Same grit will give you the same scratch size, which is what sharpening is
about. Waterstones might get you there faster, powered waterstones faster
still. Speed counts more as an end to a sharpening cycle than as a hone
between cycles.

Stropping gives you the finest scratches, not honing. Not sure -
meaningless anyway - what "grit" it is, but Chromium Oxide compound makes a
fine strop, with powered strop more rapid than manual.

"Alan W" wrote in message
om...

The reason I'm asking is because I'm considering
trying to sharpen my tools with sandpaper (the
Scary Sharp method).

I understand waterstones and diamond stones do have different scales
and they don't cross exactly.

I use scary sharp on my planes and they are sharp, it's easy to do.
But the experts (jay greer, Steve Knight) say waterstones will get you
sharper.

Alan