sharpening technique

[bugbear]

Thanks James. That's much according to all the textbooks. These grindstones were in use for eons.

My little theory, the grindstone would have been used only once a week or so, not on a daily basis. And most workmen would try to keep the bevel straight but ended up with a bit of convexity anyway.

Yes - that's the consistent story across nearly every period reference I've seen, across multiple decades and authors.

Try to keep the the bevel flat and low, fail, (hollow) grind out the failure, repeat indefinitely.

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

Jamesicus much the same as I was taught except the grindstones were powered. Excessive use of the grindstone was regarded as cheating and was reserved for major remedial work only. Jigs were for amateurs but not for "beginners" as anybody training would want to do it properly. They weren't even discussed - they were seen as just gadgets available for DIYers.
Simple stuff really, and highly effective. Took me some years to get back to basics!

Now this is interesting and new.

You were taught a technique at college, but spent most of your professional career doing something different. What, in your post college, practical experience made you decide that the college technique was inferior to the technique you adopted professionally?

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

If you want to talk about sharpening (or anything) you should try to be a bit more civil.

This is quite simply the most breathtaking piece of hypocrisy I've seen in a couple of years.

But probably deliberate.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

I should add - the grindwheels were large and wet. The small bench grinder was seen as for metal work only, not for sharpening except for major re-shaping operations.
A solo operator might not have either, but would manage quite well without.

 

[Corneel]

The answer is too obvious, and not relevant to the majority of cabinetmaking sharpening, (chisels and plane blades).

I am not a carver, and have very occasionally used in cannel gouges.

These were sharpened with a flat stone and some slipstones. How else?

David

So you have no trouble with it?

And router planes, molding planes, marking knifes, drawknifes, skewed irons, German scrub planes and everything else. And each one of them is just a little or quite a bit more difficult then chisels and planeblades. Combine that with the freedom aquired with freehand sharpening, the speed and the better use of the stone surface, and you'll have to confess that freehand sharpening is the more rational method.

 

[David C]

No, I find the freehand sharpening of awkward blades, less efficient, more time consuming and a general PITA.

David

 

[Jacob]

No, I find the freehand sharpening of awkward blades, less efficient, more time consuming and a general PITA.

David

Practice, practice! With a bit of persistence these things become quite easy and natural. You just have to put the time in Dave. If you have to use a jig for the very simplest of them all (chisels and planes) no wonder you find it harder to do the others.

 

[Racers]

Still trying to force your method on other people Jacob?

And insulting while you are at it!


Pete

 

[Graham Orm]

Do you think the guns will go quiet and they'll have a game of football in the no-man's land that is the 'General Metalworking' forum at Christmas?

 

[paul saunders]

hmmm, eight pages and we still don't know the best technique................... sigh!

 

[Jacob]

You could look at Deneb's demo again http://youtu.be/Jo0IXn0pSic?t=38s
The chisel won't fit a jig so he does it by hand. Look how quick and easy it is! Rounded bevel too! :roll: Easier than sharpening a pencil.
Works the same for bigger blades except you need more force - pushing rather than pulling.

 

[bugbear]

You could look at Deneb's demo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aDPZzMvVTA

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

:shock: A jig??... Water stones??... We're all going to hell in a handcart!

 

[Corneel]

Now we're finally getting somewhere! When you consider sharpening a certain tool a pita, it's limiting you in its use and ultimately limiting you in your designs. That's part of the freedom we were talking about.

The only way to tackle this problem is a bit of perseverance. Store your jigs in a closed cupboard for half a year or so and sharpen all your tools freehand. It'll be PITA at first but it'll be easy after a while. The result is a menal freedom that will blast you away. In every aspect of your woodworking.

I had a similar problem adjusting my wooden planes. I love woodiesbut they do have a learning curve. After a few months it wasn't a PITA anymore, and it also freed my mind to become more of an intuitive woodworker and less of an enginerd. Certainly an enrichment of my hobby.

 

[MIGNAL]

You could look at Deneb's demo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aDPZzMvVTA

BugBear

Yep. So he does the hard stuff freehand but uses a jig for the easy stuff (where have I heard that before?). Maybe he should switch to being a wood carver, he's obviously got this freehand sharpening technique sorted!

 

[AndyT]

Some people think like this:
"I like freehand honing. I can sharpen any sort of tool. I don't need to spend any time or money on guides."

Some other people think like this:
"For almost all of my honing - straight chisels and plane blades - I can optimise my results by using a guide. For a few other tools, I have to make do with freehand honing, but that's ok."

Both arguments are logically consistent and both have been aired on here quite a lot of times.

I don't mind which way anyone prefers. I don't mind if you think one way in the morning and the other way in the afternoon.

Now, as Tony asked on page 4, has anyone done any interesting woodwork recently?

 

[Kalimna]

Well, to answer your question Andy, I finished making a jig yesterday

Admittedly it is a guitar neck-setting jig, and therefore a little more complex than what has been described so far in this thread, and yes, it has been made mostly out of plywood. But, it was woodwork, and it will overcome the last main procrastination obstacle to me building a few acoustic guitars in the few spare moments I have these days

Cheers,
Adam

 

[Corneel]

I'm in a sawbuilding craze of late. But that was an item for another thread.

 

[AndyT]

Excellent, I hope to hear more of your next build Adam.

 

[Jacob]

I'm doing a staircase on and off amongst other things. It's working out fine but taking too long - the annoying thing is if I did another one (unlikely) I'd know how to do it, and quickly!
Several little projects on the side as am hoping to do a bit more trading when this project is finished - working on the idea of short runs, 10 off at a time. Thinking of doing spindly little cabinets with flared legs - came to me in a dream. :shock: