How I sharpen my carving tools

[timw]

Volumes have been written sharpening and there are many methods that
work. I am having pretty good results with constant honing with a
leather strop.

How I sharpen small carving tools:

I use a common two-sided India stone, sold in all hardware stores. WD
40 is a good oil to use on the stone. Thicker oils don't allow for
good cutting, and trap the metal residue in the cutting stones pores,
causing clogging. Some camps use kerosene for quick cutting, but I
read somewhere this is harmful to the stone. Anyway, I am getting good
results with WD 40.

I stroke the carving tool on the fine side of my lubricated stone
(don't sharpen dry), locking my wrist so I don't change the angle of
the bevel on my tool. I keep sharpening until I can feel a 'burr' on
the back or underside of the tool. Keep sharpening until you can feel
this burr. Then, take a few light strokes on the stone to remove this
wire-edged burr.

At this point, I have a good edge on my carving tool, but it still
isn't sharp enough. I finish by honing the edge on a leather strop.
Some carvers may use a hard Arkansas stone or Japanese water stone
next, but this is just a method I use.

I made a leather strop by gluing a thick piece of leather to a wooden
handle with contact cement. Glue the leather with the rough side down,
the shiny, or 'hair-side' up. Next I wet the leather with rubbing
alcohol and rub white rouge into the leather. Some people use green
rouge, valve grinding paste, etc. I have had good results with the
white.

I have found that I need to hone my cutting edge constantly for best
results. I am used to furniture-making, where honing of my chisels and
plane irons isn't needed often. It seems with carving tools, I need to
hone as much as I actually carve.

What method works for you?

[Steve]

That's an excellent description of how to sharpen. I've recently
acquired a slow speed wet stone grinder (10 inch wheel) and I love
it. It came with a leather honing wheel so it now only takes me
seconds to hone in a blade. I still need to use slipstones for the
inside bevel gouges, but almost everything else can be done on the
grinder.

On Oct 27, 9:49 am, timw <kf6...@surewest.net> wrote:
> Volumes have been written sharpening and there are many methods that
> work. I am having pretty good results with constant honing with a
> leather strop.
>

[. . .]

>
> I use a common two-sided India stone, sold in all hardware stores. WD
> 40 is a good oil to use on the stone. Thicker oils don't allow for
> good cutting, and trap the metal residue in the cutting stones pores,
> causing clogging. Some camps use kerosene for quick cutting, but I
> read somewhere this is harmful to the stone. Anyway, I am getting good
> results with WD 40.

I've always heard that a light mineral oil mixed with a little
kerosene to thin it is the "traditional" oil. Kerosene is a terrible
solvent so it shouldn't hurt your stones.

[...]

> What method works for you?

I've also recently acquired Brian Burns' book about "double bevel"
sharpening -- The book has descriptions on how to build his jig and
stone box. For really razor sharp edges I find I have to use a
guide. I can get a blade sharp enough to shave with without a jig but
it takes me much longer.
http://www.lessonsinlutherie.com/doublebevelsharpeninghirez.html

[timw]

Wow! I'll have to check out Brian's site closer. The edge he shows at
your link is absolutely flawless, definitely a better edge than I can
make. After a look at that one picture, I doubt I have ever worked
with that sharp of any cutting tool. Would you recommend this book and
method (maybe a silly question, or you probably wouldn't have posted
the link).

Thanks for sharing, Steve. This type of sharing building tips is
great. Tim

[Steven Tucker]

There are quite a few "Sharpening System" books out there, and I've only seen a few, but Brian's book has the advantage of detailed plans for building your own bevel gauge and stone holding box.  And at $14 postage paid it's one of the cheapest solutions.  The booklet is only 30 pages long, but has a lot of photographs and diagrams and some additional information about hand planes.  If you're interested in using (buying, tuning up) hand planes (and chisels) then this is a great book to have.

-S