Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 21 of 21
  1. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Petone, NZ
    Age
    68
    Posts
    2,808

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Heavansabove View Post
    I am not one of those who can successfully use coarse abrasive paper to flatten backs without rounding over edges.
    So it's not just me then...


    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Age
    2010
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Brisbane (western suburbs)
    Age
    77
    Posts
    12,093

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clinton1 View Post
    ...Ian - a surface grinder is not an option for me, unfortunately, but I'd like either your shed or network if you can get access to a surface grinder.
    Clinton, it's not an option for me, either. I was simply agreeing that that's the only powered option with the ability to maintain flat.

    Quote Originally Posted by Clinton1 View Post
    ... I take it that the absence of raves about the bench mounted rotary wet stone machines (likethis), or better, a vertically mounted stone one, speaks volumes?
    Well, there are those as loves 'em, but I don't get on with them - painfully slow compared with a white wheel on a grinder. You do need a bit more care with high speed grinders, but they will do the job of establishing bevels quicker than any other way I know.

    Quote Originally Posted by Clinton1 View Post
    ...I was hoping that someone would know of a powered, slow, grinder machine which is worth its salt... but maybe I should be in the market for a large diamond plate. ?
    There are such things, but they cost a lot of salt! A diamond plate is the fastest-cutting manual method I know - they cut super-fast when brand new, but the speed slowly declines over time.

    I just accepted many years ago, that rehabbing ill-used or badly-pitted old blades is something that has to be borne with fortitude. You could simpy buy new ones. The economics are probably not much different, in truth, by the time you spend umpteen $$s on various stones......

    Cheers,
    IW

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,096

    Default

    IanW - gotcha the first time, I was pointing the reply to the other Ian.
    What do you think about the vertically mounted machines, in the context of using the 'side of the stone' to flatten the back of the blade?

    The economics are probably not much different, in truth, by the time you spend umpteen $$s on various stones...
    except that you also need to work in to the economic equation the slow tempering affected by the gentle warmth of hands over time.

    Heavens and Van - at one time I was a big fan of using abrasive paper, or 'scary sharp' to sharpen tools and posted enthusiastically. Perhaps I need to go back those posts and apologise and add the fact that my standards have risen since then. ? I too have issues with using sandpaper (although it does have its place).
    Cheers,
    Clinton

    "Use your third eye" - Watson

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinton_findlay/

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Brisbane (western suburbs)
    Age
    77
    Posts
    12,093

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clinton1 View Post
    .....What do you think about the vertically mounted machines, in the context of using the 'side of the stone' to flatten the back of the blade?.....
    Not much, Clinton. Without some way of holding the chisel or plane blade very firmly, I just can't see how you could get the necessary level of flatness. It might be ok as a way to knock the rough off, before you start lapping.....

    Yep, glad to hear another person has ditched the abrasive paper method, at least for back-flattening. Again, it has it's place, for rough cleaning up of badly pitted or deformed backs. Perhaps. The best place for it, as far as I'm concerned, is in someone else's shed!

    Chisels are the blades I absolutely insist on being flat across the cutting edge - makes a world of difference when trying to pare with them, or chop precisely to a scribe line. For plane blades (on bevel-down planes) you can 'cheat' by using a small back-bevel, if you lose heart rehabbing a badly beaten-up one, though I have so far refused to give in to that temptation. It does seem like a lot of bother and fuss getting the backs of blades truly flat, but once you do get them there, and provided your sharpening stones (of whatever type you favour) are maintained, it's all beer & skittles from then on....

    Cheers,
    IW

  6. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    195

    Default

    This re-habbing issue has been covered in the forums previously. Rsser had a useful thread on powered back flattening a while back. The various experiments with different methods all yielded pretty good results if you have suitable gear. A lathe and or a drill press seemed pretty crucial, both for the speed control and the ability to reverse the direction of rotation to avoid working one side of the blade more than the other.

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    484

    Default

    Can't say I've done much actual woodworking, but I've certainly rehabbed many a rusty chisel over the last year...

    The first thing is - know when it's not worth it. Especially with big wide blades (like the iron on my #8) it's not worth the hours of your life - just buy a new iron, which will probably be nicer steel anyway. There is nothing at all wrong with using the 'ruler trick' except that it requires the blade to be fairly flat laterally to begin with - and that is often the precise problem with wider blades, which tend to deform along their width because of being left clamped for decades. With chisels, just don't buy old ones that are bananas.

    I tried using a little grinder/dremel wheel thing and a reference plate with machinist's blue. It actually worked ok, but I eventually discovered it was too much fiddling around and didn't speed things up that much.

    The best hand-powered method I found remains the Sigma #120, flattened with very course silicon carbide on glass to open its pores. It is monstrous and cuts very quickly (far faster than my DMT Extra Course, although I think they make an even courser one). The mechanised methods covered in the thread pampelmuse mentioned look like fun, but I don't have any of the equipment.

    I don't think you can avoid the fact that it is a boring, awful job. I am half way through a Stanley #289 blade and I hate it so very, very much. I think the best way to avoid a complete mental breakdown with this is to do it a little at a time (so for example, every sharpening session starts off with ten minutes rehabbing). I used to do monster rehabbing sessions. That way lies madness. Unless it's a tool you need RIGHT NOW...
    Cheers,

    Eddie

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Similar Threads

  1. Need a better DC bag system
    By Dengue in forum DUST EXTRACTION
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 20th January 2013, 07:02 PM
  2. My new 5.1 system
    By socratous in forum HI FI EQUIPMENT
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 4th August 2010, 06:54 PM
  3. bug in system?
    By Farm boy in forum FORUMS INFO, HELP, DISCUSSION & FEEDBACK
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 13th April 2010, 12:38 PM
  4. vaccum bag system
    By sinjin in forum BOAT BUILDING / REPAIRING
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 1st February 2007, 11:26 PM
  5. LS System DVD on the way, available soon.
    By Gwhat in forum INCRA JIGS
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 14th October 2006, 07:09 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •