Sharpening

[Jacob]

In The Village Carpenter by Walter Rose they were advised to use a stone narrower than blade they were honing so the stone dished end to end but stayed flat side to side.

Good idea.
And cheaper stone. The Odate 3000 year miracle thing went same way - they went on to make cheaper "half plates" and wrote pages about it. Still not much interest. Probably collectable if you find one on ebay?

 

[Tony Zaffuto]

No wonder you have to use a jig! Who taught you to dread rounded bevels and why?

What is wrong with rounded bevels (not aimed at you, Jacob)?

 

[D_W]

No, perpendicular. Think of a typical folding pocket knife with a blade 3 inches long, being sharpened on an oilstone 2 1/2 inches wide. So that's half an inch overhang. So pushing the blade down the stone uses the full length of the stone, and sliding the blade back and forth along it's length, ie, across the stone, as you go, sharpens the full length of the blade (and incidentally keeps it burr-free). Hence I chose to call it *undulating*.

I did attempt to use the side to side motion when I started to sharpen edge tools for the first few times, but it proved too difficult for me.

This can be done well with the iron on a diagonal as it allows more of the width to remain on the stone. The scratches in the edge still terminate going through the edge rather than along it, and it makes adding camber a little easier. In fact, I think this is much easier both to keep the bevel relatively constant and for the camber reason, though, it's possible to do what you're saying without too much trial end error.

 

[steve355]

Most people give up turning because of sharpening. You don't sharpen lathe tools weekly more like hourly.
I have Sorby Pro Edge which is expensive but best thing I ever bought It takes seconds to touch up once you get profile right.

i made do with a second hand bench sander, and made a solid grinding rest plus the jigs for skew and gouges (not the fingernail type) from scrap bin metal. Total cost about £40 and does the same thing. I’ll get a pro edge one day when it breaks down.

For ordinary chisels imho there’s no substitute for hollow grinding on a wheel, then an oilstone and a strop.

Metal lathe bits, well that’s a whole different story.

 

[Oakydoky]

Fine India stone 3in1 oil. No jig. Learn to do it by hand. Compared to other tool skills in woodworking its easy! It helps to eyeball the tip as you lift it a little on the stone and you will see a line of oil just squeeze out, this shows that you are on the bevel. (30deg but that's an estimation that you just learn very easily) Circular or figure of eight movement. Raise a slight even burr then keeping completely flat, flip over and back off to remove the burr. Repeat if necessary but with gentler strokes until there's no burr and it's sharp. I then strop the blade on the Palm of my hand (I doubt anyone would teach that now!) Like this I can easily obtain an edge that you could shave with. This is how I was shown during my yacht joinery apprenticeship in 78. It might even be the same fine India stone. I do have a black Arkansas as well but rarely use it.
So no, no diamond plates or wet/dry stuck to glass etc. Cheap simple quick very effective.

 

[Adam W.]

Fine India stone 3in1 oil. No jig. Learn to do it by hand. Compared to other tool skills in woodworking its easy! It helps to eyeball the tip as you lift it a little on the stone and you will see a line of oil just squeeze out, this shows that you are on the bevel. (30deg) Circular or figure of eight movement. Raise a slight even burr then keeping completely flat, flip over and back off to remove the burr. Repeat if necessary but with gentler strokes until there's no burr and it's sharp. I then strop the blade on the Palm of my hand (I doubt anyone would teach that now!) Like this I can easily obtain an edge that you could shave with. This is how I was shown during my yacht joinery apprenticeship in 78. It might even be the same fine India stone. I do have a black Arkansas as well but rarely use it.
So no, no diamond plates or wet/dry stuck to glass etc. Cheap simple quick very effective.

That's far too simplistic for people to accept, there must be a jiggy thing in there somewhere that you aren't telling us about.

 

[Oakydoky]

I know it's shocking! But no I've never owned or used a jig. To me a jig would remove your ability to feel what you are doing which is 90% of the whole thing.

 

[Adam W.]

A customer service agent will be along shortly to tell you that you are doing it wrongly and that you need to but a new Lie-Nielsen fandangle to make your life complete.

 

[Jacob]

A customer service agent will be along shortly to tell you that you are doing it wrongly and that you need to but a new Lie-Nielsen fandangle to make your life complete.

Yup. You can't have too many fandangles in this game.
I strop on my hand too. Not sure if it does anything but it feels right and impresses bystanders.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

That's far too simplistic for people to accept, there must be a jiggy thing in there somewhere that you aren't telling us about.

A wrist.

 

[Oakydoky]

I also sharpen my saws
Original Distons of course.

 

[Limey Lurker]

No prob, there'd be plenty of gadget salesmen standing by, along with booksellers and magazine writers!
If you actually had to learn sharpening from scratch in an emergency e.g. sharpen an axe or chisel to repair a boat you'd been cast away on, you'd find a bit of stone and have it sorted in half an hour or so.

I know many people who would use the stone to bash the blunt axe or chisel through the wood.

 

[Adam W.]

I know many people who would use the stone to bash the blunt axe or chisel through the wood.

We don't talk about them in polite society.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

If this whanging on back and forth about sharpening's dark arts (complexities, jig requirements and/or difficulties?) doesn't stop soon I'm going to have resurrect a hoary old chestnut of mine I've got tucked away. Slainte.

 

[Adam W.]

It's got to 11 pages without pistols at dawn, what's going on ?

If this whanging on back and forth about sharpening's dark arts (complexities, jig requirements and/or difficulties?) doesn't stop soon I'm going to have resurrect a hoary old chestnut of mine I've got tucked away. Slainte.

I'm not so sure I want to see your hoary old chestnuts, but get them out if you really feel the need to share.

 

[D_W]

If this whanging on back and forth about sharpening's dark arts (complexities, jig requirements and/or difficulties?) doesn't stop soon I'm going to have resurrect a hoary old chestnut of mine I've got tucked away. Slainte.

hit it, richard! as long as a chest-nut isn't a profane growth near your breastbone.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

hit it, richard! as long as a chest-nut isn't a profane growth near your breastbone.

I'm not so sure I want to see your hoary old chestnuts, but get them out if you really feel the need to share.

No need to dig out the hoary old chestnut I'd say. It looks like my threat to post it did the trick, ha, ha. Slainte.

 

[Jacob]

No need to dig out the hoary old chestnut I'd say. It looks like my threat to post it did the trick, ha, ha. Slainte.

It was your hoary old chestnuts which set me off on the road to rounded bevel ruin!

 

[mikej460]

It's got to 11 pages without pistols at dawn, what's going on ?


I'm not so sure I want to see your hoary old chestnuts, but get them out if you really feel the need to share.

Yes I was thinking much the same - you just keep your hoary old chestnuts to yourself..

 

[Droogs]

No need to dig out the hoary old chestnut I'd say. It looks like my threat to post it did the trick, ha, ha. Slainte.

If they are such a good example, shouldn't they have their own chapter in the books next revision? And why weren't they included in the 1st print?