[Plain_Ol_Ed]

If you should decide to use ceramic stones, make sure you get ones that are flat. Take a straight edge and hold is from one diagonal corner to the other. If there is any daylight under the straight edge the stone is not true (most of them are not). Now you've got the same problem as with natural stones that have dished out. Natural stones can be dressed flat using an abrasive and and flat steel surface. Ceramic stones require dressing with a diamond stone.

Decisions, decisions.

[Ashbys]

Hi-Ho

You are excatly right! The atmosphere has a constant effect upon the steel. Steel moves a lot as a material. A change in temp, causes the steel to increase or decrease size and a lot more than people notice, but a 2 inch blade can change as much as .001 of an inch overnight, depending upon the steel , and the temp.
To show you how much that is in a reference using the sand paper

a 2000 grit sand paper means there are 2000 particles per square inch. Or one particle every .0005 of an inch. Or a particle change in movement of 4 so the crystals have been distored from 5 pm to 6 am. Not what would be considered a noticable change but the re-stroping would help improve the edge and increase length of time between stroping.

Ash

[wade clark]

I sure wish I'd found this thread a year ago! I'm thinking of starting "The Museum of Unused Sharpening Tools". I tried alot of "systems" before I learned any. You name it, I might have it. Seriously. What I use is a Tormek system, and I love it! I have every jig for it. If I had learned the sandpaper approach, I'd be just as happy with it! That approach is what I'd recommend to anyone, though my collection of Arkansas stones are sure pretty in those beautiful cedar boxes! But I sure could have spent my money better if I'd found this Forum in time!
Wade

[GaryMc]

Ok I guess it is time for me to weigh in. I have tried many ways to sharpen my carving tools, and this is what I currently use. I have three small diamond hones, medium, super fine and even finer. I use the medium to get knicks out and shape the bevel, start honing the bevel with the super fine, and polish with the finest one. Then I go out to my shop where I have a motor with a buffing wheel that you can get at Smokey Mountian Woodcarving, made for carving tools. I also have a few sips to use on the inside of my tools and a round diamond hone also.
If a buffing wheel is too soft it will round the edge of the tool instead of sharpen it. But SMW has theirs made stiffer so as not to round the edge. I use the green buffing compund that they sell. My blades are as sharp as I have ever seen. ( Although I want to send some to Rick so I can compare them). My system is very simple and fairly fast. Like most everyone else when carving I keep a strop handy wirh silica carbide on it to strop as I go. But the buffing wheel will sharpen a blade far sharper then the strop, so once in a while I make a trip to the shop.
Thanks!
GaryMc

[decoycarve]

I made a sharpening station out of an old dc motor from work. I use the presed paper wheels and the kotch wheels on it. I can run it slow for grinding and speed it up for polishing. Saves me a lot of time.