Hey everyone! I'm relatively new to using hand tools and recently restored an old hand plane, which I felt pretty happy about. I sharpened the blade using sandpaper, starting from a coarse grit and going up to around 400. I've noticed that a lot of folks are recommending diamond stones and wet stones as the best methods for sharpening. I'm curious about whether I should invest in diamond plates, but I don't want to end up with a ton of different stones if I don't need them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
Sandpaper is totally effective, but diamond stones are often preferred because they’re quicker and easier to set up. If you want to try them, there's a budget-friendly set that works well. You can use them on a flat surface like MDF. Generally, I rely on the 1k and 1200 grit stones for honing, then finish with a strop.
I appreciate the recommendation, but I'm curious—what’s the deal with those more expensive stones? Is the cheaper set decent quality, or am I risking getting junk?