tool sharpening

[dgbot]

Any comments from the experts?

http://www.rockler.com/rock#product-tabs

David B

Edited November 30, 2014 by dgbot

[Grimber]

I have an uncle that has a sharpening business.  workshop full of different tools and machines just for sharpening everything from knives, scissors, drill bits, saw blades, chain saw blades and so on.  He said most of that equipment is best for either handling bulk sharpening or put the item in the machine and walk away, otherwise its easier with a grinder, file or sharpening stone if your only doing one thing occasionaly.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Grimber

[vossy]

g'day mate, seems like an expensive outlay to me. replacement blades, etc are pretty cheap - plus - do you have the skill to accurately use this tool? not convinced, save your money and buy another kit i say' but hey i'm in the naughty corner at present

 

cheers chris

[Q A's Revenge]

It depends what you need to sharpen and how often. I've seen that particular tool before but not seen good or bad reviews for it.

 

Lots of us have multiple hobbies so some kind of sharpening system may be required. Take wood turning for example. Turning tools need to be kept very sharp so will require regular attention. Woodworkers and Metal workers may also prefer to use something more than a simple double ended grinder. Personally I sharpen most of my tools (Wood and Metal working) on a much modified belt and disc sander. I've bought additional jigs for it and made some of my own.

 

Also on the page you linked was another sharpening system:

 

http://www.rockler.com/robert-sorby-proedge-plus-sharpening-system

 

This is an expensive piece of equipment but really is an extremely easy to use system for wood workers and turners.

[src]

When I have a lot of sharpening to do - which is less and less now that I sit at a desk at work - I use a Tormek. Even with that if I have a really dinged up chisel or plane iron I start out with a slow dry grinder. If its one or two items a wet stone is usually easier and faster for me.

Sam

[AON]

I would use this type item on a new dull blade or edge to get it started

I always finish with wet stones

Once you  have established an edge it is easy to keep it extremely sharp with wet stones

If it gets a bad ding in it I might go back to the grinder to start again

[dgbot]

Thank you for the input.  I have used a 2 wheel grinder to bevel a bad chisel but it aways comes down to an oil stone ans leather afterwords.  The problem is I get impatient with the stuff I buy.   I hate reworking a new piece of steel after shelling out for it.

David B

[BANYAN]

David, try Googling "Scary Sharp" sharpening system.  Works generally on the same principle as this tool but will only cost you the price of sandpaper and a honing guide.

 

I went to glass merchant and asked  for an off-cut or two of 1/4 inch float glass to use as the flat base.  Simply glue the various grades of sandpaper to the glass and away you go!  Works a treat, once set up is very quick and easy to use.  I still use a very fine wet-stone for honing though.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[src]

David, the Scary Sharp system Pat refers to is really popular with some people. One advantage is your not limited to the size of your oil stone so flattening out large chisels or plane soles is relatively easy. Its also very inexpensive compared to water or oil stones. 

Regarding new chisels, other than some Stubai carving chisels I have yet to buy something that didnt need some attention. My Pfiel chisels all required honing and if I recall so did my Two Cherries chisels. For me at least its part of buying a new chisel, plane or plane iron. The sole or back needs to be flattened and then the cutting edge needs attention. Thats just me, a couple of the guys I work with are happy with their Buck Bros tools right out of the blister pack. 

Sam

[Ulises Victoria]

I have this tool. I bought it to sharpen my pen turning tools. I rarely use it, though. 

[NHDave]

Opening a discussion on sharpening is akin to bringing up politics or religion. Having said that, I agree with Grimber. I like to use a 1000 grit diamond stone, an 8000 or 16000 grit water stone to finish, and a grinding wheel to reset the bevel when needed.

 

Dave

[dgbot]

I am aware of the scary sharp method and have used it before.  I was just looking into a quicker way to get the edge that I like.  I just aquired a Stanley bullnose  shoulder plane and spent a day working it over to get what I needed.  I know some purists will say use a chisel for corners but I really do not have any at the moment and am not looking to get any unless I find a very good deal.  As for sharpening I have an oil stone, diamond stone and a leather strop with compound.  I can set up a scary sharp station in Ed's workshop.  However it is a little chilly at the moment.  Plus when I told him about the method he told me that he had some plate glass from a project he finished.  I have to wait for him to find it.  That is Ed's man cave.  Diane will not go near it.  I will not enter it without his sayso.  He does woodworking as a hobby from cabinets to canoes.  And when the dust starts flying I have to wait until he cleans up I might b wearing a mask but he pointed out that wood dust will stick to everything I am wearing and until I change and shower I wi have to wear my mask.  I asked the Dr. about it and he agreed with Ed.  So I have to be good and do things the hard way.

David B

[JPett]

Ahoy Mates

 

I have been using a Flexcut Slipstrop for a few years now with excellent results. It cost under 16 bucks. I highly recommend them for the hobbyist. 

 

I did a post on it here a while back  

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/346-flexcut-slipstrop-review/?p=3290

 

It has more then paid for itself. I just recently tossed the blade I was using when I posted the review 20 months ago.

 

I have found that new Xacto blades are only half as sharp as you can actually make them. All of my tools are now insanely sharp. I can cut curly Q's that are almost transparent with a 10 dollar Home Depot brand mini plane. It will not hold that edge but now holds one plenty sharp enough for my needs.

 

There is a small learning curve. Xacto blades are easy. My carving knifes took me some time. The plane took me a while and i am still learning how to sharpen some of my other tools. There is a flat leather surface not shown in the picture that I use most of the time. I also found adding  baby oil to the mix and creating a slurry made it easier for me to get super fine edges. The included compound was a little dry. 

 

Here is a link if your interested 

 

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/143657/Flexcut-Slipstrop-Sharpening-Kit.aspx

 

if your still putting the pink stuff in front of the pointy thing; don't get one of these. You'll only be able to count to 9 

Edited December 1, 2014 by JPett

[Maury S]

One of the things I learned at an Admiralty Models workshop is that your pencil and chisel have to be VERY Sharp.  That turned out to be much sharper than I imagined.  I now put the chisel to the sharpener (Veritas) after a few hours of cutting, or when ever there is any resistance to the cut.  Blades are inexpensive.  Change frequently.

Maury

[nobotch]

I have this tool. I bought it to sharpen my pen turning tools. I rarely use it, though.

May I ask why you only rarely use it? Although I am very happy with the use and results of my sharpening equipment (water stones, diamond plates, guides, truing plates - for that money I almost could have bought the Tormek! LOL) I still would like to know more about the strong and weak points of this WS3000 machine (after all, it "only" costs about the price of another two very nice waterstones or diamond plates, haha).

Edited December 1, 2014 by nobotch

[Ulises Victoria]

May I ask why you only rarely use it? Although I am very happy with the use and results of my sharpening equipment (water stones, diamond plates, guides, truing plates - for that money I almost could have bought the Tormek! LOL) I still would like to know more about the strong and weak points of this WS3000 machine (after all, it "only" costs about the price of another two very nice waterstones or diamond plates, haha).

To me is a bit cumbersome to use. I get better results using my grinder and diamond stones. Somebody else may have different results.

[robnbill]

I have the need to sharpen turning tools as well as chisels and planes. Years ago, about the time I got the lathe, I bought the Tormek sharpening system. It is expensive, but it has jigs and guides that allow me to sharpen everything from turning tools to kitchen knives. I also bought a granite table top that is insanely flat. This is the base of my sharpening station and allows me to also use sandpaper to flatten plane blades. 

 

Over the years I have aded to the various jigs for the sharpening system. I still have the traditional stones, and they work well if you know the exact angle to hold the blade, but I can't sharpen by hand to the degree the Tormek allows me to do. If you are good, you certainly can use a grinder and the stones to get something really sharp. I just don't do it enough to really get good at it. That is why I chose the Tormek.

[Ulises Victoria]

The Tormek has been in my sight for some time. I just need certain $ituation to improve.

[robnbill]

Well it will last forever. As a warning, the jigs are expensive too, but you can get them as necessary.

[mtaylor]

JPett,

 

That looks very similar to the one I have....  http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/414749/Dockyard-Gouge-and-V-Tool-Strop.aspx

[JPett]

Ahoy Mark  

 

Nice

 

Sadly mine does not have the "Sweet" dockyard name but does have two sides. One with groves and the other is a flat leather surface.

 

I mostly use the flat side "mostly" "lol" 

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

I use niversal sharpening center for drill bits, chisels, knives anmd scissors and even a lawn mover blades.

Sherpening toll is drum covered with diamonds does not require alignament.

 

Tadeusz

[AON]

Good morning Tadeusz

 

I have this same item as I thought it would save me some time... I rarely use it and if I did I'd still go back to wet stones to finish off the best edge ever and (as the other fellow mentioned and I forgot to) a few wipes against the leather strop to boot.

 

A really good edge makes your work much easier and almost look masterful... especially when your not a master.

 

Alan

Edited December 2, 2014 by AON

[robnbill]

The problem I have with using a bench grinder is overheating the blades. I have a real tendency to do that when I try to use the grinder. That is one of the things with the Tormek is it uses a water bath for the stone as it is turning keeping it wet and cool. Since I lack skills in sharpening, using the Tormek helps me get really sharp blades.

 

You certainly can do it with wet stones, I just tend not to have the patience for them.

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

When you use a bench grinder, you also need a cooling bucket.

The finer the stone, the finer the results will be.

Angle adjustment to present the cutter is a very big helper

A diamond wheel can produces a mirror finish in seconds. On this wheel, diamonds are on the side of the wheel.

 

The other grinder is uses to cut metal part  and a deburring wheel very effective also for a mirror finish.

Edited December 2, 2014 by Gaetan Bordeleau

[dgbot]

I read that for aluminum oxide wheels it depends on how they were bonded.  If vitrified bonded the abrasive particles are have covered by the bonding material.  This causes a faster heating of the blade.  If resin bonded the particles are more pronounced resulting in faster removal and less chance of burning up a blade.  I have been using stones for years.  Once the angle has been found through trial and error and I go through several grits then to a leather strop with compound to do a final honing of the edge.  My main complaint is that the stuff I would like to have are a little to pricey.  I do have time on my hands at the moment but after a while you get tired of going through the same motions over and over.  Ed showed me  KA-Bar that he picked up when he was with the Marines.  and I would hate to have to put and edge on that oversized steak knife. a 7 inch blade is not very easy to take care of and a little scary to work with.

David B

[mtaylor]

Here's a couple of tricks when the blade only needs honing a bit...

 

Danny Vadas posted (and I can't find it now, naturally) that he strops the blade edge of an x-acto blade against the back side of another one.  A version of using a steel.

 

I'm an old tech writer and picked up a trick from the old board and ink draftsman... a piece of typing paper. Before every use, strop the blade on it.  Even a new blade.  Also works with chisels.

[Jack12477]

You can also use the cardboard from a paper tablet (the real tablet not the computer type) to hone a knife blade. Works even better with some sharpening compound dusted onto the cardboard.

[Jack12477]

In addition ship modeling, I also do woodcarving so I have a variety of knives and chisels/gouges that I must keep sharpened.. The picture below shows the assortment of sharpening "stones" and strops which I use:

 

On the left, in the bench-hook, is a ceramic stone which I use for 90% of my sharpening. I find the ceramic stone does a better and faster job of sharpening that do the various Arkansas stones I have. Most of the time I simply hone the blade/chisel/gouge using the leather strop stick shown to the left of the ceramic stone. This is a piece of scrap leather I picked up from a leather-goods maker, hot-glued to a stick, and whittled a handle on it. This is used 90% of the time.

 

At the top center (in the leather pouch) are ceramic sticks in 4 geometric shapes; below that to the left (also sitting atop a leather pouch) is a smaller two-sided ceramic (coarse/fine) stick; to the right is the Flex-cut brand honing tool. The strop on the far right can be fastened to the workbench. The White "chalk" on the "swiss-cheese cutter" sanding mesh is the sharpening powder I prefer to use. I use the "cheese cutter" mesh to grate some powder onto the leather strop on the far left and simply home the knife blade (or chisel/gouge) before I begin my woodcarving and then about once an hour after that. I'm not too keen on the yellow sharpening powder which comes with the Flex-cut strop.

 

I find that the ceramic stones get used very infrequently, usually when I've nicked the edge and have to fully re-sharpen the tool.

 

[dgbot]

I use a diamond stone I picked up at a swap table along with a leather strop and compound.  I am thinking about g3tting a honing guide fo my plane blades and the few chisels I have.  My hand is steady enough to get the main bevel correct but when I do the microbevel it is hit or miss.  Plus I have been thinking about getting a ceramic stone and some Japanese waterstones.  One of my club members gave a demo last year on sharpening and those waterstones really make sharpening easy and quick.  Life is to short to rework every blade I buy.  I purchased a Stanley 75 bullnose plane to get into tight corners the other day.  It needed reworking but the description said that it ha been used and the seller feedback was pretty impressive.  When I took it out and inspected it the only maring was in the blade and the sole of the plane itself.  After lapping the sole until it was flat enough for my straight edge and reworking the blade it took me about a half hour to learn how to best use it.  The thing is great for those real tight corners where you need a right angle.  The fun part was getting the right blade height.  I am thinking about fixing up a sharpening station that is within my budget and is practical.

David B 

Edited December 3, 2014 by dgbot