Thread: Abrasive Grit Comparison Sheet

Originally Posted by Smokintbird

I first started this spreadsheet as a result of seeing an earlier version of that list, I even borrowed the formatting from it, but you will notice that not all of the information on that page correlates to mine.....I found many inaccuracies (or typos), lots of things didn't jive with other lists I found....which is why I started making sure that I could reference all of the information I provided in mine....

good idea... I've seen a lot of lists that don't jive too. especially with micro-abrasive powders (lapidary places generally list diamond powder by mesh but is that the same thing as grit? Doesn't seem like it half the time)

Other times I wonder how you measure the size of a needle of silicon carbide... by the thin dimension or the long dimension or the average of both, or do they estimate its volume and figure the radius of a sphere with the same volume (or is it the diameter... does Norton list the diameter rather than the radius so list numbers twice what they should be, or do they really use larger grit than they should but their binder makes up for it, since I hear that their 8k actually does not polish as well as a true 8k but better than than another stone of the same micron size).... enough to drive you a bit bonkers some days

Frictionite is a good barber hone but it is not on par with a Nakayama or with a Shapton Pro or Naniwa IME. They are around 4"x2" and have one side finer than the other. Good to refresh a razor but I wouldn't try sharpening a Japanese sword with one.