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5th March 2017, 11:02 AM #1
Novice
- Join Date
- Apr 2015
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- Sydney
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- 23
Purchasing a new sharpening system
Hi all,
Sorry for the tedious repeat of the topic but I am in the market for a new sharpening set up for my edge tools. Over the last couple of years my set up has been to establish a new bevel on an old 5" bench grinder (side note: if anyone knows where I can get a Norton 3x blue wheel or similar in 5"- let me know) and then use the scary sharp system on a granite off cut going through 240 and 400 (if straight off the grinder), 800, 1200, then either 2000 grit or green stropping compound. I have over this time used both eclipse honing guides and free hand over the hollow grind. I am reasonably comfortable freehand but if I have some particularly difficult wood to tackle I will use the guide as I get a better result. I am currently only using old tool steel with a small amount of HSS but may purchase more modern steel in the future. The widest tool is a #8 plane blade. I do most of my work with hand tools and as such I am currently sharpening tools frequently every weekend and often a little mid week when time allows. Anyway, I have had enough of buying and replacing sandpaper/gluing/cleaning the granite and am looking for a relatively straight forward process that isn't too messy and will produce a good result. My budget is around $300, but could be stretched a little if really worth it.
I have been thinking of continuing to use the grinder and then buying a set of Shapton stones 1000, 5000, 12 000 at $250 (They appear better priced as a set rather than buying separately from Sigma/Shapton etc). However, I would be open to the idea of using diamond plates, oils stones, other ceramics or a combination if it would be a better fit for my situation. If I go with the Shapton ceramic stones how regularly am I likely to need to flatten them? Can I do this with sandpaper and granite block easily enough or would I need a diamond plate? Do they require great care with regards to gouging/post rough grind on the bench grinder etc?
Thanks for your guidance,
Tim
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5th March 2017, 12:15 PM #2
Taking a break
- Join Date
- Aug 2008
- Location
- Melbourne
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- 34
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- 6,127
My setup is DMT DuoSharp in XCoarse to XFine, then a final polish on a 12000 Shapton all done by hand with the Veritas jig because I don't like the look of hollow grind.
IMHO, the 12000 is purely for the mirror finish and it will take a lot of convincing (and some electron micrographs) to make me believe that there's any real-world difference in performance over an XFine diamond plate. I used to finish on a 6000 King and that was plenty sharp enough, just not shiny enough
My tools are a combination of Japanese, A2 and whatever the old laminated Stanley plane blades were made of.
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5th March 2017, 12:18 PM #3
GOLD MEMBER
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- Jun 2005
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- Helensburgh
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- 7,696
The Shaptons are pretty good and while needing a flattening every now and then they don't need it every time. Budget allowing I suggest a 8" half speed bench grinder with a 180 grit CBN wheel followed by the Shaptons, fast and simple and from a total regrind to finish and working wood will only be a matter of several minutes. I ground a blade for Simplicity (poster here) and it was a mess, gouges out of the cutting edge etc and he is now a convert and he will admit to scepticism I am sure. The big advantage of CBN is the face does not wear as friable stones do.
CHRIS
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5th March 2017, 02:24 PM #4
GOLD MEMBER
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- Feb 2003
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- back in Alberta for a while
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- 68
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- 12,006
have a look at Derek's set-up http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Woodwor...ningSetUp.html
I have the Spyderco Ultra Fine stone and agree with Derek's observations. I use mine to touch up an edge while working.
I'm tossing up getting a Spyderco Medium stone.
If you're thinking about Shapton stones, from memory the recommended progression for wood working edges is 1000, 2000, 5000regards from Alberta, Canada
ian
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8th March 2017, 04:52 AM #5
GOLD MEMBER
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- Apr 2011
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- McBride BC Canada
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- 3,543
The electron micrographs (SEM) pages 32 & 33 in Leonard Lee's book convinced me to stop at 1500 grit and hone with CrOx/AlOx on cereal box card.
I don't test on hair or fingers as I don't carve those. But for all the woods I use, such edges are a pleasure to use.
So much is personal preference and learning to use what you've got. I want to know the grit particle size(s). Names & words aren't satisfying.
Soft artificial stones are designed to wear = they use a soft adhesive grit binder so fresh grit of the correct size is constantly being exposed.
Buy another one. They are not expected to last forever (unless they stay in the box.)
On wheels, the code sequence describes all that stuff.
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