Is there such a thing as to sharp???????
Hello All,
In the evenings when I don’t have a lot to do but set in front of the idiot box as a rule I’ll also have one of my chisels and an oil stone. When I first start I’ll use the finer grit part of my stone this is if I have to just touch the edge up but then I have a bit finer water stone that I sharpen the chisels on then I have a peice of 400 grit sand paper that I’ve put on a flat “1/4 x “4 x “12 peice of flat steel that I use the chisels on then I have a regular leather belt that I put a little buffing compound on. I’ve asked a few peolpe what their methods of sharpening are and it seems that if most of them can’t use a power grinder or power buffer then they don’t want to tackle sharpening anything. All my woodworking chisels this includes my woodturning chisels too are all sharp enough that I can shave with them. But not only are they sharp but the sides are square to the bottom and the bottom’s are completly flat. I’ve read where some woodworkers put a second bevel on the beveled edge of their chisels personally I don’t. I do not really know why I don’t other than this is the method in which I was taucght and it works for me. I relise that this method of sharpenig is quite a bit slower than most, but not only does it give me greater control of the chisel’s but it also gives me somthing else to do when woodworking show’s are not on. (Ha Ha) I do my hand plane knives in this fashion also. I know that I have these knives sharp enough when I can go the length of a “12 peice of material without having the wood curl brake off then when I can unroll the curl and it’s thin enough to read through then thats when I know that it’s sharp enough. Does anyone else sharpen in this fashion or am I the only one that has’nt cought up with the times?
Sincerely,
James Clark
at the “PUTTERIN YANKEE”woodworking shop
************************REMEMBER**********************
THE MOST POWERFULL,IMPORTANT AND USEFULL TOOL IN THE WORKSHOP IS YOUR “MIND” USE IT DON’T ABUSE IT WITH DRUG’S AND ALCOHOL…………….
***********************************************************
Replies
The only tools I sharpen to that extent are my carving chisels and my straight razor.
My turning tools, with the exception of the skew, are used straight from the grindstone and wood chisels straight from a fine oilstone -- no secondary bevel.
I do, however, appear to use the 'Return' key a lot more than you do, :-)
IanDG
Edited 1/19/2003 8:41:03 PM ET by IanDG
I don't think any cutting tool can ever be too sharp in a woodshop. My woodworking is safer when my tools are extremely sharp(that includes my brain!). Dull chisels make me use excessive force, and excessive force leads me to an accident.
Oh, and I hear you can never have too many clamps, either.
Happy honing, Doc.
Can you even imagine not being free? We are so lucky, and I am so grateful. God Bless America.
I sharpen with sandpaper and never use a secondary bevel. I don't think you can ever have a tool too sharp but keep in mind a sharper edge is more delicate and more susceptible to dulling quicker. That's because the edge is smaller and has less "mass" (sorry I can't think of a better word) to resist breaking down and dulling. So while I normally sharpen handplanes to 1,000 grit, for planing end grain on oak I only go to 320. That leaves a plenty smooth surface combined with a blade edge that last longer and is less susceptible to breaking.
That my 2 cents.
"a sharper edge is more delicate and more susceptible to dulling quicker"
I have to disagree with you on that one. A super sharp edge feels like it dulls quicker because it is easier to notice the extra exertion required to cut as the edge goes from super sharp to just sharp, than it is to notice the difference from sharp to semi-sharp.
The key to long lasting sharpness is not just what steel the blade is made of, it's also how you sharpen it. as you probably know, if you were to look at a blades edge under a microscope you would actually see a micro serrated edge. these micro serrations slowly develop fracture lines and allow tiny particles of steel to break off, which is the cause of dulling, so, if you are able to hone the edge to a flawless mirror finish, it will take longer for the edge to break down to the same point of dullness.
This effect is a lot more obvious in metalworking, but I think it still very relevant to woodworking. Now, you don't have to spend all your time trying to achieve the perfectly sharp edge, but when I sharpen my handtools, they will have a razor sharp edge I can shave with before they go back to work (with the exception of lathe tools). Unless I have a ding to repair this will take me all of 30 seconds to polish the an edge back to sharpness using a hard felt wheel and honing compound on my grinder. It does take a little practice to get a good edge off a felt wheel though.
It's a moot question because the super-duper, quadruple sharp edges on a plane iron, for instance, only last the first few passes down the stock. I use hand tools exclusively in my shop. Going back to the sharpening bench for quick touch ups is just part of the process. Don't get OCD over your edges, or waste time looking for the Holy Grail of sharpening. Pick a system - oilstones, waterstones, or sandpaper-on-glass, and keep that system as simple as possible.
It's much more important to have a comfortable sharpening bench where you can leave your stuff out for a quick touch up.
"Too sharp" doesn't last too long--only until about the first cut.
Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township
Doc,
If you ever run out of chisels and plane irons I'd be happy to send you mine. I wouldn't want you to have to watch TV without sharpening something.
I don't think that you can ever have a tool that is too sharp or too well tuned for that matter. The finer shape your tools are in the greater control/accuracy yoiu have and thus the better quality work that you are capable of turning out.
Matt-
Doc, My two cents... As one who does not sharpen anywhere near your level I would just offer one comment. Without a secondary bevel if I understand correctly you are sharpening down a large portion of blade to a fine bevel. If you received a 1/32" nick in that fine edge would this require removal of enough stock to get entire blade square and sharp? If so every 32 times you get a 1/32" nick you will lose 1" of chisel length. Perhaps not a fair comparison but I'll offer a story from my job where one employee wished to use traditional wood pencils and got an electric sharpener to keep them pointy. It wasn't but a few days later before we had a whole drawer full of short pencils: ). Other then that I'm envious of your sharp edges and ability to wisely use screen time. -Bill
Way, Way too much time on your hands.
This was the method I was taught at West Dean collage (England)
The 1st lesson was sharpening 2 1/2" plane irons it was advised to buy Japanese irons for they kept there edge longer than any other iron having a laminated blade.The 1st thing was to lap the back edge of the blade being new to this method it took for ever to get a mirror finish . then the bevel edge, using a horning guide set at 30 degrees. I went to a coarse DMT whetstone then to a fine when I was happy with the bur on the back edge I moved onto a wet stone the last being a 8000 grid
that will do, for its time for bed :-)
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled