My Sharpening Process

**derekcohen** · 13th July 2005, 05:22 PM

Hi Adam

A few Rules of Thumb to speed up the process of sharpening.

1. Reproducibility is the key. If you can sharpen on the same spot of the bevel each time you revisit the blade, you will have less work to do. So make sure your set up is easy and accurate to achieve (which is why I got so anal with the set up guides I posted in the jig section).

2. Your strips of sandpaper are too short. A 15cm length will mean more to-and-fro movements, and less sharpening. If you make these twice the length, then you sharpen twice as much in one hit (for the same energy).

3. Don't waste your time (and effort) removing the wire edge until the very end. It is often quite coarse in the beginning, and gets progressively finer as you move through the grits. By the end of (say) 2000 it will be very fine and much less work to remove.

4. Flatten the back of the blade in the beginning and take it to the level at which you will end the bevel edge. Never touch it after this, except to wipe off the wire edge using this same grit.

5. There is no value in honing the same bevel over and over again. Work with microbevels. This is where the LV Honing Guide (both Mk I and Mk II) scores since it is a built-in mechanism. A 1-2 degree microbevel is better than a 5 degree microbevel as there is less area created to hone. THe "work" is done by the first 0.5mm of the bevel edge, so you do not need a large secondary bevel area.

6. With plane blade - NOT with chisel blades - use a steel ruler to add a 1 degree backbevel (Ala David Charlesworth) to ensure that you have a sharp edge. This can have amazing results, and 1 degree is not going to effect the cutting angle.

7. If gluing down the sandpaper (which I recommend over surface tension - more on this later), then use poster contact glue. Spray both sides, let it dry, then push firmly together. I never have a problem with adhesion. To remove, just peel off (you could use a hairdryer to aid this), and wipe with acertone.

8. If using water and surface tension, you must first "break the back" of the sandpaper by pulling it across a bench edge. This will remove the tendency to curl.

9. Remember that the most important factor in honing is that you have a single edge at the end of the blade. This means that the first stage to achieve is making sure that the primary bevel edge goes ALL the way, and that you cannot see light reflected from the bevel tip.

10. Veritas green rouge on MDF is a Good Thing. Rub in on like a crayon. AVOID using a leather strop unless it consists of a thin piece of leather glued FLAT onto MDF. It will otherwise dub the edge (apologies to those who stated that you should granddads shaving strop - DON'T).

Hope this helps.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**LineLefty** · 13th July 2005, 05:26 PM

The bench I'm using is my grandfathers, he was a cobbler so obviously not short on leather around the place. Unfortunately he wouldnt part with the bench till he passed on so all the leathers gone. Theres still a shed full of cobblers stuff that I haven't explored though. More hammers than you can poke a stick at.

**mic-d** · 13th July 2005, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Hi Adam

8. If using water and surface tension, you must first "break the back" of the sandpaper by pulling it across a bench edge. This will remove the tendency to curl.

Derek

Ahah, I was wondering how you stop it curling! I have been using spray adhesive and finding that on the back of the chisel I was getting a bit of curl (as evidenced by a slight distortion of the mirror image) so I thought I would try water instead. I don't know that the Bostik glue I am using is very good for the job. It doesn't come out as a fine spray but rather a globby stream.

Cheers
Michael

**routermaniac** · 13th July 2005, 07:14 PM

G'day linelefty,

I too use the SS method, but I have to say my process is much simpler.
The first thing to say is that I start flattening the back and I do this on an oil stone (medium and then fine) and then finish off on 1200 and then 2000, 2400.

I avoid flattening the back on 180 or lower as I feel it is often spongy (esp after a few sprays of wd40) and may round off the back of the chisel.

Once the back is done, I use the veritas guide to make a bevel and then microbevel through the grits to 2400. I then touch up the back on 2000 and both the back and bevel on honing compound.

I use a plate of glass that is a wide as the standard piece of emery paper and tend to cut each sheet in half, this means that my glass plate is just under 1m long! Having a full width paper to work with, the paper lasts longer and the process is much faster.

Completely agree with Derek in terms of needing a reproducible angle to minimise waste of metal and ensure the sharpest edge. I have both of the guides you are using and since I have upgraded to the Veritas, I now know there is no comparison. The Veritas is 10x better made, more reproducible and easier to use (and I should clarify, I have the old veritas, not the new one!).

The blades are always sharp enough to shave with and unless Im doing a chisel or blade from scratch it usually takes less than 30 seconds to touch up the microbevel with the veritas guide.

My only suggestion to you is get the veritas guide, you will not regret it and it will save some metal on your chisels and blades.

And although I agree with Lou that yes the most important thing is to get on with he woodworking, unless the tools are spot on in terms of their sharpness, handtools are not as fun to use.

I do a lot of practising on crapiata pine and since I have perfected my sharpening methods life is so much easier.

I will eventually invest in some waterstones from Lee Valley for sharpening chisels, but I think Ill stick to SS for the plane blades, I like my plane blades perfectly flat and I dont want to spend half a day flattening waterstones.

regards

Marios

**derekcohen** · 13th July 2005, 07:34 PM

I dont want to spend half a day flattening waterstones.

I believe that SS has got to be one of the most expensive forms of sharpening. What does it cost everytime you have a sharpening session - a couple of Dollars?

Buy a 1200 and a 6000 waterstone and you are set for life, about $60 worth.

And these take a few seconds to flatten, not a day. Use 220 grit drywall/plasterboard mesh. Ask the guys who attended the sharpening workshop I ran some months ago. Ask Adam. He was there.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**LineLefty** · 13th July 2005, 07:35 PM

Thanks Mario,

I hope I didnt come across as a sharpening freak. I hate doing it actually and my goal is to minimise the amount of time spent sharpening.

I find that the honing compound actually degrades the mirror finish produced by the 2500. I'm not sure of the grit sizes in microns, zeptometres or poofteenths.....it's just an observation.

I'll have a look at the veritas jig, maybe I should've spent the money on that rather than DarrylF's planes.............nah!

**Theva** · 13th July 2005, 07:36 PM

Also bought a 2$ magnifier with light to check the edge;

best two bucks I ever spent

.

Cheers,
Theva

**LineLefty** · 13th July 2005, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

I believe that SS has got to be one of the most expensive forms of sharpening. What does it cost everytime you have a sharpening session - a couple of Dollars?

Buy a 1200 and a 6000 waterstone and you are set for life, about $60 worth.

And these take a few seconds to flatten, not a day. Use 220 grit drywall/plasterboard mesh. Ask the guys who attended the sharpening workshop I ran some months ago. Ask Adam. He was there.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Now Now derek, be nice!
Tell me, can you really get by with jut a 1200 and 6000 waterstone?

Marios, I think, from an observation of dereks setup, that the key is to have the drywall sitting there on a board next to your stones all the time. That way, you begin sharpening with 10 or so strokes to flatten the stone.......easy.

I'm definitely heading that way, I'm sick and tired of spending money on paper, I've easily spent $100 plus. I think though, that I'll still use rough grit sanding belts to do my manual "grinding"

**routermaniac** · 13th July 2005, 07:50 PM

hey linelefty $100 is a lot of money for wet and dry , you must be using your tools regularly, in that case I'd definitely go the waterstones!

I dont get much time in the shed, so for me at the moment, not quite worth making the investment... but as I get more time, I will make the shift. As you say Derek it is very expensive in the longrun...

Have a look at the Lee Valley site, they have a good variety of stones and lots of other nice goodies

.

I tell you what, cant wait till the next clamp order

PS If you were the one who bought the #5, congratulations, it looks awesome and for $100 it was very reasonably priced!

QbnDusty · 13th July 2005, 08:04 PM

What a load of waffle on sharpening. I do not intend to spend half my workshop time sharpening tools so I bought a Tormek. You can shave with the edges. I have lots of bloodstained shavings to prove it.
2 cents worth.

**outback** · 13th July 2005, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by GeoffP

What a load of waffle on sharpening. I do not intend to spend half my workshop time sharpening tools so I bought a Tormek. You can shave with the edges. I have lots of bloodstained shavings to prove it.
2 cents worth.

May I be the first to wish you all the best.

Don't get me wrong, I own a Tormek and love it for what it does. It's just this is Tormek haters convening point.

On to more serious stuff, Derek, how big/long, whatever a back bevel do I put on using the old ruler on the stone trick?

**routermaniac** · 13th July 2005, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by GeoffP

What a load of waffle on sharpening. I do not intend to spend half my workshop time sharpening tools so I bought a Tormek. You can shave with the edges. I have lots of bloodstained shavings to prove it.
2 cents worth.

The Tormek thing has been discussed many times, it is an excellent machine for forming the bevel, certainly much faster than doing it by hand, but not for forming the microbevel. You can try but the edge will never be as sharp or last as long... You try planing endgrain especially pine with the bevel you just ground on the Tormek... Not fun!

Thats for plane blades and ordinary chisels, for woodturning chisels the Tormek should give a better than acceptable finish.

(I do not pretend to be an expert on the Tormek as I have only seen the results produced by a friend who has one.)

**Auld Bassoon** · 13th July 2005, 08:41 PM

Derek,

Thanks for that.

As always, you're a great source for info. on this sort of thing

Cheers!

**derekcohen** · 13th July 2005, 08:45 PM

how big/long, whatever a back bevel do I put on using the old ruler on the stone trick?

Hi Outback

The backbevel can be teensy-weensy, a poofteenth wide. As soon as you see a glint of silver across the blade bevel, then you are done. It is simply to assure that the back of the plane "blade" is flat.

I bought a Tormek

Congrats Geoff. It is great for chisels but do a search on what is written on this site since there are issues with using it for plane blades, in particular smoother blades. In a nutshell, the Tormek may produce a sharp edge but it is not a smooth edge. You only lose the serrations when you follow a progression of grits. The Tormek hones to 1100 (and gets there directly from about a 350 grit surface). Honing waterstones start at this point! A 1100 edge will degrade the surface planed by a smoother. The answer is to continue from the Tormek onto a finishing waterstone.

I hope I didnt come across as a sharpening freak. I hate doing it actually and my goal is to minimise the amount of time spent sharpening.

Ditto

Tell me, can you really get by with jut a 1200 and 6000 waterstone?

Adam, in a word - yes. The 1200 is all that is needed to level the bevel (as you suggested, use sandpaper to grind - or get an 800 stone), while the 6000 is sufficient to get a razor sharp edge. When you use a very wet stone, one that is nice and mushy, you will hone more aggressively since the grit is freed from the waterstone. If you let the waterstone dry, and you hone on the dried and compressed mush, you will be then honing at/beyond 6000 (about 2 microns). Add a Veritas green rouge on MDF and you go up to 0.5 microns.

I find that the honing compound actually degrades the mirror finish produced by the 2500

The amount of surface shine is a poor measure of edge sharpness. Some mediums will create a shine, other will not. If the 2500-shine is degraded, this does not mean that you have reduced the sharp edge.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Robert34** · 13th July 2005, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by J. Stevens

I use this method too. I know its popular in the U.S. But they refer to self adhesive sandpaper but I havn't seen it here in Australia. Any ideas. I do use spray adhesive to attach to the glass but often it won't stick properly/

Cheers J. Stevens in Brisbane

If you go to this site you will find out about self adhesive sand paper. It is 3m Micro Abrasive Film you can also order some if you wish.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/M...egory_Code=THS

And click on the more info tags,

Robert

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