Replies

1. 
   BruceS | May 24, 2010 08:04pm | #1

   Cratex

   http://www.cratex.com/rubindx.htm       A place you may want to check  out.  I have one of their  608-M Rubberized abrasive wheels and I love it.    Great for taking the fine grit grinder marks out of small edged tools before stropping.  The best part is that it sure saves a lot of time and elbow grease.  I also use it for dressing lathe chisles

   http://www.cratex.com/rubindx.htm

2. 
   dlb | May 25, 2010 07:50am | #2

   Thanks for the replies. Another question, please.

   Concerning Pfiel chisels, how do I interpret the numbering/lettering on the handle? I see 1S/8 or1/16but can't quite coorelate that to anything I know of.

   Thanks,

   dlb

   .

3. 
   JiminFla | May 25, 2010 09:46am | #3

   dlb,

   The first number is the sweep (or profile) and the second is the cutting width in mm.  A 1-16 would be a #1 sweep that is 16 mm wide.  Pfeil also uses a number of letters to designate different types of gouges.  If there is no letter it is a standard size straight gouge.  A "D" would indicate the smaller version of the standard gouge.  An "F" indicates a fishtail gouge.  An "L" indicates a long bent gouge while an "a" indicates a spoon-bent.  You can check with Woodcraft to see the various designations.

   Jim

4. 
   RalphBarker | May 25, 2010 10:52am | #4

   another vote for Cratex

   For an abrasive wheel less aggressive than conventional grinding wheels, Cratex rubberized abrasives are excellent. Note, however, that the problem of matching the abrasive to the shape of the tool is still an issue. For mechanized stropping purposes, you might also consider a hard felt wheel, loaded with the stropping compound of choice. The typical cloth wheels may be too "floppy" for that purpose, since they are designed for softly polishing odd-shaped objects.

   I put myself in the beginner category, carving-wise. So, I wonder if carvers obsess over sharpness in the same way that general woodworkers do over chisels and plane irons. Wouldn't sharpening the inside curve of a carving gouge, for example, require a stone or sharpening support (e.g. for use with fine-grit sheets) of a similar profile? I've used dowels for that purpose, but could envision a board with a series of carved profiles to match a series of gouges.

1. 
   dlb | May 25, 2010 01:49pm | #5

   "... you might also consider

   "... you might also consider a hard felt wheel, loaded ..."

   An excellent suggestion! I had assumed that cotton wheels would be stable enough to hold up to applied pressure but a felt wheel seems even better. I would suppose that the actual polishing/cutting of the chisels would be accompilished by the compound and not the wheel.

   Can you recommend any particular types of compounds that you like?

   Thanks again,

   dlb

   .

1. 
   RalphBarker | May 25, 2010 04:31pm | #6

   First, I'm not a sharpening guru. I've only used stropping compounds applied to a conventional leather strop. Those who machine strop, or are sharpening experts, may have other recommendations.

   http://www.woodcraft.com/Search/search.aspx?SI=7ae1cad9-9935-48e1-bc9f-18e66502b2a8&Action=14&AXD=%2fCatalog%2fProductPage.aspx%3fprodid%3d8619%26ss%3d7ae1cad9-9935-48e1-bc9f-18e66502b2a8%7e85H28%7eGreen+Chrome+Oxide+Compound%2c+6+oz.%7e7.99

5. 
   DonStephan | May 26, 2010 08:39pm | #7

   Not sure if you want to buff your chisels or hone them.  If the latter, you can also make MDF disks you can shape and coat with honing compound.  A professional wood carver I know has a long shaft driven by a small motor on which he has mounted several MDF wheels, each about 5" diameter.  He probably shaped them on a lathe.  He swears by white honing compound and nothing else.  He last bought a stick so long ago he doesn't remember where.

6. 
   SilentThunder | Oct 20, 2010 05:13pm | #8

   Felt Buffing Wheels for Honing Carving Chisels

   Hi dlb,

   The type of buffing wheels that I have had the best success with are the medium or hard felt wheels rather than sewn cloth. The source that I purchase mine from is Lee Valley Tools, and they have them as 1" wide, 5/8" arbor, 6"D. There is also a contoured version for gouges. Have a look at this address as a starter . . .  http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32983&cat=1,43072,43080

   Happy carving.