Cap Iron Deflection Angle.

[Adam W.]

He may already be amongst us..................spooky.

 

[Trafalgar]

When pressed on the details, whys and wherefores, the "Ruler Trick" became a workaround for pitted steel.

Now, when pressed on the details, the "Unicorn Method" is said to be for inferior steel.

I'm noticing a trend.

It's for the crowd who prefers pitted, inferior steel.

Got it.

 

[Trafalgar]

Just to be clear, the Unicorn Method (yes, horrible name) is not about stropping, per se. It is about creating a high angle edge. And this edge must be extremely tiny - nano tiny - so as not to interfere with the blades entry into wood. In other words, it is not a scraper-like action. The angle at which one holds the bevel to the wheel is different (much higher) than when stropping at a wheel in the traditional manner. If you do not know this, then you are not comparing apples with apples.

Earlier, Jacob linked to my article on it. In this I discussed “preparing” (I’d rather call it that than “sharpening”) chisels. Beforehand, these chisels could not cut as well as a banana. The Unicorn raised the bevel angle and helped it improve edge durability, and without impacting on the cutting action.

Do I use it? No. The Unicorn was designed for crappy steel, and my blades do not need it. Further, I prefer to hone on a hollow grind, which is predictable, and the Unicorn is not a predictable result for re-sharpening. “Re-sharpening” is probably more important than sharpening once.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Good Lord, stropping has always been about tipping the blade or chisel up at a higher angle that the one at which it was honed. And hitting both sides. With the fine media available today, stropping is completely optional and any noticeable improvement is as likely some weird woodworking equivalent of the placebo effect in medicine, than anything else. "Here, take this pill (it's nothing but sugar) and you'll feel better in 36 hours." 36 hours later: "Doc, I feel great!" Doctor: "I knew you would..."

If you use oilstones, by all means strop. If you have hundreds of dollars invested in high grit, tightly graded media, don't waste your time. You're probably doing more harm than good.

 

[Trafalgar]

Edited today!
Is this a D_W comeback performance?

That forum is beyond dead. The only thing keeping it going is the guy that started it won't pull the plug and let it die a dignified death. Flights of fancy into tool steels, the cap iron, and similar garbage to the exclusion of all else just killed it. A cautionary tale for the mods here.

 

[raffo]

Edited today!
Is this a D_W comeback performance?

No, it's a date generated by the software running the forum. The old html file was read into the database and that's the timestamp you're seeing.

By the way, for the guy that thinks I'm David. I remember you, you're one of those that got hysterical when David questioned whether you knew what you were talking about when you were arguing with him. No, I'm not David, what a stupid thing to say. Actually, we're neighbors, he lives a few miles from me. I go and bother him at his shop once in a while, we have interesting chats, mainly about woodworking.

Rafael

 

[Jacob]

When pressed on the details, whys and wherefores, the "Ruler Trick" became a workaround for pitted steel.

Certainly is! Or merely not perfectly flat face on chisel or plane blade.
Non of them are after a few years heavy use.

Now, when pressed on the details, the "Unicorn Method" is said to be for inferior steel.

I'm noticing a trend.

It's for the crowd who prefers pitted, inferior steel.

Got it.

My most pitted plane blade is a very old laminated Stanley but it sharpens beautifully with the aid of the "without a ruler" trick. It's the same as the ruler trick but easier and quicker. Unicorn free too.

 

[Trafalgar]

I had one square-top Record iron that was pretty badly pitted. I just found a replacement on EBay with no trouble. That's my entire experience with pitted steel, or at least that I have a specific memory of. To make others feel better -- I just slapped myself on the wrist for spending $25 instead of working around the pitting using some silly trick. Consider me properly scolded.

 

[Jacob]

I had one square-top Record iron that was pretty badly pitted. I just found a replacement on EBay with no trouble. That's my entire experience with pitted steel, or at least that I have a specific memory of. To make others feel better -- I just slapped myself on the wrist for spending $25 instead of working around the pitting using some silly trick. Consider me properly scolded.

If you hadn't had $25 to spare you would have made it work perfectly without giving it a thought!

 

[Trafalgar]

If you hadn't had $25 to spare you would have made it work perfectly without giving it a thought!

Probably a lot of elbow grease and if that didn't work the old 'tilt up.'

If an oilstone is slightly dished, registering the back across the face will usually result in the same effect as the ruler trick or some other jig. The stone is high at the edge, dished a touch in the middle, and therefore effort when working the flat face is concentrated right at the edge. If you look at a stone from the end view, at eye level, you can usually see it. I should give this whole phenomenon some cute name, and proclaim it as my own; however I get my self-esteem elsewhere.