How Do You Sharpen Your Tools?

[silentC]

The whole topic of sharpening has my head spinning. Awhile ago, everybody was talking about Scary Sharp but lately waterstones have been the trend. Diamond stones are also popular but I find them too expensive for my budget.

I use oilstones for my chisels and Scary Sharp for plane irons but I have a waterstone on the way to try it out and see what all the fuss is about.

So what method do you use?

[Wongo]

silentC

I have an oilstone and a diamond plate. I find the diamond plate very good because it is very durable and it stays flat the whole time but it is quite expensive.

Cheers

Scott

[Barry_White]

I have been using a six inch grinder and an ordinary old oil stone since I was an apprentice patternmaker 50 years ago and it has always done it ok for me.

In fact I have been using the greenstone on the grinder (normally used for carbide drill bits) because I took the other one off to put a wire brush on and haven't bothered to put it back yet.

As a patternmaker I used to do a lot of end grain paring and always found the chisels & gouges sharp eneough to cut end grain without to much trouble.

Besides I found if you didn't cut yourself at least once a day you had done something wrong, so if they were too sharp they would cut too deep and heavens forbid if it was too deep you would have to go off on compo and did that upset the boss no end.

I find by using a six inch grinder it gives you a reasonable hollow which means you can get more touchups on the the ordinary old oil stone before you have to regrind the chisel, gouge or plane blade.

Not to put anyone down I just think everyone is making too much of getting an edge and I reckon if a chisel is sharp eneough to sharpen my pencil it is sharp eneough to use.

[Rocker]

Darren,

I go for the diamond stones, wirh a $12 Carbatec honing guide. This option need not be horrendously expensive. You can get a two-sided 8" x 2 5/8" diamond stone (325x/1200X) from Lee Valley for US$79. I finish up by polishing with green honing compound rubbed onto a piece of MDF to get a mirror finish on the micro-bevel and the back of the blade.

Rocker

[Bob Willson]

I almost wasn't going to reply to this poll because after having read some of the previous threads to do with sharpening I was a bit ashamed of the thing I do to get a good (enough) edge.

I have a Stanley honing guide. After setting the blade in this guide at the correct distance for the angle I want to attain I just run the chisel on the belt sander for a bit. When it looks as though it is sharp I stop and give it a quick going over on a bit of wet and dry for a few seconds and then just strop the blade on my hand to remove any burrs.

As I said I have used this method for quite some time and have always found that it is quite adequate for the sharpness I need.

Now you are going to think that I'm awful. :)

[Barry_White]

It just goes to show no sophistication is needed for a good eneough edge to do the job.

And think of the time you save so you can go and post threads on the forum.

And Bob I just think you are showing common sence.

[silentC]

I suspect that this is one of those subjects which could generate quite a bit of debate.

My own belief is that, like most things in life, some people are more 'discerning' (a better term might be 'fussy' but that carries a negative connotation that I don't wish to imply) than others when it comes to having sharp tools.

I find that I have to sharpen my chisels frequently when working with hardwood but it takes less than a minute on the oilstone to get the edge back. Perhaps you have to sharpen less frequently with some of the other methods but perhaps it takes longer. Is this a trade-off, or is there a clearly better way?

Is sharp enough good enough? Do you need to be able to see up your nose when you look at your chisel? I certainly don't know the answer. My own method is quick and dirty and suits my nature but that doesn't mean I don't aspire to something nearer perfection.

[craigb]

I voted for scary sharp.

But that's to get the tool up to scratch, so to speak.

I'm currently trying to learn to use a waterstone to maintain the edge, but I don't go up to 6000 or anything yet.

On the other hand, I would have thought that a pattenmaker would have had to have had pretty sharp tools so maybe I should follow Barry's advice. :)

[rodm]

What is also relative is how dull do you let your tools get before you touch them up again. If the sharpening is laborious then you are likely to put off touching them up a little bit longer.

[outback]

I need to but can't so didn't vote for two methods.

1. tormek

2. Arkansas stone for adding micro bevel, touch ups etc.

3. back to tormek when I can't get it "sharp enough"

[AlexS]

I use a diamond plate to flatten the back of a new blade or true up my waterstones, a wet grinder to hollow grind blades, waterstones on both sides to sharpen, and a leather strop with no dressing to polish. I like to touch up on the stones & strop quickly and fairly frequently, rarely on the wet grinder.

[gatiep]

My sharpening relates to turning tools. I use a 6" grinder with a 60 white stone to shape the tool. It gives a good hollow grind. Then I regularly, repeat regularly touch up with a fine diamond plate held in my hand. I make sure that i run over the cutting edge and base of the bevel at the same time.That means that the 'flat' surface that develops at the cutting edge and heel of the bevel must be identical. This keeps the bevel angle constant and is dead easy for gouges and skews. Every two, three, four months depending on the amount of use, when the hollow grind has almost disappeared I just touch the bevel to the white wheel very lightly...hardly any sparks....as I only want to put the hollow grind back and not 'regrind or reshape' the tool.
I run over the bevel as outlined above with about 4 to 6 strokes with the fine diamond lap every day before a turning session.
Needless to say my tools dont get ground shorter by the day and lasts a life time.
Gentle does it, if you have heaps of sparks coming off the wheel when you retouch.....your wasting your dollars.
Diamond laps/plates are relatively expensive to buy, use water as lubricant, they last a life time and dont break should you drop them. So over their lifetime they are realy very economical and very fast to give a good clean edge.
Thats my 0.25 c worth
Cya
Joe

[barnsey]

I built my first sailing dinghy when I was seventeen and was taught to use the grinder - grey wheel, back then, and the oilstones to get blades to shave my arm, little has changed.

Saw through "Scary Sharp" and decided a white wheel was easier and quicker. I use an 8" unit which I believe is better on a number of issues.

My latest position is Diamond stones - they are terrific and am in the process of offering a range of these quality units at really competitive prices online. Will keep you posted on that if Neil gives his approval.

I have used Lansky systems, oil, water, diamond and abrasive paper and still find I get the best results using a grinder carefully - wet grinders are good but slow - after that a good stone that is flat - diamond is good because I don't have worry about keeping my oil/water stone flat.

Watch for "The Sharp Edge"

Jamie

[bob w]

Hi I,m new to this forum but like barry white i have been using a 6" grinder with an oil stone for about 43 years.(first taught to me as a first year apprentice carpenter & joiner) This method has been good enough to use on a range of timber from radiata to tallowwood with a number of slices reserved for the idiot holding the blunt end. Must admit i have not tried any of the other options so may have to become adventurous sometime in the future.
Have enjoyed reading some of the advise and discussions on this site and hope to involve myself more now that i am nearing retirement.

Regards Bob

[silkwood]

After having used a grinder then oilstones for years I was about to indulge in a Tormek. Having used a friend's I found it easy and VERY efficient.

Then I read a couple of articles in Fine Woodworking. They have been mentioning on and off for a couple of years how many use wet n' dry paper. I tried it, I LOVE it! You can quickly and easily take out minor dents, then sharpen through to "shave your arm" edges in no time, with minimal expense. Gets a bit messy though. I have found it best to set up a small area with an (old) towel (she hasn't noticed it missing yet, so it must be old).

Cheers,

[echnidna]

Like Bazza and Bob W I was taught to do it with a grinder and oilstone but nowadays I use the grinder and a diamond file to deburr and polish the bevel. Even works very well with my thicknesser blades which I grind freehand.

[Wood Borer]

I use a similar method to Alexs except I do not use a grinder. My diamond stone is mainly used to flatten my water stones (because the water stones cut faster than my diamond plate)

I have 3 water stones but regularly only use the 1200 and 6000 to regularly touch up my chisels and plane blades finishing off with a strop charged with the Veritas honing compound.

I find the regular touching up to be the important part. Like others have said, the blunter the tool becomes the longer it takes to get an edge on it which makes you less likely to sharpen the tool and then it becomes blunter ........

I have just about weaned myself off jigs now and I find sharpening and honing by hand to be much quicker and produces a better edge. Why didn't I put the jigs away earlier?

- Wood Borer

[Zed]

ive always used a 8 inch grinder and a fine oilstone to finish the bur and final cutting angle. since doing my woodturning course the instructor reckons you can "use whatever seems to work" he then proceded to rough the gouging chisel with a rough8' wheel then finished the bur with some wet and dry paper, from there straight into the job and back to work! since then i've used the wheel, oilstone and a diamond stone. whatever works gets my vote.

I've had a little play with some of those funny little half circular jap stones that are something like 5000 grit (used on the inside of small detail gouges) - they strike me as largely a novelty as they are so soft they change shape real quick and thus are less useful than they could be... wet and dry seems the go !!! especially with HSS that holds a good edge and doesnt change its temper readily...

cheers

[GregLee]

When doing heavy sharpening I start off with a white wheel on the 6" grinder to create a hollow ground, then I hone the main bevel on an oilstone with a Stanley Jig and finish the main bevel and micro bevel on 1200 Wet n' dry.

Sometimes I also polish on rag wheel on grinder. However, this is normally only for asthetics. Wet n' dry seems to finish like a razor.

[Rowan]

and here I was thinking that the duller the blades got the safer I was, is this theory wrong???? :eek:

[woodymarts]

hi
i use a eletrice grind stone it works very well with all my chizles and my lawn mower blades.
wodymarts

[LineLefty]

Scary Sharp all the way for me.

It costs a bit in paper but if you reuse the paper you can save heaps.

By reuse I mean to "downgrade" the higher grits. That is, afte a 100G piece is uesd a few times then take use it as a lesser grit or a few more sharpenings. Seems to work for me.

Oh and from my experience, a thick peice of MDF works well (with spray glue), didnt have any glass on hand.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't a grinder (whic I dont have) grind a concave bevel? How then, do you know the angle?

[silentC]

I measure it like this:

[LineLefty]

So actually, the cutting angle is a bit shallower.

Does it work ok with a hollow grind?

[silentC]

You would normally use a flat ground secondary bevel at a greater angle after hollow grinding, so the actual cutting angle is that of the secondary bevel, not of the primary bevel. The advantage of the hollow grind is that you need to remove less material to get a back a sharp edge, so the edge lasts longer between grinding and is quicker to touch up.

[bitingmidge]

Just realised I haven't used chisels in over a year, and am about to do some painting so pulled one out to open the can.....it seems to have kept it's edge the whole time..not bad I reckon!

Cheers,

p :)

[Wood Borer]

That is real bad taste in tool etiquette – how could you do that?


- Wood Borer

[silentC]

It's easy: you take the chisel, place the sharp end between the lid and the rim of the tin, then lever the lid up by pressing down on the chisel handle. :D :D :D

[Wood Borer]

I am seriously considering reporting this disgusting filth to one of the administrators.

What if some innocent child was read this muck? Would it affect them permanently or only temporally?

I scoffed when the government sent out their dob in a terrorist propaganda but I can now see an application for it. Do you have the terrorist stoppers number?

- A very disappointed Wood Borer
:( :( :(

[Eastie]

Adding to Silents excellent instructions -
I find a 1/2" best - smaller will only lift and ruin the rim of the lid.
If you’re outside you then poke the sharp end in the ground until it’s time to put the lid back on. If you are inside you can skip that bit. To put the lid back on align the lid with the tin and whilst holding the blade of the chisel simply whack the lid with the chisel handle until it’s seated - with older paint tins with a crust of dry paint in the rim you'll have to whack pretty hard to get a good seal.

I find this works best with some of the older meaty registered chisels, but a new 1/2 inch sorby wouldn't be too bad once you get the knack of it.

Eastie http://www.ubeaut.biz/thumbupwink.gif

[silentC]

Cliff Rogers gave me his tip for keeping the chisel primed for paint tin opening: just poke the sharp end in any cat you may have lying around.

[Eastie]

After getting together with Ozwinner I think I’ve caught a bit of hand tool phobia as I found myself refining the scary sharp method to be a bit faster and somewhat scarier.

I’ve taken my 115mm angle grinder, attached a rubber backed sanding disk attachment with some wet and dry. I have to admit my first attempt was pretty average but I’ve since found out like all good things in life it’s all in the angle of the tool and the action of the wrist.


Eastie :D

( Do not try this at home people, even I am not that stupid ! )

[silentC]

Did you try plugging it in? :D

[Wood Borer]

They say you can judge someone’s mental ability by the sharpness of their chisels. Try the test with your dull chisels.


- Wood Borer

[silentC]

All jokes aside, the sad truth is that I only have a set of those amber-handled things. I'm saving up my brownie points for a box set of Two-Cherries'.

BTW, I went for waterstones in the end...

[Wood Borer]

Eastie, if you want to have a go at using waterstones for sharpening, drop me a PM.

- Wood Borer

[Wood Borer]

BTW, I went for waterstones in the end...

I see you took Cliff's advice and applied it to yourself.

Sorry Silent I had to respond to that one before you edited the message.


- Wood Borer

[silentC]

... and now my bottom is a smooth as a baby's, well, bum ;)

[Eastie]

WB - I've actually got some Norton combination water stones and a couple of diamond plates for proper sharpening. I find the lower grade nortons cut extremely well, but with the 8000 it takes ages to a half decent polish - not a good polish but a half decent one. From time to time I'll use diamond paste to finish, but it takes sooooo long. I've thought about getting some veritas honing compound to finish off to see if I can get a bit better result. I mainly use the diamond stones for flattening things up, taking nicks out of blades and for the kitchen knives.

Eastie

PS - Silent, next time I'm at wonboyn I'll let you know - I'll drag the stones / veritas jig along for you to try if you want. Probably wont be till Oct/Nov.
Mark

[Rocker]

I find the lower grade nortons cut extremely well, but with the 8000 it takes ages to a half decent polish - not a good polish but a half decent one. From time to time I'll use diamond paste to finish, but it takes sooooo long. I've thought about getting some veritas honing compound to finish off to see if I can get a bit better result.
Mark

Eastie,

Don't just think about getting the Veritas honing compound. GET IT. You will get a mirror finish in a couple of minutes with it.

Rocker

[silentC]

next time I'm at wonboyn I'll let you know

Yes, do that. It's about an hour from here. Haven't been there for ages. Used to do a bit of fishing there with my brother in law.

I've got some of that green chalk on order. Should make those Stanley suckers shine :D

[John Saxton]

Japanese waterstones thru a progression.
A passion of mine with honing to a polish

Cheers :)

[Alastair]

Voted "other" as use several options.

Turning tools, 8" grinder, homemade "unijig" style jig, grey wheel. While turning, have a small oil slipstone, and hone the bevel and flute from time to time. When this starts becoming tedious, back to the wheel and jig for a light touchup. Skews, flat oilstone instead of slipstone. scrapers and parting tools, grinder only.

Hand tools, same grinder for chisels, same jig. For plane blades, a 25 deg jig on the disc sander. I use SS if I am being very serious, or setting up a full regrind, with a honing guide. (narrow wheeled one, so I can work back the corners), going to 2000 grit. If I am just mucking around, I will more likely just use the Bunnies fine oilstone.

I have mixed feelings about the passion for going to mirror finishes, as I have the sneaky feeling that one loses a bit of the sharpness in getting there. I wonder if one isn't getting the bevel rounded over by mucking about for too long. Jury is still out on that one.

Alastair

[TassieKiwi]

Voted "other" as use several options.


I have mixed feelings about the passion for going to mirror finishes, as I have the sneaky feeling that one loses a bit of the sharpness in getting there. I wonder if one isn't getting the bevel rounded over by mucking about for too long. Jury is still out on that one.

Alastair
Me too. Have a look at this very scientific analysis, whic would question the Veritas honing compound:http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon5.gif

http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/overview.html

[Harry72]

"Other - Please give details"
I dont, I just buy new tools!(yes i am kidding)

[echnidna]

A chinese file sharpens chinese turning chisels real good

[beejay1]

ive had a go at every method but now use the Tormek. very easy and quick and with honing as needed on spyderco ceramic stone keeps the chisels sharp and shiney.
beejay1

[LineLefty]

I don't know about this sharpening business. Theres a lot written about precise geometries, argon microsopes and flat surfaces within a .00001mm tolerance.

Wheny ou first start out you're ignorant to what sharp really means. Then you sart to really get into and lust after that arm shaving super edge with your $150 diamond stone and/or $200 piece of float glass. Then, you might start to realise that 'sharp' means 'sharp enough to do the job at a level at which extra sharpening effort produces negligible difference'.

Perhaps - just perhaps, I've still not experienced atom splitting sharpness and my ignorance is showing through. But I think I've got my technique down to a level where I get my blades sharp enough to cut nicely and leave a good finish. I then get on with working with wood, not metal.

In summary I think that marginal benefit decreases for each extra 'step' of sharpening profficiency? Any thoughts?

I you disagree, please send me your 'truly' sharp Norris/LN/Clifton and I'll evaluate it.

I'm not criticising anyone who posted here, Its just a commentary on a few of the ridiculously detailed sharpening websites out there.

[routermaniac]

Perhaps - just perhaps, I've still not experienced atom splitting sharpness and my ignorance is showing through. But I think I've got my technique down to a level where I get my blades sharp enough to cut nicely and leave a good finish. I then get on with working with wood, not metal.

In summary I think that marginal benefit decreases for each extra 'step' of sharpening profficiency? Any thoughts?

I'm not criticising anyone who posted here, I'm just a commentary on a few of the ridiculously detailed sharpening websites out there.
Im happy with the results I am getting with my oilstone (ie shave hair), a small waterstone (bought for $1) and leather. When I come across a really damaged chisel I grind the edge very carefully on my belt sander with a medium grit sandpaper and then go through the normal process. I have been using scary sharp for my plane blades recently and I find it useful especially on used blades (that have been ruined by others!) ;)

I tend to agree with you and I see little purpose in spending several hundred dollars on waterstones and wet grinders if I can get the same result with a couple of dollars. :p

[Bruce Micheal]

When doing heavy sharpening I start off with a white wheel on the 6" grinder to create a hollow ground, then I hone the main bevel on an oilstone with a Stanley Jig and finish the main bevel and micro bevel on 1200 Wet n' dry.

Sometimes I also polish on rag wheel on grinder. However, this is normally only for asthetics. Wet n' dry seems to finish like a razor.

I use a white wheel on a 8" grinder (I have made a pretty poor excuse for a jig for the turning tools, but it seems to work!) I have used diamond plates in the past when the edge seemed to be getting dull. I now use a "sisal mop" with cutting compond (several different grades). The mop works very similar to a felt wheel in that you take the tool to the rear of the grinder, pronouncing the burr?
I also use a soft mop and a swansdown mop with polishing componds, but agree with Greg that this ie only for asthetics, although depending on the timber/environment etc, polishing the tools almost negates dramas with corrosion.
I find that I can get a "razor edge" that lasts on HSS tools. I also find that with this method, the use of the grinder is for only when the tools have lost their bevel/hollowgrind, thus saving the gold/platimum (well, by the cost it seems that way?) impregnated HSS tools from getting eatan away

[journeyman Mick]

Until recently most of my work was on site, but my bench grinder was off site. Off site I grind on a 8" grinder with a green wheel, because that's how I bought it (2nd hand). Previously I used a 6" grinder with the original grey wheel and flimsy tool rests. I sharpen on two oilstones, both sides of a silicone carbide and the finer side of an Aluminium oxide. Touch up as required on the fine stone, go back to silicon carbide stone when it needs it, and back to the grinder when it loses its hollow or gets a nick in it.

On site was a different story. Sometimes I didn't have a stone with me and I have sharpened on a smooth bit of concrete slab with water from my water bottle. Other times I may have used WD40 or motor oil on my oil stone. Of course nicking a blade on a nail or screw is not uncommon so I would grind the blade, either on my belt grinder, an angle grinder with a cutting disc (less aggresive than a grinding disc) or on the side of my 14" steel cut-off disc. All quick and dirty but did the job. I've always managed to get an edge you could shave with. Now some of the fancier methods may give you a prettier looking blade or possibly hold their edge a bit longer but time is money and my usual reason for resharpening is more often than not, a nicked edge and "sharper" edges are just as likely to get a nick in them.

Not saying my methods are any better (actually, strictly speaking, they're decidedly worse :rolleyes: ) but they've worked for me and I'm unlikely to go to anything slower and/or more complicated. I'd go for something simpler and faster if I could ;) .

Mick

[bitingmidge]

I struggle.

But scary sharp meant I sort of got there, and waterstones mean I struggle less (although it takes many sharpenings to get rid of the 'round' back that scary sharp produced!).

Enough of that, I wondered tonight as I was "sharpening" a couple of hammers if that is ever done anymore? An old chippie that used to work for me when I was too young to know any better used to give the face of his hammer a rub with sandpaper every morning before starting work.

I thought it had to help my nailing (at the time I was convinced that the hammer was slipping off the nail because of a faulty tool
:rolleyes: ) so took up the habit in a (futile) effort to get better.

The face of the hammer remains ding free and my brain tells me its' better to do, but wondered if anyone else has heard of it, (or hammers for that matter).

Cheers,
P (who still uses scary sharp even on the 12 pounder)
;)

[journeyman Mick]

I give the face of my Estwing a bit of a polish making sure I swivel it around as I'm doing it so as not to flatten the domed face on concrete when neccessary. It's not to get rid of dings but to clean off any rust or residues like glue, wax, paint, concrete etc etc. I use my hammer to smack holes in plaster or masonry, drive nails, hit wood chisels and cold chisels, tap things into alignment etc etc etc. It does get all sorts of crud on the face so I give it a bit of a clean up before driving nails with it. Also if you drive a lot of gal nails or coated nails you will get a residue from them. Don't know that scary sharp is neccessary though ;)

Mick

[bitingmidge]

Don't know that scary sharp is neccessary though ;)


Mick,
You're right about keeping the dome! And as for scary sharp, tonight I took two hammers all the way through the grits.

Right down to 60.

P
:D :D :D

[journeyman Mick]

Mick,
You're right about keeping the dome! And as for scary sharp, tonight I took two hammers all the way through the grits.

Right down to 60.

P
:D :D :D

So what's the grit equivalent for a bit of steel trowelled concrete? It'd have to be about 120-150 grit. The quality is a bit variable but it's readily available. (Flattening it with a diamond plate or another stone might be a problem though)

Mick

[powderpost]

As a retired carpenter and joiner, I have read many articles on sharpening tools. My hammer was rubbed on the rubber sole of the old "canecutters" sandshoes which were then the official safety footwear of the time, to clean the paint and sap off the face. If we were outside, the hammer face was rubbed in the dirt. Cutting tools were sharpened on a coarse/fine oilstone. There was no power on site. In the shed a grinder was used to restore the hollow so that the chisel etc. could be honed easily. Now retired but still working wood I use a white aluminium oxide because it runs cooler and will grind carbon steel tools as well as hss tools, without burning if used lightly. I also bought, out of curiosity a diamond hone, a slate with diamond slurry packs, a japanese water stone as well as a ceramic stone. I still use the al oxide wheel (#60 grit), but prefer the water stone (#800) to an oil stone because they are cleaner, easier and water is cheaper (at present at least). These are the only sharpening tools used and I can still shave the hairs off my arm with the chisels. I agree with Mick, is any more really necessary? I don't know of any tradesmen that carry a tool box dedicated to honing stones. I often wonder what would happen if some of these super sharp tools encountered a piece of hardwood?????
Jim

[silentC]

In summary I think that marginal benefit decreases for each extra 'step' of sharpening profficiency?
Funny, I said almost exactly the same thing to Derek a few months ago. I reasoned that there must come a point where the blade is sharp enough that making it any sharper would have little or no impact on it's ability to do the job. Diminishing marginal returns: see, I did economics too.

I think it's probably true, however how sure are you that you are at the break even point now? The object of sharpening is twofold. First and probably most important is that you want an edge that will sever fibres cleanly. Second you want an edge that will continue to do this as long as possible before it needs to be resharpened. A lot of the effort that goes into sharpening once you have achieved a really sharp edge is intended to achieve the second objective.

That's where all the complicated blade geometries and so on come into it. You want a blade that has the right bevel angle to do its job properly but that also has enough meat behind it to support the cutting edge. That's why you get people talking about different bevel angles and micro bevels etc.

If you do really want to understand this stuff, you should buy a copy of Leonard Lee's book. He asked the same question as you but took it one step further and went to great lengths to find out what was really going on. If you don't, then I guess sharp enough is when you are able to get on with the job for long enough between sharpenings without getting frustrated.

[barnsey]

I sharpen when I'm not happy with the cuttin' :(
I sharpen with grinder, coarse/fine oilstone, file and only the one's needed. ;)
I sharpen till the hair gets shaved off my arm or I can feel the burr on the lathe tools and scrapers :eek:
I do all this in the shortest time I'm able to. :D
Any sharper means I'll cut me not the hair and I bleed real easy. :(
I hate getting blood stains on a near finished piece. :mad:

Call me old fashioned or even ignorant but I believe I get the job done in the time available and not spend a whole heap of time doing the other bits. I thought that's what scary sharp meant!! - it's scary how much time you can spend doin' what should take as little as possible. :eek:

And I always pick up the Estwing and give it a rub on the the nearest bit of concrete/masonary to clean the face. I never remember what I was doin last with it and I like to keep the nail and my fingers straight :D

[AlexS]

I struggle.


Enough of that, I wondered tonight as I was "sharpening" a couple of hammers if that is ever done anymore? An old chippie that used to work for me when I was too young to know any better used to give the face of his hammer a rub with sandpaper every morning before starting work.

I thought it had to help my nailing (at the time I was convinced that the hammer was slipping off the nail because of a faulty tool
:rolleyes: ) so took up the habit in a (futile) effort to get better.

The face of the hammer remains ding free and my brain tells me its' better to do, but wondered if anyone else has heard of it, (or hammers for that matter).

Cheers,
P (who still uses scary sharp even on the 12 pounder)
;)

Is this a far North Qld thing? Mick & Powderpost are from that area, and my old man, from up there, also taught me to do it to keep the face clean. Could be something to do with rapid corrosion in the wet tropics?

He rubbed it in the dirt if outside, sandpaper if inside.

[barnsey]

My grandfather, father & uncles taught me and we all lived in Essendon, just over the railway line from the great Windy Hill!! So it isn't a FNQ thing. ( Go
maroons). :D :D

Two of them were chippies so I guess it's more likely a trades thing ;)

[silentC]

Call me old fashioned or even ignorant but I believe I get the job done in the time available and not spend a whole heap of time doing the other bits. I thought that's what scary sharp meant!! - it's scary how much time you can spend doin' what should take as little as possible.
There's nothing that says you have to spend hours sharpening. Once you have set up the bevel and assuming you have a repeatable process for touching it up, like using a jig or doing it by hand, it doesn't take any more than a minute or two to resharpen using waterstones or whatever. Plus, if you do it right, the edge lasts longer and therefore you spend less time sharpening.

[LineLefty]

Postscript.

I attacked a piece of karri last night which defeated my current level skills, tools and sharpening ability.

The scrub plane didn't go close, the old coffin smoother was defeated, the Falcon F5 couldnt cut it and even the HNT Jack plane struggled. It did OK in scraper mode but thats not going to help me square the board. It also shrugged of the belt sander linke a wombat shrugs off a speeding hyundai.

It did make me think, is this a problem with my sharpening? Do I still not know what sharp means? Or is karri just a lost cause.............

I anderstand your point SilentC, about the blade angles. They were all as 'sharp' as each other yet the Baileys and the coffin smoother lost their edge in 2minutes. While the much higher angle HNT jackplane did hold up much better. So perhaps I was mistaken to put sharpness and geometry in the same basket.

I also foudn out the Karri is harder than Ironwood and scufffed the sole of my plane :(

[echnidna]

I suppose putting up with all that inferior timber is a downside to living in the West. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Kris.Parker1]

I like the waterstone as I tend to use it while I'm turning. I used to use an oilstone, but tended to leave stains on the wood I was turning, now I don't have to worry.

[JDarvall]

I use 800 and 8000 grit waterstones, slow rpm grinder with 8" AlO wheels, and a 1 metre long piece of finished stone (its polished granet I think,,glass like finish) about 5" wide on a cement wall also 5" wide so it can be stradled like a horse...to it I adhere coarse hermes sandpaper 1 metre at a time,,,its a kind of scary sharp setup I guess,,,, It allows me to flattern plane soles, plane blade backs, and my waterstones in long uni-directional passes as heavy as I like....
The focus for me is to avoid flatterning my waterstones as much as possible... so the waterstones are reserved for final bevels of blade......eg. grind to feather edge with grinder (fingers on edge to avoid overheating) at say 25 degrees , then say at 28 degrees on 800 grit stone with carpatec guide (those $12 ones) just till wire edge falls a way,,,,then say 32 degrees on 8000 grit stone....thats it.