Fine finishing oilstones

[gold_bantam]

Hi all,
What kind of oilstones do you use for finishing a chisel or plane when you need a fine cut? Do you still strop afterwards or are they so fine that they don't need it?

I've read lots on Arkansas stones but can't determine how necessary they are even though many people rave about them. Currently I strop off of a fine India stone which feels very sharp, but can I get sharper with these fine natural stones?

Many thanks

 

[raffo]

Since you're in the UK, look for a Charnley Forest stone, they're fine stones, you can go to them after your India and then strop.
Washita stones are also not difficult to find there too. They're a particular type of Arkansas stone, a bit finer than the India. You can control how abrassive the action is by regulating the pressure you apply. Light pressure leaves the edge ready for the strop.
You could acquire a new one of the hard Arkansas, they're expensive. They'll just add time to your sharpening routine. If you want a really fine cut, use vintage cast steel or O1 edge tools. Some of the best cast steel ever made was made in the UK.

 

[Adam W.]

Slate, works perfectly well. You should be able to buy a nice one off ebay for pennies, or one in a skillfully made mahogany box for some more pounds.

Why bother with anything else?

 

[gold_bantam]

Since you're in the UK, look for a Charnley Forest stone, they're fine stones, you can go to them after your India and then strop.
Washita stones are also not difficult to find there too. They're a particular type of Arkansas stone, a bit finer than the India. You can control how abrassive the action is by regulating the pressure you apply. Light pressure leaves the edge ready for the strop.
You could acquire a new one of the hard Arkansas, they're expensive. They'll just add time to your sharpening routine. If you want a really fine cut, use vintage cast steel or O1 edge tools. Some of the best cast steel ever made was made in the

Since you're in the UK, look for a Charnley Forest stone, they're fine stones, you can go to them after your India and then strop.
Washita stones are also not difficult to find there too. They're a particular type of Arkansas stone, a bit finer than the India. You can control how abrassive the action is by regulating the pressure you apply. Light pressure leaves the edge ready for the strop.
You could acquire a new one of the hard Arkansas, they're expensive. They'll just add time to your sharpening routine. If you want a really fine cut, use vintage cast steel or O1 edge tools. Some of the best cast steel ever made was made in the UK.

Thank you. I do actually have a Washita, but assumed it was far too coarse for this. I was going to sell it because it seemed like it would only do the same job as the India. That's interesting about the light pressure technique, I'll give it a go. I've looked up the Charnley Forest but they're too expensive for me at the moment.

 

[gold_bantam]

Slate, works perfectly well. You should be able to buy a nice one off ebay for pennies, or one in a skillfully made mahogany box for some more pounds.

Why bother with anything else?

I did read about slate, but mainly for razors. Great to hear that it works well. I'll have a look.

 

[raffo]

Thank you. I do actually have a Washita, but assumed it was far too coarse for this. I was going to sell it because it seemed like it would only do the same job as the India. That's interesting about the light pressure technique, I'll give it a go. I've looked up the Charnley Forest but they're too expensive for me at the moment.

At one time Washitas were graded, they were labeled as coarse or fine. The coarse ones are fast stones, fit to use on a woodworking bench. The fine ones are kind of slow in comparison to the coarse ones. If I found a coarse Washita I would be more inclined to get it over a fine one.

I've got one of those inexpensive Welsh slate stones from Ebay England. It's slow and unremarkable, I wouldn't bother with them.

Stones designed for razors are different than those designed for cutting tools. My understanding is that a razor edge is very delicate and a fine stone is what's used to begin their sharpening process, only a few strokes on a razor hone stone. Leather and linen straps are how razors are finished and maintained. What's desirable for a razor is not necessarily so for a chisel.

 

[Adam W.]

Of course it's slow and unremarkable, it's a bit of rock.

 

[Argus]

The finest grade of Welsh sharpening-slate comes from the deep underground caverns, was often sold as "Carreg-Cachu".