bcarvings, I finally got around to taking a picture of some homemade knives. I made these a few months ago and haven't gotten around to finishing them yet. I think it will give you a better idea of how to make them, rather then showing a finished knive.

http://strobertmo.us/e107_plugins/co...01/knives1.jpg

[Kenny_S]

Bcarvings, If I could make a suggestion lad. Rick at Littleshavers has an online catalog at www.littleshavers.com. His prices are about as cheap as I have seen for quality products. He has a beginners kit with knife, I believe a 6 piece gouge set,carving glove, leather and compound for stropping.Go and have a look see at his catalog and save for his biginers kit. Rick hones and strops the tools to a razor sharp edge. The price is cheaper than a family of 4 can go to the movies. My suggestion is to order one and you can see what sharp is. And If I am not talking out of turn here, will resharpen(strop back to a keen edge if you dull it and it would cost you shipping. Can't beat a deal like that. I only wish he would adopt me.

My apologies id I offend you but it is time to do something or get off the pot.

Best to you and be safe in your carving.

[bcarvings]

Hi,
Well I have a strop, and one of his murphy knives. I tried sharpening my pocket knife down to nothing... I have a blade with no bevell but I have no coarse stone. Just a hard and soft arkanas. I tried using a grinder to put the bevell then tried sharpening but that got no results. I have read this book I have and I haven't tried it's methods yet. It says to 1st put a primary bevell of 15 degrees, then using a mill file create a secondary honing bevell. Then strop the secondary bevell. Is it better to have one bevell or two? It also includes helpfull pictures, I just need to find my old boy scout knife and I'll try an sharpen that using the books techniques. Thanks again Bcarvings

[AlArchie]

Geeze, Bcarvings, don't wreck that ole Boy Scout knife. Â*I'd dig out my old Boy Scout Handbook (Jr. Woodchuck Guide) and look at the section on sharpening....it will give you all the information you need. Â*Note that they give a steep angle for a UTILITY type knife sharpening, but mention a 10 degree angls for a whittling knife. I'd guess you are trying to force that sharpening process...it takes some time and will untill you learn the process. Once you have it down, 'muscle memory' will take over and it will become second nature to you. And stay away from those power grinders. They will eat your blades, or at the very least, over heat them and ruin the temper.

I'll run through my technique one more time. I use either a small diamond stone (fine) or a carborundum stone (fine) No need to go to the coarser stones....just be patient. The diamond stone cuts quicker and does not require any lubricant.

Now, if you are right handed, hold the stone lengthwise between your left thumb and forefinger, with your fingertips BELOW the top of the stone. Lay the blade flat on the stone, and then raise the back of the blade (about) the thickness of a dime. OK, if you don't like that, try a quarter.....either one will work, it's just a rough estimate. Hold the knife handle in a firm grip that won't change as you sharpen. You'll need to develop a grip for holding the knife in each direction. The grip should be exactly the same each time you sharpen.

Next, with the back of the blade raised to the proper amount of change (dime or quarter) first push the blade forward (away from you) as if trying to slice off a thin piece of the stone. Don't change your grip or the blade angle as you do that. Do ten slices in the same direction, letting the whole edge of the blade slice along the stone.

Next turn the blade over and slice TOWARD you 9 times.

Then turn the blade back away from you and take 8 slices.

Back toward you for 7 slices.

Away for 6, and keep this pattern up.

This reducing the number of slices each time will minimize the size of the wire edge that is produced when you finish with one slice each direction. Make sure you don't change either your grip or the angle of the slice. This is the part that takes practice...once you get it,you got it!

Now strop. Draw the blade backwards across the strop at the same angle as you picked for sharpening. Your strop should be backed on a piece of wood, but still the leather will flex enough to put that 'micro bevel' on that Rick mentioned.

Inspect the edge with a magnifier and you should see that the wire edge is gone, and the fine 'scratches' from the stone have been polished out to a mirror finish. Looking straight down at the edge of the blade, in a bright light, you should see a dark line where the cutting part of the blade is. If you see any shiny spots, they are tiny nicks or grooves....most can be stropped out, but if they are large, you may have to go back to the stone and run through the 10 stroke, 9 stroke sequence again, being very careful to maintain both your chosen grip and angle. Once you have your grip on the handle of the knife, NEVER change it! That grip will always give you the same angle on the blade as you sharpen. Remember that 'muscle memory' I mentioned a ways back? That is the part about maintaining the grip and angle.

Methinks ya have too many books!

Al

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

don't worry about the bevel! I lay my blades flat and sharpen from edge to back and the cut great!

[quote author=bcarvings link=board=Beginner;num=1100827842;start=15#22 date=12/04/04 at 12:50:06]Hi,
I have read this book I have and I haven't tried it's methods yet. It says to 1st put a primary bevell of 15 degrees, then using a mill file create a secondary honing bevell. Then strop the secondary bevell. [/quote]

While this technique and the angles you mention would make a good utility knife for cutting rope, wire, etc. the angle is too steep for good carving.

Take Als advice and lower the blade to about the thickness of a dime or do it like Hi-ho and some others do and lay it flat and work the entire blade until you have a single bevel. Both of these processes will result in a good carving edge on your knife.

[bcarvings]

Hi,
At woodcraft there is a free downloadable video on sharpening knives with diamond stones. It only requires water. It looked so easy, and not messy at all!! I think I'm gonig to exchange my arkansas for the diamond stones. The arkansas are way to messy, and the diamands are sapossed to work faster. Also how come there are so many differ kinds of diamond stones? For one a whole set costs $25, and for another type of diamind it's like $50 each. And they are about the same size to. What kind do you use Alarchie? Where did you get them? I want to get the set of 3, a coarse fine, and extra fine for $25. But are they cheap because they are a worser brand?
Any experts on diamind stones out there any help is greatly appreciated.
And Alarchie thanks you help on the diamonds, I never considred them until now.

[woodknomb]

I was wondering if I could us the saw blades from our woodmizer? I believe they are 1' .

[AlArchie]

There are two types of diamond stones; mono-crystaline and poly-crystaline. Â*The mono-crystaline ones are the cheaper of the two, here's why.

Mono's are just like they sound, single diamond crystals adhered to a steel back plate. Â*As hard as diamonds are, eventually the sharp edges of them break off and you are left with a les aggressive stone. Â*That, in my opinion, is a plus, not a negative. Â*I got my own reasons.

The poly's are clusters of diamond crystals, again, adhered to a steel backing. Â*As the edges of the many crystals break away, new ones are exposed, retaining the aggressive surface of the original. Â*Eventually, even the poly's will wear down and become less aggressive, hence a 'finer grit' stone.

Because you have more diamonds on the poly-crystaline type stone, they are more expensive. Â*I've got both and they all seem to work about as well, and for the price difference, I can go through a few of the mono's before reaching the price of one poly! Â*Your choice, however.....either is good!

You can pick up a 1'x3' Diamond Lap stone at Wally world for under 10 bucks. I believe I saw them on Rick's site too, for around the same price. I found my larger diamond stone on sale at Rockler for just under 20 bucks. You don't need three grits....the fine will serve you in all but the most extreme cases of knife abuse. You really don't want to remove a whole lot of steel from your blades, just hone them off and on. I don't hit the stones with mine unless I manage a nick in the blade. Usually this is from some imbedded dirt, or a piece of grit from sandpaper. (I know, never carve after sanding)

Those diamond stones will load up with metal particles and you should wash them every so often in plain water and some soap or detergent. Use hot water and dry the stones immediately to prevent rust on the steel backing. Don't worry about some residual discoloration, these stones are tools and will show some 'work experience' as they age.

Al

bcarvings, you can get the same set at Harbor Frieght for $12.99 2x6 inch http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=36799 and also a 1x3 inch set for $7.99 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=36196

I've got both sets and they do a good job. The small set is handy when working outside, they fit nice in your pocket.

One thing about diamond hones - don't put oil on them, it will disolve the glue that holds the metal backing to the plastic handle. A little clear silicone will put it back on though.