sharpening

[Robson Valley]

I'd recommend Leonard Lee's "Practical Guide To Sharpening." (Ever heard of Lee Valley?)
For my very own part, I say find out what the bevel angle needs to be and sharpen to that angle. No amount of guessing will ever get it done right.
But, go ahead, ignore that. Grind away!!!!
Nothing quite like 60 grit at the wrong angle when 4,000grit would have done the job.

[Donna_T]

One hint that I can offer someone new to sharpening is to take a permanent marker and color the entire bevel on your carving tool. As you sharpen, you will be able to tell if you're missing areas because you're not holding it at the correct angle (untouched areas will still have the marker on them.)
Donna_T

[Robson Valley]

1. You need to know what the bevel angle is on each of your tools. Out of the factory, I'll bet they are 20 degrees. A knife could be 12 - 15 degrees total.
2. Use a protractor to measure and cut out a right triangle with a 20 degree slope.
3. The Lee Valley combination 1000/4000 grits water stone will do just fine.
4. Most of the time you can get away with stropping every 20-30 minutes of carving, half a dozen strokes will do.
5. Is the tool not "digging in? Takes more effort than you recall? A few white scratch marks left in each gouge track? Maybe a more serious tune-up on the water stone is indicated.
6. While the water stone is soaking, paint some felt marker tracks on the tool bevel. Te triangle will take care of showing you the angle. The marker can show you that you are working the edge evenly.
7. Hold the tool at the indicated angle. Lock your elbows to your sides. In a pull stroke, come down the stone in a swaying motion from your knees. For a round gouge, rotate the tool as you go. Next stroke, rotate the other way. Maybe 5X. . . . don't press hard, don't need to.
The reason for locking your elbows to your side is that if you don't, you can't help but raise your elbows in the stroke and round off the bevel, spoon-shape, which is supposed to be flat.
7. Hone 5X the same way and make a test cut in a scrap of your carving wood. OK?
8. Testing on the edge of a finger only works if you plan to carve fingers for Christmas tree ornaments. Won't be long before you can compete with Michelangelo's Venus.

[Gblueline]

Hi:

I'm sure someone has already suggested fine sanpaper (or mesh)...Lee Valley sells sharpening "film" up to a grit of 2500. They have also just started selling (in the past several weeks) diamond lapping film. All of it is relatively cheap, and comes with self-adhesive backing. You can make a form out of cut PVC pipe etc to get the shape you need.

[Robson Valley]

If I cut forms out of PVC pipe, I'd need several dozen for the variety of tools that I've accumulated. Fine if it works for you. My LV water stones (the 1K/4K combo) will outlast my great grandchildren, if they're interested. So, I believe the stones are cheap. So what? Should I work so long and so hard and so fast that I have to buy a new stone, I get bragging rights.
Stones and papers are exactly the same thing, no one is any better than the other. Grit size is grit size is grit size. My very best is 0.5 micrometers which is chromium oxide green, a common acrylic/oil artist's pigment color, also. I use stones and hone by hand for most tools. I do use papers on dowels (pieces of willow branch) for my crooked knives. The results are something that simply can't be done on a stone, or a TOMZ or a TORMEK or any other machine.

As I've said before to readers of these threads, there are 6-10 different ways to get carving sharp. Pick one. Do it. The key is consistent, repetitive body motions do all steps of the process are done the same.

[scooter]

Originally Posted by scatarie

...But and here lies my problem, Sharpening!! I cannot afford a huge expensive sharpening system ...

Before anyone, rich or poor, decides to spring for a sharpening system, they should understand how, and be able to sharpen manually. So master _that_ before you even consider buying a system.

S~

[John T]

A good way for a beginner to learn, is to learn how to sharpen manually first, I do agree. In order to have some visual knowledge on that is to buy Everett Ellenwood's DVD called Sharpening Simplified it takes you through the manual steps in sharpening carving knives,chisels,gouges,V tools and micro tools. All shown from different stones to different grit paper. And from that point develop your style and practice,practice,practice
Good luck and enjoy