I use the scary sharp (wet-dry paper) plus I also use arkansas stones. Best purchase I made was the granite block ($35) from Woodcraft, as it is also wide enough to do planer blades and great for flattening the arkansas stones when needed. If you can find a piece from a tombstone place, you can get it cheaper. I tried a glass shelf from Lowes, but it flexed too much and wasn't really flat.
I have a cheap roller guide from Klingspors, that does well for chisels and plane blades. Before I had that, I used a carriage bolt and wing nuts for the plane blades (Still do for the radiuses blades like for a scrub plane, etc.). That said, the Veritas appears to be very good and would get it if it is in your price range. If you radius your plane blades, the radiused roller also would be a good purchase.
Tip with the scary sharp method. If you go side to side instead of front to back for the final couple licks, it will be sharper. Also, to remove the burr from the back edge of a plane or chisel blade, do not do it until you get to at least the 600 grit or finer, and then go side-to-side to remove the burr. If you do it with a coarser grit, it will only score the flat side of the cutter/blade, and increase your work. I do not put a reverse bevel on the back side of my blades/chisels unless it is an old blade that is pitted.
As for wearing out the paper, if you wash it after use, it lasts quite a while. I usually use a diamond pad (Got some cheap from a cummings tool sale) to cut fast to get rid of chips and knicks, and then go with the paper. I buy mine at Carquest.
I have found to go past 2000 grit is a waste of time as for how long the blade remains sharp, and I can get my planes to cut to .0008" shavings with it, altho my hard arkansas does put a sharper edge and that is what I use for knife blades.
For the planer, a man of your talents will not find it hard to make a jig to hold them if you have a flat surface to slide on. If it is 6", wide jawed vice grips will work if you lubricate the granite with a bit of soapy water, or put a thin piece of HDPE on it for the guide to slide on. May have to true up the jaws on the vice grips with a file to make sure they are straight, tho.
JMTCW
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