Thread: Scary Sharp

Craigb,

I tend to subscribe to the scary sharp method.

Generally i do not go through all the grits if a blade is getting a bit dull - just a touch up, but you need to make sure that you set the blade up exactly same angle as you had before otherwise you may not hone on the edge.

You can always mark the edge with a black permanent marker (bit like engineers marking blue) and after a couple of passes you can see if its gettin the edge sufficiently.

If you can't set the angle up properly then of course you need to take more of when honing and hence need to start back on slightly coarser grits.

Have a go.

Stephen

Just start on 1000 grit or so and see how you go. Only lap the back with the higher grits though (1500+) - so long as it's flat there is no need to ruin the mirror.
It’s cheap and it works wonders. Combine it with the veritas jig, finish off on 2500 grit and the results are better than my old and tired stones. On the better plane blades I finish of with diamond paste, but usually skip that bit as it’s hardly ever needed or of any real benefit.

Craig

Whether you use the SS method or any other, the aim is to get a truly sharp edge. Now, while that sound bloody obvious, it does require certain steps to be followed that are not in most manuals.

First off, make sure the back of the blade is flat. Use the highest grit paper you have (I go to 2000 on wet-and-dry, or 6000 on my waterstones).

Then you can sharpen the front. As Stephen noted, you must replicate the angle. A good jig is helpful, such as the Veritas. Now the aim here is to sharpen ALL THE WAY to the edge of the blade. Often this is not done. You need to hold the blade up to a light and look to see if you can find a line at the tip (I sometimes use a magnifying glass). If you can, what you are seeing is the reflection of a non-sharpened edge! Keep sharpening until this line disappears. Once you have done this you will understand what I mean.

The problem with touching up a poorly sharpened blade is the obvious - all you are touching up is the bevel and not the edge, per se.

The second area of importance is the "wire edge". When you sharpen the front of a blade it will create a microscopic wire edge. This folds back over the back of the blade. It must be removed or otherwise you are not going to be using the edge, itself, to cut. Sometimes you think you have a sharp edge and this goes quickly (the blade becomes blunt) as the wire edge interfers. All you need to do is sharpen the back of the blade in a flattened position after the front is done. Check the light reflection again.

Once the blade is set up this way it is possible to just rehone it every now and again to maintain a sharp edge. I usually hone my blades with Veritas green hone ("crayon") on a leather wheel after the final sharpening (usually my 6000 waterstone). I then just return to this wheel every now and then. With SS you can do the same, or just retouch with 1200 grit or above.

Bottom line, you can only resharpen with a higher end grit if all else is set up correctly. Otherwise you are just polishing the steel!

Regards from Perth

Derek

SCARY SHARP PROCESS

Would anyone like to provide details from start to finish for the above sharpening process to an amateur woody. I have a number of chisels which need attention, Thanks

Mickyg

It's all explained here http://www.shavings.net/SCARY.HTM#condensed

Craig

Thanks for the replies.

I use a honing guide - not a Veritas I'm afraid - but one of those one's that most hardware shops sell with the single wheel. I have the correct projections marked on my bench and set the tool to those, so hopefully I should be getting the same angle each time.

I'm very impressed with Scary sharp results. Previosuly I've just been using an oilstone and now realise that compared to Scary Sharp it's like sharpening with a file.
I only wish that I'd got around to getting the plate galss before.

Cheers
Craig

Would anyone know who would sell 2000 grit wet & dry paper in Brisbane. Most stock up to 1200 grit.

Doc

For 2000 grit w+d you must go to a shop that sells supplies for auto repairs (it is used in sanding down filler, etc).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally posted by MICKYG
SCARY SHARP PROCESS

Would anyone like to provide details from start to finish for the above sharpening process to an amateur woody. I have a number of chisels which need attention, Thanks

Thanks Craigb, seems an excellent method will be keen to try

Doc

You will find that most of your el cheapo car parts and bits stores like "Aussie auto trend" will stock wet and dry up to 2000 grit for about a dollar a sheet.

Cheers

Mick

Thanks Derek & Mick for the information. I didn’t think of the auto shops. This is a great way to sharpen blades. I came across this method in a book I read many years ago on Repairing Hand Tools. The author used wet & dry paper for flattening the sole of bench planes. So I got hold of a piece of ½ plate glass and glued the sheets on. However I have not gone past 1200 grit. I finish the blades off on water stones. I use 1200, 4000 & 8000 water stones. The scary sharp system gets away from using a bench grinder all the time, because that is a machine I hate. There is nothing like the whistle that a sharp plane makes as it takes a shaving off wood. As was said in one of the posts to this forum “if you can’t sharpen them you shouldn’t use them”.

There is nothing like the whistle that a sharp plane makes as it takes a shaving off wood.

Amen to that!

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally posted by Doc Carver
There is nothing like the whistle that a sharp plane makes as it takes a shaving off wood.

And there's nothing quite like the hellish noise my thicknesser makes as it dresses my timber at 6M a minute either

Mick

Originally posted by Doc Carver
Would anyone know who would sell 2000 grit wet & dry paper in Brisbane. Most stock up to 1200 grit.

Doc,
Try Applied Abrasives, or Direct Abrasives, or what ever they call themselves now.
07-3208-7588 @ Slacks Creek
They might tell you where to go;-)

Ivan in Oz
On the Downs Darling