Is this the ideal sharpening kit ?

[LarryS.]

Hi all,

I've read a load of the threads, taken loads of notes and now am more confused than when I started. However I am about to buy some mitre tracks and bolts from axminster and have come up with what I think is the ideal set-up for sharpening (having never done it). Can you click these links and see if you agree ?

thanks

Paul

1 of these at 2,000 grit, 1 at 4,000 grit :
http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionI...Bear-Extra-Wide-Japanese-Waterstone-29755.htm

1of these at 400 grit, 1 at 1,000 :
http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionID/NRC/product-Axminster-Diamond-Bench-Stones-460544.htm

and 1 of these :
http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionI...uminium-Oxide-White-Grinding-Wheels-22227.htm

It adds up to just over £100 in total so would appreciate any comments on whether I need all or just some of them (because it does seem a lot of money), and if they are indeed the right choices

help !

 

[mr]

I dont think you need the 400 grit stone and the grinding wheel. One or the other depending on how you want to work.
I haven't ever tried diamond stones but leaving the type of stone aside you list 4 grades (400, 1000, 2000, and 4000) and I think you could get by with 2 at a bare minimum. I use medium and fine waterstone http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionI...-Ice-Bear-Waterstone-Sharpening-Kit-23188.htm and it works well enough, "regrinding" is a lot of effort on the 800 so I use wet and dry for that which is much faster and I don't have to do it that often so it's reasonably cost effective. The two stones give me a very usable edge though not at the splitting atoms, inspecting with a microscope level that you might want depending on your outlook. You could add a strop and honing paste instead of the finer grade of stone perhaps?

Somebody will come along and say that this is all nonsense though as everyone has their preference for how to sharpen. I think the best way is to get a couple of grades of stone and see if it does the job for you and then augment that as you need to. The other thing to think about is what type of stone you want to use. Waterstones are very messy, diamonds I imagine to be somewhat less so - it all depends on your preferences.

Hope that helps a bit.
Cheers Mike

 

[LarryS.]

thanks mike, just the sort of info I was after, especially as it recommends starting off with less (and hence less expensive) equipment

 

[Joe]

You might want to take a look at this:

link

 

[andycorleone]

If you was thiking in spend £100 why not put a bit more a buy the proper thing:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionID/NR ... -23499.htm

 

[mr]

If you was thiking in spend £100 why not put a bit more a buy the proper thing:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionID/NR ... -23499.htm

LOL - talk about overkill - I think the OP wanted to avoid spending £100 let alone £170


Cheers Mike

 

[wizer]

The David Charlesworth and Rob Cosman DVDs are both very good ways to get your head around waterstone sharpening.

 

[Chris Knight]

The recommendation to buy the Taunton sharpening book is a good one - it will pay for itself in time and money in due course.

There are really only three things to remember in sharpening.

1. Establish the primary bevel - anything will do for this that doesn't overheat the tool and destroy the temper. Powered solutions are quicker and usually cost more than hand solutions but really - a kerbstone will do. Certainly a cheap coarse oilstone will do fine.

2. The secondary bevel (and for many folk the last one) involves creating a new, narrow bevel at a steeper angle than the first. For this a high quality fine stone in the 6000- 10,000 grit range works best. It can be a diamond stone, a waterstone or an Arkansas stone, it is a matter or personal preference which one uses. Some folk go on to create a very fine third bevel - I usually just strop with a bit of leather stuck to a piece of wood and a polishing compound similar to jeweller's rouge

3. The back of the chisel or plane iron (should be the first thing one does), has to be flat and polished like a mirror in the vicinity of the edge (like the last inch - I prefer a couple of inches ). Solutions for 1 and 2 should be capable of doing this if they are hand powered - ie benchstones rather than a grinding wheel.

An "Eclipse" type jig helps keep a constant angle whilst using these things. It's sheap and permits easy cambering of plane irons.

 

[George_N]

I dont think you need the 400 grit stone and the grinding wheel. One or the other depending on how you want to work.
I haven't ever tried diamond stones but leaving the type of stone aside you list 4 grades (400, 1000, 2000, and 4000) and I think you could get by with 2 at a bare minimum. I use medium and fine waterstone http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionI...-Ice-Bear-Waterstone-Sharpening-Kit-23188.htm and it works well enough, "regrinding" is a lot of effort on the 800 so I use wet and dry for that which is much faster and I don't have to do it that often so it's reasonably cost effective. The two stones give me a very usable edge though not at the splitting atoms, inspecting with a microscope level that you might want depending on your outlook. You could add a strop and honing paste instead of the finer grade of stone perhaps?

Somebody will come along and say that this is all nonsense though as everyone has their preference for how to sharpen. I think the best way is to get a couple of grades of stone and see if it does the job for you and then augment that as you need to. The other thing to think about is what type of stone you want to use. Waterstones are very messy, diamonds I imagine to be somewhat less so - it all depends on your preferences.

Hope that helps a bit.
Cheers Mike

I agree with Mike, I have use the white grinding wheel you list for grinding primary bevels (not needed very often) and the 800g/6000g Ice Bear kit. If I want extra sharp I strop on a piece of MDF with Autosol chrome polish for a mirror finish.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul, i use water stones to sharpen chisel and plane blades. I have the 250, 800, 1200 and 6000 grit stones.

I now mainly use the 1200 and 6000 to make the micro bevel and use 120 grit and above sandpaper stuck to a flat surface to make the primary bevel as i found the coarse stones too slow even the 250 grit.

I also use a veritas honing guide which i find excellent.

To finish i strop on a leather covered length of wood.

I would like to try the diamond and ceramic sharpening stones but i can't see how much sharper i could get my metal with them.

Steve.

 

[Andy Pullen]

I always finish off with a leather band glued around the outside of a thick MDF disc to form a leather wheel. I apply solvol autosol to this and making sure that it is turning away from you so the chisel etc cannot dig in I apply the tool for a second or two and this results in a shaving sharp tool. Can be fixed in a lathe or on a grinder shaft but the wheel must be turning away from the user instead of towards as in normal grinding fashion.

 

[Anonymous]

Paul

Seems a lot to spend

After a lot of years of trying out various solutions, I find the following works and is cheap) and agrees with what many people on here say about sharpening

Cheap bench grinder will grid the primary bevel. Mine is £20 B&Q one and works great. Take care not to overheat by not pressing hard and regularly dipping in water.

A 4000/8000 Norton stone from Classic hand tools. 4000 cuts very quickly, 8000 polishes. I use a wheeled sharpening jig on these

Thats's it - all my LN and LV planes are sharpened this way. (although I sometimes strop on a piece of leather with polishing compound too)

I also have 1000, 4000, 6000 waterstones, 2 diamond stones and a wet grinder, all of which practically see no action at all - told you I have been sharpening edges for quite along time :wink: :lol:

 

[OPJ]

I'd reccomend the Veritas honing guide, if you're going to go down that route. They also do a camber roller attatchment for plane irons.

But, if you plan to do most of your work on a grinder then, I don't think this would be as necessary. As long as you get your initial grinding angle right, it doesn't really matter if your honing angle is 29° or 32° or whatever. So, you could easily do that by hand on a fine or very fine stone.

 

[LarryS.]

thanks everyone, you've saved me some money and a lot of head-scratching, I'm going to go for the 4000 & 8000 solution (along with a bench grinder I already have), already have the axminster bevelling roller jig so hopefully then I've got enough to turn my chisels that are currently more like screwdrivers back into chisels



paul

 

[Harbo]

Mighty_Genghis if you are going to use your bench grinder it is not too difficult to knock up a tool rest from some odd bits of wood and a few bolts - the book mentioned above has the details.
Axminster also do a fairly cheap metal one?


Rod