2200/3000 Diamond stones

Each sharpening medium, whether using diamond stones, ceramic stones, lapping films or whetstones imparts a different character scratch pattern but which is consistent within the grit progressions in those individual mediums.  In the situation you’re discussing, that is wanting to sharpen to a finer, more refined grit level.  I suggest you stick with the finer grits available in the diamond stone progression.  The 1500, 2200 then 3000 grit diamonds stones will allow you to take advantage of the refined and consistent scratch patterns they create, that you’re seeking.

You will not find the refined results you seek switching back and forth between different abrasive sharpening mediums. The scratch patterns differ that much.

Beside the observed scratch pattern differences seen from one sharpening medium to another, the grit numbers used to describe the particle size for the abrasives in these different sharpening mediums are not necessarily consistent, from medium to medium.  So even though they appear to be described as equal or close in the finer grit progression you seek, the grit number diamond sharpening stones and ceramic stones, (or for any other mediums), may still differ markedly and visually in the scratch patterns they produce.

When you have the opportunity to continue with the same sharpening medium down the grit progression, finer and finer, you’ll see better sharpening efficiency with more consistent results then if you mix sharpening mediums.

You can certainly try following the fine grit diamond progression, 1500, 2200, then 3000 grit, with the 1200/1600 grit ceramic stones, because the scratch patterns are that different.  You will probably see a more polished effect resulting from using the ceramics following the fine grit diamond stones.

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James, Richard

Depending on when you purchased the 1500 diamond stones they may appear very different in the scratch patterns from the newer 1500/2200/3000 grit diamond stones.

Here’s what I wrote on 11/05/2019 in Post #52574 in the previous page of this same thread:

I don’t know, for sure, that this is the case, but I’m guessing it is the case.  My very first 1500 grit diamond stone pair from 2016 were exactly like the second 1500 grit stone pair I bought some time later, as that first ston pair showed signs of wear.  The 2019 1500 grit stones released, were somewhat different from the earlier sold 1500 grit diamond stones.  Though equally effective, there were still bid visual differences in the scratch patterns seen in the two era 1500 grit diamond stones.

The new 1500 grit, 2200 grit and the 3000 grit diamond stones all fit together nicely and produce similar progressively finer, shallower and closer together appearing scratch patterns.  As would be expected.  Whereas, by my personal experiences and observations the earlier version 1500 grit diamond  continues to produce finer and more polished appearing bevels then even my well broken in newer 3000 grit diamond stones.  I am aware of this situation I have with my 1500 grit sharpening stones.  So I simply use the stones accordingly for the sharpening effect and results I’m looking for.

If you experience stray looking scratches from an odd placed too large diamond, by running your sharpening stone across the edge of a piece of plate glass or even a piece of plate steel, often will knock off those odd larger diamonds or knock it/them down so they are even with the rest of the grit pattern.  When you’re dealing with very fine diamond grits it doesn’t take much of a difference in the abrasive particle’s size for it’s larger, deeper scratch to clearly stand out.

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Mr.Wizard

To avoid a possible misunderstanding I did not perform any testing or measurement myself.  I am merely using the values that Clay provided.  The old/original 1500 was previously listed as 5µ in the Wicked Edge grit table.  Thank you for your testing however!

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Organic, Marc H

I have the same problem and have posted a few times recently about it. It is especially prevalent if you are introducing new 2200/3000 into a 3 year old set. I did a scope pic analysis on another recent thread and am currently working on how much I need to scrub the new 2200/3000 on some TBD material (glass, granite, etc) in order to use them. Have you made any progress ?

Biannual check: any updates yet?