Official Luthiers Forum!

I've been reading "A Guide to Hand Tools and Methods" by David Charlesworth and for the most part it's been a really enjoyable book so far. Some of it is old news, but once in a while he presents a unique way of doing something. The layout is also very nice for those of you who care about such things.

In the chapter about sharpening he has some great tips on using water stones. When he talks about the different ways of flattening them he mentions using a product by 3M called Drywall Screen. In the book it looks like a efficient and potentially cheap(?) way of flattening the stones. Has anyone tried this? I just looked this product up and it's available in Fine, Medium, etc.... grits. Charlesworth says nothing of the grits unfortunately. Alternatively he's using 180 or 240 grit wet and dry sandpaper. How do you think that translates into the drywall screening? I've never touched the stuff. Anyone here ever tried it? Of course there's a billion other ways to flatten the stones, but this made me curious....
-John

It is just an open screen martix with alumium oxude abrasive. How did he suggest baking it up? As it will need to be flat when used and this stuff will flex big time if not backed up.

I have used these on drywall.......

MDP is right there is no structure to it so it has to be backed up with something.

I would use in on MDF, or plastic coated MDF stuff Hesh!! That way you can lay it flat..!

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
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I do it that way and have for over 20 years. I have a large piece of glass that is about 1/2" that I use under. With a pencil mark your stone with paralle lines and stop flattening when they are gone.
Once durning some nasty wet weather I rescued a guy and his sodden unhappy almost hyperthermic girlfriend who were way out on the coast bike riding. They had at least 20 miles to go and she wasn't going anywhere. I had racks on my truck and hauled them home. The guy wanted to do something for me and turns out he owned a glass store. So I got a couple of nice thick pieces of float glass. You can use one of those granite surface plates, the cheap ones, they work well and are useful for other things as well.
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I second the use of of diamond plates, DMT Dia-Sharp in particular. Drywall screen works ok for softer
stones, but still wears quickly. With Shaptons or similar hard stones, diamond is a near-necessity.

You can get a 2"by 6" Coarse DiaSharp for under $30, or a 3" by 8" for under $50. The ones I've bought
have been very close to dead-flat (under .001" out diagonally). An Extra Coarse is nice for your coarser stones. As the plates wear, I use them for my finer stones. For example, my Coarse Dia-Sharp, which is now
quite fine after 6-7 years, I use to flatten or deglaze stones 2000 grit or finer. If stiction becomes an issue,
just keep a light, steady stream of water running on the stone, and a lighter touch on the plate. Once you use
diamond plates a bit for this job, you'll wonder why it's done any other way.

PS: drywall screen, sandpaper, et c can and often will leave hard bits in your newly flattened stones,
which will leave substantial visible scratches in your cutting edge, leading to earlier edge failure.