Sharpening class

[woodtrapper]

I just got back from a sharpening class put on by woodcraft.All I can say is if anyone has a chance to take such a class on sharpening chisels,plaines,knives etc.go for it.My instructor had a masters degree in mechanical engineering and very informative.It was geard toward wood turners but I was able to learn about metals and different sharpening techniques.For less time and less mess the instructor recomended diamond stones or you can spend $500.00 on a low rpm grinder and strop to do your own sharpening.Unfortunately,as carvers trying to sharpen gouges and v tools it is tough to without a jig of some sort.At least that is what I learned today.I am sure there are a few carvers out there that have been doing their own sharpening for a while or we just pay someone to do it f for us.I do know this,sharpening metal is not something you can learn over night.I really hope to get a lot of points of views on this subject.This subject has probably been covered several times but I am sure new members would liketo have som input on this one.Thanks Davy.

[VAwoodcarver]

Thats interesting i have never heard of sharpening classes or i just hadn't thought about it but it makes sense. But sharpening is an art in itself and is priceless if you learn. I started carving almost exactly a year ago and sharpening came with that and its very satisfying to clean up a tool and put a razor edge on it. Just like anything else you have to learn technique and then you practice it...

[North Wind]

woodtrapper,I do two things in my professional life.one is wood,the other is leather.both of these require sharp tools to do them well.when I build a saddle and there is a lot of carving to do it is extremely important.I learned a long time ago that there are many ways to do the some thing.the best thing I can tell you is to learn a few and practice,practice,PRACTICE.you will get the hang of it.

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Agreed. There are inumberable ways to sharpen a tool. All of them work. Whatever works for you is the right way. Patience and practice. Once you get the feel, it's easy.

[Thomp]

learning to properly sharpen and maintain your tools is a great achievement for any would bee carver, some just cant get the hang of it, or not have the body mechanics to sharpen there own, and thats what sharpening services are for,
but a beginner carvewr who can sharpen there own tools and keep them maintained will carve safer, and enjoy their experiance more fully,
dull tools tear and pull out chunks and have a big result on the enjoyment of carving,

besides theres a lot more to learn than how to carve with dull tools.

like carving with wood grain, how to deal with wild grain, bad or corky wood spots, sap pockets, hard spots and cross grain end grain and such,,,how to make bandsaw cut outs, and paint or sealing your projects

[woodtrapper]

I have always been fasinated with sharpening knives.Above and beond carving my everyday job requires a lot of sharpening different kinds of drill bits and knives.It very tough to find local people who do this.

[Thomp]

one of the biggest secretes i learned about sharpening is steel quality!

you can sharpen a soup can lid to carving sharp!
but you will only be able to use it for 3 strokes cutting wood and its dull, or you can sharpen a piece of hard carbon steel and carve nearly all day with it.

the steel has to cooperate by being tempered to be hard but still a slight bit flexible to keep it from chipping and breaking, otherwise knives of glass would make a great tool,

you can harden carbon steel so it will scratch glass, but it will be brittle as glass when worked thin enough to be a knife, and treated roughly

the knife its self will dictate when to sharpen, how the manufacture of the steel was done will dictate how often,

each is different as to how much use you can get out of it before it needs resharpened, or just honed,

while honing should be done for edge maintenance hourly or daily when carving often,

sharpening should only be done when it is absolutely necessary. to reshape the cutting edge after it wears or rounds over from continues honing or the edge receives damage from a fall on a stone floor or something similar.

i probably have 20 or more knives i made out of various metals, but carve only with my straight razor knives because i can depend on them to be sharp, and i don't have to stop and strop them every 3rd cut in the wood,
but they too have their limitations,
deep bending or twisting stop cuts can break razor knife tips off, so i use flexible warren blades for such cuts, im still learning and i need much more discipline using tools or when to use which tool because i'm still breaking tips off doing such things.

funny but i hate to stop and hone tools, while i got the creative juices flowing towards carving, i loose my incentive when i loose my place with which tool got sharpened and which still needs work,

good luck in understanding the meaning in my ramblings here, im definately not a teacher...