Sharpening Problems - Help Needed!

Re: Sharpening Problems - Help Needed! *LINK*

David W. Dougherty

>I will recommend an excellent DVD on sharpening carving tools and knives by Everett Ellenwood. He offers a very straight-forward approach to sharpening carving tools, included the dreaded v-tool. He demonstrates on oil stones, water stones, and diamond stones, so you can pick your poison. He is a super nice guy and he'll even return phone calls if you get stuck. He once spent over an hour on the phone with me explaining how to go about sharpening a violin-making tool (peg hole reamer).


Everett Ellenwood

Re: Sharpening Problems - Help Needed! *LINK*

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native in FL. Exile :~(

>Bob,

First off Welcome to the Quiet Side of The Island.

Sharpening a pocket knife was always a PITA for me as well, so I bought this kit and now it is a pleasure.

I think sharpening a pocket knife blade is a challenge for lots of folks so don't feel badly about having problems with it. what stone have you been using to sharpen with? how bad of condition do you let it get into before sharpening it? Best thing to do is to get it as sharp as you desire than hone it on your finest stone after almost every use. Oops, I used my pocket knife today, let me give it a quick honing before I go to bed, especially if you use it allot.

I've only recently started doing this myself and I like it. I got this idea after reading an article in Popular Woodworking a few issues back by Chris Schwarz titles "Sharpen Less, Stay Sharper" or something to that effect.

Todd O.


http://www.lansky.com/products/systems/deluxe.html

I second that

Skip in Falls Church

>I've had one for years and it works easily and comes in handy at the oddest times. I've even used it to sharpen cambered plane blades - although that does take a little rearranging of the clamp. :)

Skip

Re: Sharpening Problems - Help Needed!

Jack Guzman from Maine

>Bob,

I also use the Lansky sharpener.I've had mine for 20 years.I keep it under the coffee table and sharpen in my lap when I'm relaxing.All you need is a rag to clean up the oil.---Jack

Thanks for Your Help - Ordered the Video

Chicago Bob

>

Buy a Tormek

woodburnbob

>

Re: crock sticks

ThomD

>Sharpening a knife is easy with crock sticks. The best tool with a combo set of sticks I have found is the Gatco, Best tool for a fine edge (I haven't used their coarse stones but they are probably great) is the spyderco. Don't buy a video just get the sticks, it does not require explanation it is so simple. Don't get a Lansky either, way to clumsy.

Sticks will sharpen any knife with a staight microbevel. They aren't agressive, so you need to keep on top of the sharpneing. The coarse sticks can be fairly agressive.

Beyond sticks, some kind of belt grinder is the best thing. It doesn't work on the bevelled edges of the standard pocketknife without a lot of skill, but it is relatively idiot proff for Moran edges, v edges, and rounded stuff like drawknives and axe heads.

Gouges are a whole other thing, I use slip stones or limilar devices out of sandpaper. Regular gouges can be ground freehand and then buffed on a wheel. A power method is all but essential if you want to do a lot of woodturning, at some point.

Re: Sharpening Problems - Help Needed!

Dave Tenney

>Knives aren't hard to sharpen...Just takes a bit of practice. One of my jobs as a kid was to keep my moms knives sharp, so I go a lot of practice!

I use a soft Arkansas or a medium India, but you can use whatever you have.

1. You need to learn how to lock your wrist

2. Don't take more than 5 or 6 strokes at a time (You will lose your angle)

3. Lighten up on the pressure as you get close to being finished.

4. Strop the knife on a peice of leather.

You'll get the hang of it...it's the same process when you sharpen anything. No real mysteries, just holding a consistant angle.

Keep in mind that a cheap knife can be very hard to get sharp...Some of those cheap stainless steal kithen knives I have to sharpen with a carborundum stone...

Hope that helps,

Dave