Carving tool edge

Re: Carving tool edge

Phil Joines in Krum, Texas

>Sean,

I sharpen the power carver blades the same as hand carver blades.

There are a bunch of ways to keep them sharp. I use a 1"x 30" belt sander with up to 600 grit belts to grind out nicks and shaping the bevel. Then either a leather belt on the same machine or a leather wheel on an electric motor to buff them. The wheels are available from carving supply shops and Woodcraft. I have several that have been shaped to use on the inside of gouges with differant sweeps.

You can buff them back to sharp a bunch of times before they need to be reground. Either green or white metal buffing compound works.

If using power make sure the cutting edge is pointing away from the direction the belt or wheel is moving or it will dig in.

A lot of carvers use the scary sharp method, wet or dry sand paper on glass. Then a piece of leather glued to a board and used with metal polishing compound.

A piece of wood cut to match the profile of you're gouges with the buffing compound works well too.

V tools are the biggest problem. I use a slip stone that has about a 20 degree edge for the inside.

Hope this helps.

The MAIN thing to remember is

Wolf Kiessling

>now matter what method you use, just remember to raise a wire burr on the edge and then hone it away. If your eye sight is bad, like mine, use a magnifier when you sharpen.

Re: The MAIN thing to remember is

Sean troy

>I,m not sure what you mean by wire burr? Sean

Re: The MAIN thing to remember is

Wolf Kiessling

>I'm not exactly sure how to explain it but when you are putting an edge onto a cutting tool, a burr raises on the edge cause by the metal that is being removed. You can see it and you can feel it. This must be removed and then what you have left is the hard, sharp edge.

Re: The MAIN thing to remember is

sean troy

>Got it. Thanks all for the help. Sean