A2 finish really good!

[Hank Knight]

I would love to be educated. I use 3 water stones, 1000 grit, aoto stone (probably 4k?), and a fine stone I got at Japan Woodworker (8k? Dunno). If I used diamond paste for my A2 blades, what grits would I want, and how would that fit into my waterstone routine?

Thanks.

I would start by using 3 Micron diamonds in place of your fine water stone. Finish on a leather strop charged with .5 Micron diamonds. If you find the diamonds don't quickly remove all the scratches from your medium water stone, put the fine water stone back in the process and follow it with the 3 Micron diamonds and the strop. My guess is that you'll find the diamonds will replace your fine stone.

[Bibliophile 13]

That is a clean, simple and impressive display! How many millions of words does it replace?

A lot.  Except on WoodNet.  It just generates even more words here. 

[Handplanesandmore]

It seems to me from what I am reading, this discussion is just another means of justifying the spending a lot of money.

Tom

I have met my share of woodworkers who own very fancy and premium marking tools and hand tools (Bruce Spruce, Vesper, Benchcrafted, etc.) but are second rate in their works. Going after high-end tools is nothing wrong, but the tools (or steels) are far far less important than solid and honed skills. Many sharpening assertions are hair-splitting.

Simon

[AHill]

It seems to me from what I am reading, this discussion is just another means of justifying the spending a lot of money. Whether O1, A2, or PM-V11 holds an edge longer is a moot point if one can't sharpen  because a dull tool stops working. And if one can sharpen it really makes no difference because if it is dull, it still needs to be resharpened.

Tom

That's a fair point - if your sharpening skills aren't very developed.  But, once you do have those sharpening skills, how long a tool holds an edge does make a difference in how long you get to make sawdust or chips vs. maintaining an edge on your tools.   It's not a spending money thing.  It's a time doing what you enjoy thing.  At least for me it is.  I know a lot of professional woodworkers who own Festool Domino because it saves them a ton of time making mortise and tenon joints.  Festool is expensive, but the investment was justified by how much overall time it took to do a particular job.  I don't have a financial motivation to own some of the more exotic alloy edge tools, but I do have a time motivation.  It's a hobby for me.  I also don't fault those who choose to stick with O1.  There's room in this hobby for both to coexist.

[bandit571]

About all I ask, is the sharp edge lasts through the project. 

   
Plane a board to thickness needed..and NOT take all day to do it...
 

   
Level a tapered part flat...

   
Maybe joint a few edges for gap-free glue joints....
I have enough planes, that IF during a Project build, one plane would get a bit dull, I can switch out to the next sharp plane...

   
And save the dull one, to be sharpened  in the week or so lull between projects.  

Not really about how much the tools cost....it IS more about how the tools are used.   IF you don't know how to use a tool, no amount of cash for a tool will make you any better.    PRACTICE does....Learn to use the tools, no matter what  Brand they may be....although, some tend to spend way too much time, worrying about "steels", and how to sharpen....then just plain go out and USE the darn thing...see how it works, learn to use it....they would even critique the headsman about how he sharpened his ax...and even ask what steel was used....

Now,,get to work, and make something.....

[bandit571]

Which means, maybe Saturday, IF the Boss allows, I can go hide out down in the shop...and make some sawdust, and wood shavings.....


Sharpening? 
Not needed, right now.  Saving the cash for lumber I  can  use.