Replies

1. 
   Napie | Feb 14, 2007 04:28am | #1

   Very sharp.  I use them quite a bit.  I hone with an oil stone moving in a circular motion in my hand and the blade cradled in my opposite arm.

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Feb 14, 2007 05:36am | #2

   Oh I guess I'm about to embark on a new Neanderthalic adventure!  Just when I thought I was getting it together with plane blades and chisels.

   You can draw your finger across these knives without a scratch as you might a kitchen knife.  I guess I have a ways to go, eh?

   I tried getting them into what I thought was a reasonable starting point on a belt sander with 120 grit, slightly worn.  Not knowing what I was doing but trying to get close to a keen edge.  Decided to stop there until I got more advice.

   Please tell me more,

    Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

2. 
   jako17 | Feb 14, 2007 06:15am | #3

   I too cradle the knife and use stones in a circular motion Finishing off with a felt wheel.The knife is easily able to shave my arm and has nicked one visitor(who  insists on touching things) quite badly

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Feb 14, 2007 06:44pm | #7

   jako & Napie,

   Sort of like sharpening a hay scythe (sp?) in terms of the motion?

   Regards,

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

   Edited 2/14/2007 10:47 am ET by KiddervilleAcres

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Feb 14, 2007 06:58pm | #9

   ALthough I have not sharpened mine and it still works on weeds, I have always heard that a sythe is supposed to be peened to an edge rather than sharpened.  Have not seen it done, though.

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Feb 14, 2007 07:20pm | #12

   Joe,

   I recall my grandfather standing a hay scythe on its handle, with the blade pointing away from him.  He would hone the blade in much the same fashion as one would hone a butcher knife on a steel.

   He had a stone about 12" long that he would run down one side and back up the other in a remarkably fast motion.  I envision a similar process honing drawknives, but only on the bevel side.

   I will wear thick leather glove(s) as well.

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Feb 14, 2007 07:38pm | #13

   Gloves, no kidding!  A slip could be real unpleasant.

2. 
   ptu | Feb 14, 2007 07:48pm | #14

   If it was really dull, you would peen an edge on it, and then sharpen with a file and then a stone. The peening saves filing down the edge, and can work some nicks out, and helps to compact the metal chrystals in tightly. Makes for a harder edge.
   Pedro

2. 
   Napie | Feb 14, 2007 07:14pm | #11

   That is exactly it.  Now for what it is worth, I believe that sand paper is for smoothing wood, NOT sharpening.  I love my oil stones.

3. 
   swedishwoodworker | Feb 14, 2007 07:11am | #4

   A 1" sander/grinder with progressively finer aluminum oxide sharpening belts works well.  Used vertically, the portion above the platen works really well.  I've got mine set up to run counter clockwise (away from the edge).

   
4. 
   mike4244 | Feb 14, 2007 04:57pm | #5

   I've found that using a stick with sandpaper stapled to the sides and used as a file works well.I usually use a 1/2 x1"x12" stick with 220 paper on it to start.Then 320 and 400 grit wet and dry paper.

   Once in a while I hone the knife with a stone.

   mike

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Feb 14, 2007 05:27pm | #6

   Following up on that, I have a small, very sharp one that I have never sharpened but will need to eventually. It differs from my other ones in that it came from the factory hollow ground. I guess I will need to move it back and forth across the top of the grinding wheel so that the wheel fits the hollow grind? Fortunately I have a slow, 4 inch wide sharpening wheel with its own water reservoir.

5. 
   AdamCherubini | Feb 14, 2007 06:58pm | #8

   Hi Bob,

   STEP 1 Put on some heavy leather glove on the hand you're going to hone with.
   STEP 2 Make sure step one is done.
   STEP 3 begin honing.

   I like a flat back, Bob. Some guys knife edge these things. Make sure the bevel is pretty low- I think 30 degrees is too high. And I really prefer a thin bladed draw knife (I too have several). My advice would be to grind (maybe using your belt sander) to no more than 20 degrees then use a secondary bevel as required. One problem I've encountered is that as these things get worn back, you are left with this thick thing with a steep bevel. No good. You may want to skip any that are like this as they can require too much work to grind into a low angle.

   I gotta tell ya, I use these things all the time- I use my hatchets and drawknives, even for fine cabinetry. If i have to taper something or remove 3/4" from the edge of a 4/4 pine board for example...I can do that faster with a hatchet and or drawknife, than with a hand saw. And if the off-cut would have been scrap anyway, its no waste of wood. Anyway, that's the way I look at it.

   Adam

6. 
   Lataxe | Feb 14, 2007 07:10pm | #10

   Bob,

   In addition to the above good advice, try this article:

   http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_Drawknives.htm

   Lataxe

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Feb 14, 2007 08:06pm | #16

   Lataxie,

   Thanks!

   Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

2. 
   PADDYDAHAT | Feb 15, 2007 06:54am | #17

   Lataxe, that 50+lines of instruction is some of the best concise direction that I have seen in a while. Thanks.

   I also remember my grand pa O'Rielly age 75+ (I was 12) up in NewFoundland cutting his garden. When the hay was not  falling like a painting he just reached into the long pocket on the leg of his bib overalls, extracted his stone, took a few swipes and we were back to picture perfect. He strode down the row like Fred Astair, no stress, no hurry, just a smoothe gaite, it was like a waltz. I tried it in later years and at first nearly lost an ankle. I also asked him how he caught all of his sheep without a dog and he said" ya just chase em son till they gets tired" Boy do we have it easy. Paddy

1. 
   pzgren | Feb 15, 2007 07:52pm | #18

   Paddy,

     <<Lataxe, that 50+lines of instruction is some of the best concise direction that I have seen in a while. Thanks.>>

     Exactly.

     Bob Smalser is a real interesting guy. Used to work for him -- he was my battalion commander -- back in the early 90s. Incredibly talented in many, many areas.

     Still keep in touch with him periodically.

   .<!----><!----><!---->

   Tschüß!<!----><!---->

   <!----><!---->James<!----><!---->

   <!----> <!---->

   "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that...."

    

   --A.C. Clarke

7. 
   ptu | Feb 14, 2007 07:58pm | #15

   I mount mine in a vise, and use a file for the initial cut, to build the edge, and then use wet/dry on a flat board,held the same way as the file to fine the edge up. It wants to look like a chisel edge when done, and be that sharp.
   Pedro