At a yard sale not long ago I picked up a pair of Kunz spoke shaves, one convex and one concave.  They fellow that sold them to me said he “could never get them to cut anything.”  I’m at the thinking stage of a project where they would come in handy.  So today I set out to sharpen the irons and tune them up.  I spent all afternoon–four solid hours–just trying to flatten the backs of the irons!  Godfrey Daniel!!  Has Kunz discovered some new super-hard steel alloy they’re not telling anyone about?

I started on my 800 water stone.  It usually takes me only about 20 or so minutes on the 800 stone to lap the back of anything–even the new A2 steel.  But after at least an hour on one iron I could see very little effect.  So I dusted off my 300 green stone, which I have never before needed to use, and had at it for about another hour:  a little improvement, but no where near done.  About that time I was seriously tempted to fire up my little forge and re-temper them.  I was that frustrated.  But before I resorted to such heroic and extreme measures I got out my piece of plate glass and the abrasive powder (I forget the type and grit) that came with the green stone to flatten it.  But before I tried that I gave it a go with some emery paper:  a “medium” that felt about like an 80 or 100 grit.  Finally!

But then, of course, the irons had to go onto the green stone, and from there back to the 800.  By the time I wore out I had only one iron finished on the 800 stone!

What’s going on here?  Does anyone have any ideas about what I must have been doing wrong?  Or has Kunz actually come up with that new secret steel?

Help!  Before I have to go to the 1200 stone.

Alan