hyper-aware of the bare board edges on this sort of thing as I've seen them over the years but they all appear to hold up fine in use. Rex's older board with the pricier diamond plates, which he's been using for a few years now, appears to be based on MDF (and I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that it's not MR-MDF) and the edges appear to be perfect.
Liquid water I'd be totally paranoid about, humidity less so although obviously individual mileage is going to vary on this. FWIW where I am, temperate climate, the RH is high all year (almost never below 80) and I have a few scraps of chipboard of various types here in the workshop and hidden from SWMBO about the house and literally _none_ have swelled edges from the humidity.
I havent had this problem in the years I've been using it. I even live next to the water on the Texas gulf coast. It's always high humidity here.
Just my thoughts on the matter but I think that would only really be a problem in areas where humidity fluctuates a lot, such as a bathroom or outside, and since im assuming he's keeping it in his basement which will keep a pretty regulated humidity level it should be fine. That's just my thoughts though since i don't work with mdf so i could be wrong but I'd assume if it stays in a steady humidity it shouldn't be an issue since wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity but put it in a stable climate it doesn't suffer cracking or any damage like that.
Maybe if you dip your melamine into a bucket of water it will create issues.
That glue works even better if you put on 2 thin layers and hit it lightly with a heat gun just before pressing together. I usually am adhering foam to plastics that don't glue well, so I hope you enjoy the tip.
I’m guessing that the heat gun would be useful if you need to disassemble the set?
@@MarcosElMalo2 Ive used a heat gun to strip adhesives and various finishes off of wood.
I remember using 2000 grit paper wrapped around a dowel and using it to sharpen knives decades ago when i was in my teens. I also remember ray mears showing how the edge of a car window could also be used as a fine stone. It works quite well
From experience. Make Sure to seal the edge of that particle board. If you don't eventually water or just vapor from the air will swell the board and if you're lucky it'll pop the glue. If you're unlucky the glue will hold on and it will actually bend the plate. It's easy enough to slap on some shellac or varnish brush or spray. I love your channel
I love diamond stones and have found this out by trial, error, and then research. However I have found that when I use water rather than the oil that DMT suggests, my stones will get kinda rusty looking. Of course I live on the Washington coast which probably exacerbates the problem. Also if you have the extra time and patience, I love stepping down to fine then extra fine arkasas stones before the strop.
Try cleaning it with an eraser, it's the gunk that's rusting
@@agentchodybanks9120 that actually makes alot of sense. Thanks!
Paul Sellers recommends auto glass cleaner
@@Matt34677 that's what I use on my spyderco.
You gotta wash the stone really well after every sharpening session, at least the lower grit ones, otherwise the micro shavings will rust, and then that rusted dust will be pushed into the microscratches on the bevel of your knife or whatever tool you're sharpening. And yeah wet, salty air won't help!
PS I inherited a ton of sharpeners that are half rust half stone after my grandpa, it's kinda sad because they're useless, but I gotta say that orange-red colour adds some life to the workshop so they're staying there lol
Purchased immediately.
I appreciate that you brought these to my attention as I've been looking to get a "stone setup" recently.
Keep up the good work Rex!
@@jayblack8132 You can order plates like this, or larger, from Aliexpress or Ebay for cheaper. And they'll basically never go out of stock.
I would avoid the stupidly high grit plates though, because they can't hold onto the diamonds so good, but these coarse ones are cheap as fuck.
Depending on how well they perform I'll probably get my eye on the ones at aliexpress. Just to have backups
@@autumn5592 I don't use diamond plates past 1,000 grit. I don't think the product really supports it well. Like you say there's hold issues. The grit does need to be adhered to the plate somehow. It's plated. That plating has a thickness. At some lower limit you're just not going to get the abrasives coming up through the plating.
@@1pcfred Yep, essentially what I was getting at, while trying to make it consise as possible.
I think the limit of what's reasonable is somewhere around 3k, but I think DMT have some offerings that are slightly finer. I have not looked into the performance of those.
There are diamonds that are resin bonded, or on films, these can go much higher.
The bonded ones I've seen can go as high as 12k, but they lose the benefit of plates by introducing dishing (because the resin binder is soft, which is what allows new particles to be exposed.)
Gotta also note, usually in cheaper plates (the ones that go really high grit), they're using polycrystalline diamonds, which fracture and break apart, making the particles smaller.
This wouldn't happen as much (or as bad) with monocrystaline diamonds (what DMT and other high end diamond plate makers use.)
But, there is still ultimately a point where the diamonds will no longer have enough exposed cutting surface.
Alls fine by me though, because I don't really sharpen to high grit, and they're cheap enough.
@@autumn5592 I like to think DMT is more capable than the cheapest Chinese manufacturer. But today who knows. I know the cheap Chinese stuff does what I need it to do. Which ain't good news for DMT.
Picked up a set of these based off your video. Using the 400 grit to flatten a spoke shave sole and its working great. Going to recommend these to some of my friends!
I’ve been woodworking for 45 years plus and you might imagine the changes in tools, glues and sharpening that have happened in that time. Some are just fashion and disappear quickly with a lot of our money; others are improvements and some are just different. I have all the Waterstones, oilstones, sharpening paper, diamond stones plus a Tormek;
In my view, there are pluses and minuses with all formats. Keeping stones flat or being careful with sharpening paper so as not to rip it; my main issues with diamond stones is/was quality of the diamond layer (maintaining the grit level) and getting stones above 2000 grit.
The critical thing for me is to make the regular touch ups as simple as possible. If it’s simple and to hand, then you will do the touch ups much more often. If you’ve got a phaff to touch up, then human nature is to do it less often. I’ve got a pull out shelf under my workbench with the higher grits of sharpening paper on a piece of plate glass - just to make me guilty if I don’t do the touch ups often enough
I like the fact you comment on the passing fads over the years when it comes to sharpening. I always wanted a Tormek but OMG the price.😵💫. Also, that you mention that there are pros and cons to every system. What counts is the result. I won’t work with a dull tool. It takes out the joy. With the exception of card scrapers, when one tool gets a touch up, they all do. Whatever system works for use it!
Rex, have you tried the colorful 3M lapping paper? I think the scary sharp system isn’t totally dead, if you get the 3M lapping paper instead of sandpaper. You can get 7 sheets with PSA backing (one sheet of each grade) for 20 or 25$, or 10 sheets (one of each grade still) not PSA backed for the same price. I got this over a year ago, and cut the sheets into 6 sheets each. I just put on the third set, and it’s been over a year to a year and a half, and I’m not even sure that I needed to change them so fast. They are plastic instead of paper, so they last much longer than sandpaper usually does. The other benefit of the lapping paper is that they are flexible so you could mount them on differently shaped surfaces to sharpen contoured blades, and you can easily get a second or third setup if you wanted to, of whatever size or shape you want. (Like if you want to leave one in your backpack or in a different office, or share them with a friend). I’ll probably still get some cheap diamond plates because of your video but I wouldn’t at all call scary sharp dead yet.
This is reassuring, because I just bought a set of that lapping PSA paper. I don’t really like the idea that these cheap diamond stones can’t be relied upon for lapping as well.
I have some of the lapping sheets that I used to polish fiber optic connectors.
I am with you. Tried water stones, then diamond stones. The 3M paper is cheap, cuts fast and dang it works fabulous
That lapping paper is fantastic. I tired some of these stones before and honestly I went back to lapping paper. I spent more time sharpening with the stones, and that seemed pointless to me.
I agree 100% I found this out for myself thinking the same thing. Thanks for sharing this with us!
I'm just barely getting into woodworking and I have no confidence at all that I know what I am doing. I bought these stones this morning To my surprise I found this video. It really made me feel good that I bought something and based on this video it's not a bad buy at all. Thanks for posting. It really helped. BTW I just saw your video on the block plane and your comments about the handle had me cracking up.
3m makes a scary sharp PSA lapping microfinishing film. It's meant for lapping metal, has its own adhesive that you don't need spirit's to remove & costs 15 bucks or so for a system with 7 different grits or so. I actually really like it because you get huge sheets you can cut into thirds or fourths for each different grit for that price.
While the 3M lapping films are good, they still work out more expensive than these stones.
That said, using it for sharpening gouges or carving tools seems pretty nice, no messing around, just make a channel with the gouge and put the film on it.
@@autumn5592
Fabulous idea!
I am curious to try these films but i figure if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Not that I’m stuck in my ways but with me the learning curve tends to be expensive so why change systems when the best outcome would be no difference in sharpness. Maybe some day a PSA film will solve some new problem. Cheers
Sweet! Got them ordered before the Krueger Effect kicked in. 😂
Is that really a thing?
@@RexKrueger give it a week after this goes live. I can about guarantee that the diamond stones in your link will be in short supply. And thank you for the time and expense you put into all of your work. I consider you a mentor in my woodworking.
Yes absolutely. The Spear and Jackson sold out with a few days and then when it was restocked I think it went up like 12 bucks.
@@RexKrueger They are already sold out... so I'd say it's really a thing!
I wouldn't have thought the contact cement would have worked so well. I want to use stones like those to make something like a lansky sharpening system but for large blades and the way you glued those to that piece of whatever you called it will help in doing that.
Ive bought a similar set from eBay for about $20 I've been super impressed. I found them July-ish last year.
I use the sharpening method Richard McGuire talks about, a course diamond stone(300 grit or so), Norton India stone( the fine side) and a strop. I have also heard the duel sided stones(400/1000) that are $25 on Amazon and a strop works well too.
I've recommended that same stone for years, but it does need flattening once in a while. I quite like the dependable flatness of diamonds.
I got a pair of Atomas (expensive but very good!), #600 and #1200. Those plus a strop handle nearly everything I regularly use. I have a cheap no-name #400 for regrinding edges and it's been fine. Good enough that I picked up a few cheap plates to use as loaners. Quality is inconsistent, but if you get a decent one, it will last for years.
One thing I am considering is lapping paper to use for my carving tools. I don't own very many and they don't come out often, but they do need love from time to time. My plan is to carve the profiles onto a wood or plastic block, then apply the lapping paper.
I love the idea of sandpaper of a planar material... but never liked the idea for sharpening tools lol. I've tried, I suck at it. BUT I've used it for sanding small parts and bits :D
Oh, and bonus! When these wear out, you've got 4 blanks for templates :D
You're totally right!
I just got a set of diamond stones. I got a jig with a wider wheel because the other one was too hard for me to keep level. I really like the results, and I mostly fixed my chisels.
Mine arrived today. Impressive. Eager to get them mounted and put to work. 😁
Great video!
One thing that bothered me about your use of sandpaper: you were bringing in the tool at the edge, with the result of ripped sandpaper. Why was the resulting rip in the sandpaper a surprise?
Can't sell anything that way. Not sure where he's buying his paper, or how often he's sharpening, but mine lasts quite a while. Oh yeah, that sandpaper is made for body work, right? That means it's made for metal.
@@OldNew45 A Grinder is for metal. Sandpaper is meant for Paint & autobody filler shaping & finishing. Just saying.
@@bunzeebear2973 so a flap disc for a grinder isn't made of small pieces of sandpaper? Just saying.
@@OldNew45 when I saw Rex’s clumsy use of sand paper as a con for the sandpaper method I suspected that he either didn’t know how to use the method or was just selling. Probably the latter. I find re-sharpening (touch up) to be quick and effective and a set of papers (3 each of 5 grits) last for years. Takes longer to setup the system than to sharpen a tool. I sharpen dry on a sheet of MDF. I do use coarse diamond stones to establish a new bevel like with a new tool or when I drop a tool.😪 I test the result by shaving the hair on my wrist area. I never could get a good feel for sharpness by cutting paper.
@@terryharris3393 yyyyyyyyup. I like a bunch of the stuff Rex has put out, but he's a clickbaiter for sure. I have two different grits, and sharpening chisels is just another thing I can do on a rainy day, or as a wind down at the end of a project/ work day. The one thing I recommend is 3-in-1 oil. Another RUclips did a big comparison on knife blade lubes, and 3-in-1 did by far the best, so I use it on all my metal that might get rusty.
We all know that a blade that is almost sharp almost cuts. Thank you!
And is way more dangerous than a properly sharp blade.
You rule, Rex. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, i really appreciate your perspective and presentation.
Brilliant as always, thanks Rex, keep 'em coming and keep well
Have you time tested these? The reviews say the grit where’s out, kinda hope that is not the case! I’d really like some cheap stones, I haven’t looked really hard but most of what I’ve seen was like $90 bucks each! I kinda need save for a computer, and then a car 😬
Cheap stones aren't really accurate on grit rating but it doesn't matter as long as you have something coarse, medium, fine etc. Expensive stones also vary a lot as grit rating aren't one standard. These should last you a while as he said he's used them heavily for some time in the video, but don't expect them to last year's on daily use
for a pretty good, cheap diamond stone see if you can get a faithful 400/1000 combo diamond. it isnt the best, but its pretty good, and when you can afford a better set up, you can use it for lapping, which is what i did with mine when i got a set of dmt.
Thanks for the reply’s! I think I’ll order them!
The kind of wear you get depends on how you use them. There's definitely wrong ways to use diamond plates. The universe is full of idiots too. Rex said he uses his plate dry but I wouldn't recommend that myself. I use a super cleaner as a stone lube. Everyone that knows what they're doing uses some kind of a lube. I've killed plates using them dry myself. How you bed your plate in will affect its service life.
@@1pcfred That's not quite accurate Paul. Rex said he uses the one bought _for his turning tools_ dry (at least in part because he's doing a lot of it freehand with the plate taken to the tool, not the other way around). He clearly uses and advocates using some type of liquid on bench plates.
Use figure-8 strokes. You'll get a better edge and you won't slice up the paper. It also helps to begin your stroke *on* the paper, and not behind it like you demonstrated. :)
But yeah, diamonds are incredibly cheap and plentiful; we're just told they're rare by the companies hoarding them.
I've got exactly the same diamond plate set a couple months ago and they are great.
I'd seal that melamine board or the water is eventually gonna get in there and make it swell... 🤔
What would you use to seal it with?
@@drooten
Just now got notification of your comment Andrew...🙄
Well, ... paint would do it I suppose... or you could thin down some silicone with acetone so it sinks in to the "grain"... 🤔
Well diluted silicone is great for waterproofing stuff like tarpaulins etc....
A thicker mix is good for dipping tool handles into to give a "rubberised" grip...
Edit.. just to mention... it must be pure silicone (which is usually the cheapest) , not any of the fancy caulks....
😎👍☘🍺
Great stuff as always Rex. I would suggest not using these thinner economy grade diamond plates for lapping. They have too much flex and the grit inconsistencies will just make the lapping work harder.
Agreed. Honing only.
I have been waiting to ot either of these sets. Both are out of stock. They are excellent stones. Another woodworker suggested I purchase them. Thank you for sharing this with us today from Henrico County Virginia
this came on my recommended. I have never done any woodwork or need to know any of this but for some reason after the first minute in I can't stop watching.
When you buy more expensive stones, usually you are paying for thr plate itself (just a slab of metal beneath the surface), and that they're using the good method to fix the diamonds to the metal. The diamonds are really just at the surface of the plate, so you dont need a thick plate. That can be comfortable at times used by itself for some purposes like sharpening kitchen knives, but it is not essentital to the construction (unlike regulad stomes that you wear and thin down as you use).Kitchen knives hand are part of the reason stones are exoensive. Long story very short, there is prestige and tradion amd status in that sorta thing, so a big chunk of that price is really a posh "tax" to put it with no romanticism.
So yes, the el cheapo thiner ones can be surprisingly cheap. They use less material and possibly cheaper, less labor/machining time, and they've no prestige to inflate prices, and none of those factors inherently impact quality soit is possible to make them.cheap and good.
Another consideration in price is how diamonds are affixed to plate.
@@jimcarter4929 That is the "that they're using the good method to fix diamonds to the metal" bit. Still, economy of scale. Sure, just gluing it (the shit method in a nutshell) is obscenely cheap per piece, but I suspect the electroplating method (the good method) in bulk shouldn't raise the cost per piece all that much either, specially nowadays.
I love my Atoma diamond plates (600 and 1200). They're expensive but very well made. Monocrystalline diamonds electroplated in regularly spaced clusters to a thin steel plate, which is glued to a machined aluminum plate. You can buy a replacement steel plate to refresh a worn out surface, or attach it to the back of another aluminum plate to make a two sided stone. The patterned bonding helps channel the swarf and the bond is strong enough that I didn't experience much of a break-in period.
I have cheaper (polycrystalline) diamond plates also. They work pretty well once they're broken in. Just be sure to wipe your edge down before changing grits or you'll get diamonds from the rough grits onto your polishing plates. I use them for the more aggressive grits that I don't need as often, and for when I travel or have friends over who want to do some sharpening with me. If you're just starting out, those cheap diamond plates are fine. They'll last for years. My atomas are wonderful but a totally unnecessary luxury.
So, can you name a high-tech tool that has improved YOUR shop? Maybe something other people haven't heard of?
My Cricut Explore Air 2. I have used it to make stencils and decorative elements for pieces. Once I get the supplies in, I'm going to try using it with wood burning gel to put burnt in writing onto my work pieces without a laser burner
FDM 3D Printer with nylon, copper, and particle board printing capabilities.
@@jptrickery I've heard can be used to make gaskets too
Don’t know if this is high tech, but I love love love my worksharp 3000. It’s really one of the few “fancy” items I would say I own.
A decent pair of digital calipers. Much as I like the ingenuity of Vernier scales, my eyesight is no longer what it was...
Shipping the whole 4-piece set from whichever US warehouse they sit in to my city in Romania costs, in total, $40. 40 bucks for a set like this, that lasts for years upon years, is chump change. Will definitely look into placing an order soon. This set + a leather strop + green compound + a honing guide, all set up nicely within a piece of lumber, will 1000% provide me with the adequate setup for all of my sharpening needs.
Thanks, Rex!
Thanks Rex, I’ve been shopping for diamond stones and have seen these and held off purchasing because of price, I will order these and give them a try. Nothing performs like a sharp tool.
Hey Rex, first of all - I really love your content. Honestly, any time I see a new video from your channel, I set aside some time to watch it, knowing it's gonna be worth my time and then some.
I would mention though - I do find some of the recent video titles and thumbnails uninformative and even clickbaity.
This video is clearly not about sandpaper, but about how Diamond stones are suddenly affordable at a good quality.
If I would only now come across your channel, I doubt I'd click a video titled like this.
Love your stuff though, and I guess sometimes you just gotta clickbait to keep afloat.
I bought the four stone system upon your recomemdation and they are really wonderful. I have used wet/dry sandpaper and work at a hardware store so the paper is reasonable for me. However, that will be a thing of the past. I work on a budget so thanks Rex i have gone to diamond. Patrick from Idaho
Diamonds may not be forever but you should get a few years good use out of a set of plates.
I mix wood glue with water and paint it onto the edges of melamine board. Usually a few coats, let each dry then apply the next. It seals the edges nicely and is pretty durable. No more splinters and bits falling out.
You are the greatest! Thanks for this information and demo on making a sharpening station.
tysm for this, I kept thinking there was no way I was ever gonna get them this sharp.Now that I do not have to fork over a grand for stones, im just gonna make this!!!
Good to know they're decent, I got a 1000 grit one, but mostly for our kitchen knives.
A few years ago I bought a little 400/1000 grit diamond stone and used it a bit. It was too small to really be any good though. I jumped at these because they're going to be a lot better. Thanks!
So YOU'RE the one who ran Amazon out of them! 🤨
@@Bob_Adkins I definitely rushed to get mine before they ran out of stock!
@@Raytenecks I had to settle for a cheaper set, but they look the same. Can't go wrong for $14!
Great video, rex. I don't know if these stones were available a few years back, but they would have saved me some money, but more importantly: a lot of frustration.
Speaking of saving money and frustration: maybe you should make a video about that stuff that didn't work and that we shouldn't buy.
Saves money, frustration and the environment to boot.
I've been using cheap Chinese diamond hones for many years. The first set I got from Harbor Freight. They're the mesh style. They're diamond but I wouldn't say they're nearly as good as the cheap far eastern plates today. There's people saying the el cheapos today are better than some of the best premium brands. I can't because I've never used the premium plates myself. But the cheap plates I use do the job for me.
When I started woodworking 45 years ago my grandpa and my dad showed me the honing stone way and I've never done anything else. My chisels, kitchen knives, hunting knives, turning chisels, everything; you can shave with lol.
Well you can get waay bigger sandpaper sheets for about 0.10 cents and even less if you buy a lot of them. Also you can get sandpaper for hard steel which will last much longer than those and it is still a lot cheaper than the diamond stones. THe diamond stones are also not infinite so you will eventually need to replace them. Using the diamond stone only really makes sense if you need to sharp carbide tools.
Amazing video, thank you for thinking about novices and people who are not professional in this field
Love your tips and tricks and that you share your findings
Hey Rex, nice video, I found the same stones today for only $15.00 and ordered them, just waiting for them to come in. Keep up the cool videos
Awesome vid!!! I've been looking for a better method than the sandpaper approach! I love the common sense and fiscally responsible philosophy. Earned a new subscriber! On to your plans archive...
I use to use the scary sharp system for my high speed lathe tools. But I watched to much forged in fire and got into knives a few years back and as a result I built a 2 x 72 grinder. You can get some super fine belts and I can sharpen my chisels so much faster and they come out just as sharp. Totally in a fraction of the time. But I have wanted a good cheap set of stones for a while so I will check them out. I was extremely shocked how much I use it. And belt changes take about 3 seconds. It is one of my most used tools in my shop.
Thanks Rex. Just what I needed. Prices are going to be higher now.
thanks for the free content Rex!
Regardless of the content (which is great btw), I find the tone and structure of your videos highly accessible. Seriously man, you are good at this, I love watching your videos.
Thanks for the vid, I use a powered wetstone system with a strop wheel but been wondering about diamond plates for in the van but thought they were very expensive, off to start shopping after this
SHO NUF, I started with this very set and yes they work just fine and haven't changed yet after months of work
When your on site all you need is a belt sander to grind it flat and and wet stone to put an edge on.. Have never used anything else, works a treat!
Quite a while back I bought a set of 3 diamond stones from a local seller of, well, cheap junk tools for about $10 Canadian. I did not buy them as sharpening stones! But just as a lark. They have proved invaluable! Not as sharpening stones, but as files, especially for hardened steel parts. Also for de-burring, for sharpening garden tools, etc.
Yeah there are plenty of uses for diamond plates.
Rex, I enjoy your work and videos. But, I have been using 3m very high grit sand paper the same set for over a year. Sharper results from any stone I ever used. I still remain aware that there might be issues with this method, but I really love this system.
I've been doing the same. To combat the issues of them tearing; I just tape the back with painters tape, works for me.
Thanks for the tips! Great video, Rex! I’m already sick of sandpaper sharpening and I just wanted to use to hold me over until I could get something decent (just like you said in the video). And just like you said, the paper wears out super fast and it tears apart constantly (especially the finer grits for some reason). I’ll be looking into these!
The only grits I use are 600 and 1,000. So I'd suggest you try those two out first. For polishing I use ceramic stones. The cheap diamond stuff isn't the best in finer grits due to manufacturing methods. You're going to need coarser if you hand hone your primary bevels. You shouldn't be doing that really. But if you're roughing it then you're roughing it while you're roughing it. Honest people will tell you that you should be hollow grinding your primary with a bench grinder. It's more efficient.
@@1pcfred I ended up getting a few DMT stones, the good ones not the cheap plastic ones. Unfortunately I don’t have the luxury of a bench grinder right now, but I’m making it work. Thanks for the tips
I used a few sets of these mounted to "marble" tile in a shop class with 22 students. Lots of sharpening. These plates held up and so far none are used up. I hope to get another semester out of them... maybe more. I was rather surprised at how well they performed.
SaaWeet! I went the wet-sand route a few years ago for the reasons you stated, and was just now looking to upgrade with a Wen or Grizzly wet hone for around $150. Not terrible, but $20 sounds a lot better, and that's $130 for a new hand saw to build your Joiner's Bench. I bought 2 sets of plans and am doing a hybrid of the Joiner's and the Minimal Timber. Thanks for the great content, Happy New Year!
Thanks for the video and the insights. For most things I do, such a set would be great. Looking on Amazon, I even found a 4-stone set for about $14.
Alright, Man! I've been looking blind and ignorant at diamond sharpening stones for a couple of years now. Your cid made up my mind. They'll be here March 25! Good talk.
What I like about this show, hes honest and straight forward, no muss no fuss
I have a set of cheap diamond sharpeners I bought from Princess Auto many years ago. Over time they do wear out and perform more like finer grit stones. Even if they wear out, I've gotten a lot of use from my $17 investment. The set came with plastic holder, so I constructed a wooden sink bridge. I can trickle a stream of water to clear the swarf, and the mess goes down the drain.
I worked for years making blades for Lie-Neilson toolworks, mostly doing planes but also chisels and inlay tools, and I processed and sharpened hundreds of blades a day, thousands per week and I swear by diamond sharpeners and lapping stones. Sandpaper is fine for a quick edge, but a truly sharp blade will be honed on a stone and I rarely had any call to use sandpaper aside from fixing small angle imperfections.
I generally use a corse diamond stone for roughing and flattening, but I sharpen with water stones 1000/6000 combo, it's just more fun and you feel how the chisels and blades on the stone as you sharpen.
wow ill have to make one of these! my shop doesn't have power, I do everything by hand so this seems like a great solution