Thread: Sharpening 101

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

Just on the topic of using sand to dress a waterstone, you can buy carborundum powder in designated grades. We get small tubs of 220grit as part of a process to regrain metal litho plates.

I used it to flatten an Arkansas oilstone on a glass plate on a flat concrete floor, but using kero (didn't think it would matter as light oil was going on afterwards, and the kero flushed out impregnated metal & oil), and it worked really well. I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work with water, and using this powder you know exactly what grade it is...no evil big scratches!

Cheers,

This reply may be a repeat of an earlier one, its been a while since this subject was last mentioned.
This is the very method advocated by Mr Lee Senior, Rob Lee's father(Veritas, Lee Valley), and is the method I use except that, as suggested by Mr Lee, I use a sheet of self adhesive mylar on my glass plate. You would be suprised how little of the grit you need.
I then flatten my 4000 and 6000 stones on my 800 stone under running water. Ive tried wet & dry paper, drywall sanding mesh etc, and this method is the best and cheapest I have come across.

Originally Posted by bloggs1968

t I am moving to Tassie and sometimes the inside shop temp is below zero overnight.

ANdrew

I hate to drag this up so long after your posting. But, whowever told you Sandy Bay gets below zero temperatures is a dill. Try the central highlands or down south. You might get a subzero (read -1 or -2) about 2 times in 10 years. Never heard of it getting that cold in Sandy Bay though. Its 8.23 pm and I can see Sandy Bay basking in sunshine. If you were in Brisbane its been pitch black for about 3 hours. Gotta love this place. Now you've lived here for a while what do you think and did it reach zero since you've lived in Sandy Bay?

Hi Shedhand,

For the last 18 months I was a student at the woodenboat school down in Franklin and yes, we had many mornings of below zero, especially the winter before last. As for Sandy Bay, beautiful one day perfect the next. Never going back to the mainland thats for sure.

regards,

Andrew

Originally Posted by bloggs1968

Hi Shedhand,

For the last 18 months I was a student at the woodenboat school down in Franklin and yes, we had many mornings of below zero, especially the winter before last. As for Sandy Bay, beautiful one day perfect the next. Never going back to the mainland thats for sure.

regards,

Andrew

Ahh yes...Franklin, my birthplace. I've been down to the wooden boat shed. I does get cold down there and damn foggy.

I sometimes use black permanent marker on the areas I'm trying to work on. Obviously the shiny areas indicate abrasion taking place. hope this helps any.

I love how the blogs go.
Question. Do you want a perfect tool collection or do you want to enjoy working? I have been dealing with antique tools for 40 years and have never seen the back of an old iron flattened yet. Not to say that it is not nice to have them that way. I have had several thousand chisels as well and never have seen the backs flattened. If some one can explain to me how it will do a better job I would like to hear it. I have then both ways and it makes no difference that I can see and I was a tool and die maker in the late 60's before I became an architect. All I have ever delt with is machine tools and construction art and design. The wood expands and contracts more than your iron is out. I never try to save a pited iron. Not worth the time. I have a little machine shop in back as well as a shed. I just picked up a surface grinder. With the magnetic chuck I get everything flat in minuets. It cost me less than my tormax. If you woodworkers can find some little home machine shop where you can have them flattened you would be hours ahead. The hours you spend dinking if worked would more than pay for the sharpening etc. Time is mone mates.

all them red dots meens iv missd something with this bloke.

Originally Posted by redwood

all them red dots meens iv missd something with this bloke.

Oh yes. You have. :eek:

Originally Posted by redwood

all them red dots meens iv missd something with this bloke.

Not a thing.

P

Hi all,
Given the expertise that has already given their opinion I feel a little loathed to add any ideas. However, here it goes.

When I flatten the back of the irons, I have my trusty old Makita battery drill on low with a small (25mm) grinding wheel. When I find an area that is a little shiny I just give a little touch with the grinding wheel. It takes very little off and you do get a bit of a feel for it after a while. I find it does not take long at all to make it all flat...just impatients as a young lad led me to this. However read it later in a great book on planes (bugger must have been looking over the fence).

Cheers
Tim
Brisbane