Fly-by-Night CC wrote in message ...
Hi All. My sister is giving her 13 year old a block plane for Christmas
- I'll be sending him one of my type 12 Stanley #3's for his summertime
birthday. The block plane will be his first tool with a large blade and
I'd like to give him a sharpening stone to go along with it. I'm
thinking a combination stone to keep costs down and simplicity and
convenience up.

I use a combo coarse/fine Norton India and a couple finer ceramic stones
for my bench needs. I'm considering getting him the Norton combo stone
as well, but I'm not sure he (or his mom and dad) would be too thrilled
with using and keeping kerosene or oil around for the stone. That leads
me to waterstones, but I have no experience with them. I see there are
combo waterstones in the 8"x2" size in (250/1000) grits and (1000/6000)
grits - both of which are in my $20-25 price range.

Any comments oil vs. water for a first-time sharpener as well as which
grit if I go with the waterstones?

Also, please don't suggest the "scary sharp" sandpaper methods - I'm
looking for a "real" stone that he can keep for a long time without the
need to keep a selection of supplies on hand.

It doesn't much matter what kind of sharpening set up you give him.
The most important gift you can give is the knowledge of how to use
it. If possible spend time helping him tune and sharpen the plane.
If that's not possible try to get the blade sent to you to put an edge
on it. If he's like most 13 year olds he'll want to make shavings NOT
have a zen-and-the-art-of-sharpening experience. Once he knows what
the tool should feel like, then the impetus to touch up a dull edge
exists. AFAIK, diamonds are the only near zero-maintenance and near
zero-expendable-supplies solution.

hex
-30-