Gravel vs Microns

When it comes to sharpening terminology, it can seem like a secret language. You often hear people talk about “hardness,” but rarely do you hear anyone mention “microns.” There’s a good reason for this, and it mostly has to do with tradition and ease of use.

Grit is basically a way of measuring how coarse or fine the abrasive particles on a whetstone are. The higher the grit number, the smaller or finer the particles. For example, a 400 grit stone is great for grinding away a lot of material quickly, while an 8000 grit stone is perfect for getting a very sharp, polished edge that can cut through wood like butter.

This system has been around for a long time and has become the preferred method for many industries, including woodworking, metalworking, and the culinary arts. It’s easy to understand: the higher the number, the finer the finish.

On the other hand, a micron is a unit of length in the metric system, one millionth of a meter, to be precise. When used for abrasives, a micron describes the actual size of the particles. So, a 30 micron particle is much larger than a 3 micron particle. So instead of using a 1000, 4000, and 8000 grit stone, you can use a 15, 5, and 1 micron stone.

The grit system has become the standard because it is tried and true. It has been developed and refined by the industry over the years, and it works (sort of). The tradition continues because it is a quick and easy way for users to understand what kind of edge they will get with a particular stone. However, in my opinion, the statement that a higher number equals a coarser grit makes more sense than the statement that a higher number indicates a smaller grit. It may be a tradition, but it makes less sense to me.

Another problem with using the grit system is that different countries or parts of the world have different systems for measuring grit size, which can make things confusing. Different companies also use different systems of measurement for their stones. I once used a 4000 grit stone that gave me a finer polish than an 8000 grit stone! The only accurate way to know what you are getting is to know the particle size in microns.

There are several charts that will help you translate the grit size into microns so you can at least determine the exact size. Reputable companies will also provide the particle size of the abrasives they produce; however, it may require an email to track it down.

Grit size is one factor to consider when discussing how abrasives perform when sharpening. There are other factors, but particle size is the main one. There are hundreds of whetstones and abrasives out there, and it can seem difficult to decide which one to get. At least if you’re working with microns, you’ll know you’re comparing apples to apples as you wade through a sea of ​​products.

To understand, you have to do. -Vic Tesolin

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