Sharpening

[Herb]

What do most of you use to sharpen your tools? I took a course in carving a shell and my instructor suggested that my sharpening should be done on a 12000 grit diamond stone(I assume this is DMT's extra, extra, extra fine stone) and then finished on a leather strop with silicone carbide. The stone is rather expensive for me at this time. I tried to find some 12000 grit sandpaper but to no avail.

I am looking for an inexpensive way to sharpen my carving tools.

Thank you for your help.

Herb

 

[Mike Davis]

12,000 seems a little excessive.

I use 325, 400, 600, 800 and 1200 grit automotive wet & dry sand paper from the auto parts store.

You should be able to get those for about a dollar a sheet. One sheet will last a long time if you use it wet and rinse it each time after you use it.

I usually buy 4 of each about twice a year.

 

[ehpoole]

My sharpening system consists primarly of Norton waterstones: 220-grit, 1000-grit, 4000-grit, and 8000-grit. I also use wet sandpaper and a granite slab. For plane irons and chisels I use a Veritas MarkII honing guide -- I'm not especially good at maintaining a steady relief angle when freehanded, so the honing guide is a must for much of my sharpening.)

Occassionaly, I'll also use an 8" variable speed bench grinder with 60, 80, or 120-grit wheels, though I don't use it all that often compared to my waterstones and granite slab. I've been considering adding a bench/stationary belt and disc sander to my collection for more aggressive grinding such as when altering a chisel or plane iron's relief angle.

 

[froglips]

Carving tools do require a new level of sharpening.

I don't think it has to be a 12000 diamond. Not that its a bad choice, its just one option.

I use the same water stones for my bench chisels/planes. I do find the 8000 water stone followed up on a strop with the green goop does great. I use the goop on both mdf and leather. I've also had lots of good luck with honing compounds on cardboard (not corrigated).

Wet dry papers go up to 2500 grit, which is awful fine and the mylar backed honing films go even crazy finer.

What kind of sharping setup do you have? Or are you just starting into the wild world of sharpening sports?

Jim

 

[CoolHandLuke]

I use a simple progression of 600grit continuous diamond plate, then 1200 grit plate for 90% of my sharpening. When I want it to be the absolute sharpest I can get it, I'll take the edge up to a polish with a Belgian Blue waterstone, and maybe strop a few passes on chromium oxide (green stuff) on balsa, then leather.

But really for most woodworking I find 1200 to be plenty sharp.

 

[09woodie22]

Waterstones or oilstones, sandpaper or even brown wrapping paper -- they all have their place in the sharpening arsenal. Each takes practice and careful, close monitoring of your edge. Each device has a little different need for angle and finish. If your 'technique' is established, then it is just a matter of materials for completing the tasks. Since I have WAY TOO MANY chisels and wood planes I end of mounting sandpaper onto longer and straighter studs :eusa_danc for basic roughing and establishing angle. I keep different leather strips mounted on 2x handy. Old wallets, shoes, especially leather belts are fine for completing an edge. Think simple, especially when a lot of $$$ is required.

Gabe

 

[Herb]

In reply to "froglips". I am just getting into carving and have spent a lot of money on tools. Spending $90.00 for a 8000 grit stone is not in my budget for now. I am looking for a cheaper way of getting my tools the sharpest.

Thanks to all.

 

[froglips]

For just starting out, I suggest reading up on oilstones, waterstones, diamond and scary sharp (sandpaper). They all do the job.

For power sharpening, I think a 1x30 strip sander is the best bang for the buck. Plus you can get belts up to leather for honing.

Pick one method that you find meets your needs. For example, if you have an unheated shop, wet waterstones may freeze and crack (not fun, as I found out). But if you don't mind bringing them indoors, not so big a factor.

Sandpaper sounds cheap, but quickly rivals the cost of a stone in a surprisingly short time.

There are lots of inexpensive stones to look at.

For carving, you could also get away with smaller stones as you don't need the surface area for something like a plane iron.

Every system has a coarse, medium, fine option. While you can go super fine with stones, it can be needlessly expensive this early in your carving career. Also you don't need every stone from coarse up to super fine.

Honing compounds are inexpensive and can be used on everything from cardboard to leather belts to scrap wood. Only a few dollars here, but worth a million.

When you pick a system, my best advice is to stick with it. Don't get bogged down in oil vs water or mix and matching. That creates distractions early on that will just confuse you.

In short order you will figure out what you like and then can refine or explore other options.

I think you can't do better than The Perfect Edge book from Ron Hock.

Hope that helps.

Jim

 

[Mike Davis]

Start with the sandpaper.

It is the cheapest way to get a fine edge quickly and a good way to learn. When you know which grit you prefer you can go more permanent with diamond plates or Japanese stones.

I use a 1 x 30 sander as well as a 2 x 72 belt grinder. Belts can be an expensive replacement item/consumable. But they do the job quickly especially if you have many tools to sharpen often.

 

[BSHuff]

The grits on varied abrasives do not equate on a 1 for 1 basis. What does correlate is the micron of the cut. An 8000 grit waterstone is between 1-3 micron, while 2000 us grit sand paper is about 6 micon, the green DMT stone is 9 micron, the extra-extra tan one is 3 micron. 2m makes some 'micron paper', which is more of a plastic sheet with a micro grit, and they have it down to .5 or .25micron. So as you can see they

For a final strop you can spray glue sand paper to a granite tile or piece of glass, then use a leather strop or even a piece of MDF doped with some super fine micron paste, or even buffing/polishing compound.

 

[petebucy4638]

I have Tormek sharpening tool. It does a great job of sharpening just about anything from chisels to axe heads to scissors. It is fast, predictable, repeatable, and it creates an incredibly sharp, often too sharp, edge.

Pete

 

[Sandy Rose]

12,000 seems a little excessive.

I use 325, 400, 600, 800 and 1200 grit automotive wet & dry sand paper from the auto parts store.

.

I use the same thing - I just took a sheet of 3/4 MDF and attached some plate glass to it and adhere sandpaper to it with Elmers spray glue - by the time you get to 1200 grit, you have a really nice sharp edge with a mirror finish. I put my setup together for around $10.

 

[Mike Davis]

And for those times you want to scare a curl off the board instead of planing it you can step up to 2500 grit. Anything over that is just for fun.