Replies

1. 
   pzgren | Mar 04, 2006 06:54am | #1

   Evan,

   <<....is this the correct way to sharpen carving chisels? ....>>

   There is no "correct" way to hone them, per se. There are a number of ways to do it, all more or less effective. The "best" way to hone your tools is the way that is most comfortable for you and that gives you the result you're looking for.

   The flat-edged and profiled chisels and gouges can be sharpened easily on regular diamond, water, or oil stones, just like any other chisel. You can free-hand them or use a honing guide. On the curved-profile chisels and gouges, I use a water slipstone. Depending on just how sharp I need the edge, I sometimes follow up with a leather strop.

   Just be sure to be very careful when using the slip stone not to slice your fingers on the newly-honed edge.....DAMHIKT!!

   Part of the "trick" seems to be to never let them get "too" dull; a little maintenance sharpening or stropping periodically while carving seems to reduce the amount of "serious" sharpening required.

   Take a look at this site for a lot of useful information on carving and carving tool maintenance:

   http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/

   Hope this is of some use to you.

   James

1. 
   Oldtool | Aug 08, 2006 03:06am | #4

   Regarding never letting your tools get dull... a saw mill operator once gave me some advise about using a chain saw that might apply to your story, he said the first inkling of you saw getting dull is to stop, even if you only have another inch to go, and resharpen your saw. If you don't stop,  you could get hurt easlier, do more damage to the blade, and mostly have to take more time to sharpen.

   Sorry, didnt relize this message so old..

    

   Edited 8/7/2006 8:10 pm ET by Oldtool

2. 
   jhounshell | Mar 06, 2006 05:13pm | #2

   I'm relatively new to sharpening myself. I've used the following system on my bench chisels, plane irons and a few of my Pfeil tools. So far I have been very pleased with the results. I've also heard of people using this system with spray lubricants (WD-40) on the sandpaper, but I have not tried that yet. So far, working dry has worked fine. I found all the sandpaper listed in the automotive department at Wal-Mart.

   Another thing that will help tremendously are a couple good leather strops. I bought a flat strop, and made a round strop from a section of a 1.25" dowel with a piece of leather glued to it. I use aluminum oxide powder on the leather. I bought my flat strop and aluminum oxide from Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers (http://www.woodcarvers.com).

   Here is the link to the Scary Sharp system: http://www.shavings.net/SCARY.HTM

   Good luck!

   Jeff

   edit: I also purchased the Veritas Mk. II Honing Guide from Lee Valley. This has been very helpful for all my flat blades. My Pfeil gouges I've obviously done by hand.

   
   

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   Edited 3/6/2006 9:26 am ET by jhounshell

3. 
   Ricks503 | Mar 16, 2006 12:25am | #3

   Look around for the book

   The Complete Guide to Sharpening by Leonard Lee

   This is the "bible" of a lot of sharpeners.  FYI - this is the guy who started Lee Valley Tools

   1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1