Thread: Sharpening???

I predict that you will read nearly as many opinions as there are people sharpening tool edges!
I don't need to make much use of regular woodworking chisels and planes. I get reasonably smooth
surfaces for cleaning and glue-ups but mostly, I'll be carving back down into the wood anyway.
Grit grading systems vary as well.
If the edges are not really banged up, I start on what feels like 600 grit (oil stone) to re-establish the bevel.
Wiped very carefully, I finish on a 1,000 grit water stone (the LV combo/4000 stone.)
I do up some "knot-buster" chisels at 40 degrees, they never see a water stone!

Originally Posted by michael84

Dont wont to go to crazy on stones, just want something that works well.

Do you want Stones or a system that works?

Have you considered the 'Scary Sharp' system.

You can go down the local recycle yard and get a piece of Plate Glass out of an old Cooker/Oven/Range (not sure what you'd call it). Then all you need is a selection of Wet & Dry sheets, they go down to the micron range so at least as fine as a good stone. And they don't develop hollows!

Originally Posted by dr4g0nfly

Do you want Stones or a system that works?

Have you considered the 'Scary Sharp' system.

You can go down the local recycle yard and get a piece of Plate Glass out of an old Cooker/Oven/Range (not sure what you'd call it). Then all you need is a selection of Wet & Dry sheets, they go down to the micron range so at least as fine as a good stone. And they don't develop hollows!

RV has it right in his first line. There are many ways of sharpening, and they all have one thing in common - their proponents all reckon their way is the best (only?) way.

I use a diamond plate for flattening the back of new blades, hollow grind on a Scheppach then 800, 1200 & 6000 grit water stones on both sides of the blade, followed by honing on a leather strop. Works for me.

there are a many ways to sharpen tools as there are to chat up girls!!.

What works for 1 doesn't for another, start with the basic's a good oil stone , and maybe a diamond plate in very fine.

sharpening an edge to the pooftinth , will just make it go blunt faster especially on Aust hard woods.

Scary's method is fine , but you will need a stone to get to the start point , then lap on the glass with good quality WET&DRY, this goes to 2000#Grit, with MICRON Grits you will be gilding the Lilly, all they do will be to polish the edge, .

Jeff
vk4

I found this video very helpful: Sharpening plane irons and chisels. - YouTube

I lap my waterstones so that they stay relatively flat. Having said that, I don't care very much for my purpose of sharpening gouges.
As I use a water stone, the swarf is smaller and smaller crushed abrasive particles. To me that's useful. The main reason why I decided not to go with diamond which stays so hard and so sharp for such a long time.

The so-called "Scary Sharp" method uses various grades of sand papers. The finished edges are no more or less carving sharp than what I do.
But, I use a lot of sandpapers for sharpening my crooked knives (I have 8: 2 pairs L&R and 4 others). All the way from 320/400 grit up to 1,500 grit. I have to wrap the papers around dowels of various diameters to sharpen the curved/crooked edges. I made up a hone, leather on a dowel for those. Chromium (green) oxide with an average particle size of 0.5 micron.
Another really good part about using the sandpapers is the over all price to get the job done.
When compared with a bunch of good stones, the papers are cheap and the end result is the same!

Just a note added here: the American, the European and the Japanese grit-grading systems are not the same at all.
There would be no more horse-puckey if everybody revealed the average particle size in micrometers.

Firstly thanks everyone for your input.
I like the clip posted by JPA, it seems to make sense for me. I notice he uses a 325g diamond plate then 1000g and 6000g waterstone. Does everyone agree with this combo? Or could a double sided dmt fit in here somewhere. I guess i want one mainly cause i need one regardless to flatten the stones and its not to much more money to get 2 in 1. was hoping to just be able to buy 1 of these but it seems i may need a finer stone. Also length 6" 8" 10" what would u buy? The purchased jig in the clip also seems quite handy, i guess the home made one is just an alternative.
Thanks guys

There are waterstones of different composition that will cut differently from one another. Not all 1000 grit waterstones are the same. Ditto for other grits. To some extent it does depend on the steel you plan to hone - High carbon steel or O1 steel are the easiest to hone and do not require anything fancy. Blades made from A2 steel may just be too abrasion resistant for the cheaper stones, and HSS (M2) ... well forget it. Contact Stu at Tools from Japan, Japanese woodworking tools direct from Japan.

So, firstly, what make chisels are you wanting to hone. Do you know the steel composition. This may sound a bit pedantic, but could save you a lot of frustration and dollars.

Secondly, the grits I would get for sharpening depend on the method you employ to sharpen. If you plan to keep only a microbevel going, and grind back the prmary bevel each time, then you can get away with two stones. I would choose a 1000 or 1200 and a 8000. If, however, you let the microbevel get larger, then an intermediary stone will make the 8000 last longer as it has less work to do, plus be easier/quicker overall. I'd get a 4000 or 5000 for this task.

Thirdly, I would not waste my money on a 325 grit diamond stone unless you reserve it for flattening the waterstones. It will wear out if used to grind primary bevels. My DMTs lasted about 18 months. Ideally get a grinder or use a belt sander.

Regards from Perth

Derek

It's a subject akin to religion and adherents of various methods are often out there evangelising.
Like Derek said, you have to consider what tools you are sharpening. I also would add that the use the tools are being put to also matters. Site work carpentry has different needs to fine carving.
There is also the fact that you tend to stick to what you've been taught - I often go back to the oilstone though for harder steel and an excellent edge I use spyderco ceramics.
It ends up as a personal choice but at least try to get one method working well before moving on to the next or you'll never really know what the best one for you is.
Cheers,
Jim

jimbur got it right.

I was taught the honing part by a full-time professional wood carver.
I could only assume that the same technique would apply when I had to back up to water stones.
I could only assume that the same technique would apply when I had to back up to oil stones.
(I hit some sand grains with a 5/35 Pfeil gouge.)
So far, so good. I'd read a fair bit about the sandpaper method. Fine.
Then I realized that the sandpapers were the only method that could possibly work for crooked knives.
Now, all I care about is success. I posted a whole bunch of this in Star's Sharpening Journey (Wood Carving Forum).
Get the sharpening jobs finished = waste of good carving time.