[Lightningbolt]

Backwood's Home is one of my favorite non-carving magazine's which dwells in self-sufficent and independent living skills and I have every issue from back in the early 1980's.

The latest issue had an article on knife sharpening that I thought some might enjoy and it is also available online here:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/locicero98.html

They also had the first carving article that I can recall... an eight page feature article on "Beautiful Carved Hinges" which is a great article on carving wooden door hinges. Unfortunately, they decided to keep this one in the hard copy of the magazine only but it's really a good article if you can get this month's issue.

!

[GILLY]

Thanks for the link, I am into this sort of stuff as well. I have been pondering going to solar and wind for my power, and using an outdoor wood furnace for heat and hotwater.

[AlArchie]

That article was pretty interesting, but unless I miss read it, he suggests dragging the blade backwards, as in stropping, across the stone. I think the current thinking is to push the blade across the stone, as if trying to slice a thin piece off the stone. This limits the build-up of the wire edge or burr that needs to be stropped off. Dragging the blade towards you really lays on a heavy wire edge. Not that it won't work, but you'll get a much sharper edge with the pushing motion.

Try both methods and check the edge before stropping under a good glass.

There are three variations to using the stone.....push, drag and circular. Either will work, but I think the conventional wisdom is that the push method works best.

Then again, maybe I read the article wrong......wouldn't be the first time!

Al

[Kenny_S]

I got the same reading from the article also. Many have taught honing but never pulling the blade backwards. Hmmmm. Guess I will try that on a different knife than my carving ones and see if it has any promise to it.

[Old_Gord]

Hey Lightningbolt, Slightly on topic , but your mention of carving door hinges reminded me of a film I saw on PBS, "One man's Wilderness", Richard Proenneke's story of building his log cabin in the Alaskan wilds, alone and with very few tools. His wooden door hinges were quite inventive, almost a step by step tutorial.
I taped that show and enjoyed it so much I still go back to watch it now and then.

OG

[Lightningbolt]

I agree that pushing the blade is the best method although I tend to use the circular method much more when sharpening my smaller and detail carving blades. Oh well, I guess that it's a good idea to look at everything, including knife sharpening, from many different opinions and especially when they confirm that MY way is indeed the best!!

Old_Gord: Thanks for the lead on Richard Proenneke and his amazing life and I don't know how I've missed him for so many years. I've been researching him for the last half hour and actually found a close-up picture of his amazing door hinges at the following link. Those hinges are both amazing AND so beautiful, made from the bends in spruce tree roots! For those who'd like to see it the picture is on the second page so be sure to click the
"More Dick Proenneke Photos" link.
http://www.nps.gov/lacl/scrapbook/proeneke.htm

From Wikipedia: "One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey is a book, first published in 1973 by Sam Keith, based on the journals and photography of Richard Proenneke who, in 1968, retreated to the wilderness of Twin Lakes in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska to build a home for himself and live alone in the wilderness, self-sufficiently, for 31 years until the age of 82. Proenneke says he turned his back on tedious 50-hour work weeks and moved to Alaska "to do a thing to completion."

Oh yeah, that is my kinda person! Sure wish that I could have met him.