Thread: gouge sharpening services in melbourne

shaving sharp carving gouges will last about 30 mins, if you're lucky, before they become too blunt

If they're not pitted or out of shape, doing them yourself using honing compound on a polishing mop is probably your best answer.

Probably cheaper than sending them out -- even if you need to buy the mop and a motor to drive it.

If you look away back in the Wood Carving Forum, you can find a thread called "Star's Sharpening Journey."
My freehand techniques have changes very little since then.
With fine automotive finishing sand papers ( 1K & 2K) and some biscuit box cardboard as a strop with honing compound, you should be able to tune up your own tools for a capital outlay of maybe $5.

Thanks guys. The gouges get used by approx 80 students aged 11-14 yrs for around 1.5 hrs each week. Hence they cop a lot of use and abuse/accidents. For the past few years I've been spending 1-2 hours per week tuning them up ~ and depending on the damage as to whether just a touch up, or, grinder-->wetstones-->hone.
Now that I've been asked to do additional work, the school needs to pay someone else to do it. At the end of each term, I will send them out or get someone in.
I just need to know where/who.

We use Ace Saw Service in Braeside for our saw blades and moulder knives at work. Not sure if they can do carving tools, but might be worth a call.

I rang around and many do sharpening but non seem to do honing (without charging an arm & a leg). If anyone knows of someone near Yarra Junction who has the skills to hone up the kid's tools, please message me. It would be equivalent to a days paid work every 3 months.
Cheers,
Glenn

I created a new post "moonlighter or retiree needed" as we will need someone for after Easter.
It's an amazing forum here. I was going to purchase a felt wheel for honing, but after browsing, have decided to make a couple of jarrah ones. I appreciate you all for your contributions.
Glenn

Nice one mate! I can't say I have ever seen a one made in jarrah!

I'm a bit surprised no one down your way has jumped on it. Maybe try the local Men's Shed. I'm sure you will find somebody there that will be happy to take on a little work.

Maybe post a link in the wood turners thread. There is less traffic in the small sharpening forum. You may have a bit more luck.

On another note, what were the advantages with using jarrah as a stropping wheel?

I did look into felt as well but found it too expensive as I needed quite a few of them 300x50.

Originally Posted by Ben Dono

Nice one mate! I can't say I have ever seen a one made in jarrah!

I'm a bit surprised no one down your way has jumped on it. Maybe try the local Men's Shed. I'm sure you will find somebody there that will be happy to take on a little work.

Maybe post a link in the wood turners thread. There is less traffic in the small sharpening forum. You may have a bit more luck.

On another note, what were the advantages with using jarrah as a stropping wheel?

I did look into felt as well but found it too expensive as I needed quite a few of them 300x50.

Thanks for the tips Ben. I might have a local lined up.
Re stropping/polishing, there were some posts on using MDF and the result was the tight grain and hardness of Jarrah preventing any rounding that you can get with a felt or cotton mop polishing wheel deforming around the blade edge. I guess any hard tight grained timber would work.