Lee Valley's doing free shipping, so I thought I'd take a look at their
offerings. I've got a set of their water slip stones that work nicely,
but I don't want to mess them up for some of the other things I've been
sharpening.

Arkansas stones seem appealing, as do water stones. What do you have
experience with and would recommend? I'll be near a Grizzly in a few
days as well, so if they've got something to look at I'll spend my Lee
Valley money on something else.

I intend to use the stones to handle general sharpening, but do my
chisels on the bench grinder. I might refine the edge on the stones. (If
you don't have a good tool rest you NEED one. It's a totally different
tool with a good tool rest!)

I also refine the edge of 1/4" HSS tool bits for the metal lathe. The
grinder also creates the primary cutting faces for this.

I've got a pocket knife and other assorted cutting tools. I understand
sickle blades are done with a curved stone, not the traditional flat
stone. (The slip stones did a good job. It didn't hurt when the stone
slippped and I sliced my finger.)

What about flattening the stone?

I really don't have any concerns about the primary sharpening, as most of
my primary sharpening and shaping takes place on the bench grinder (the
rest is THAT good.) Would a really fine stone be useful for something
like the metal lathe toolbits? (I know I'm a little off topic here, but
I've noticed a couple members mention their metalworking addiction.)

Before anyone asks, here's the link to the grinder rest:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049RD9YO/

There was a problem with one of them where nothing stayed tightened down
due to sliding surfaces. I used ordinary paper to provide some friction
and it worked great.

Puckdropper
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