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My first brush with carving was with Joe at the first Maritime Round Up. Earlier this month Rodger and Murray helped me out with sharpening my tools. What they really helped me out with was convincing me to throw out my "war clubs" and get some decent tools. Fortunately for me these came sharpened and ready for honing, but I've been checking out the net for a refresher to make sure I am not doing things wrong. I came across this site and thought it was a good source of information in a fairly concise format. I also found this You Tube video that is very well presented and informative. What I really like about both links is they show you how to sharpen without any fancy gadgets. It seems in keeping with the hand tooled aspect of carving. I hope they are of use to someone, now I'm off to make a couple of strops and hone my new tools.
[ August 28, 2009, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: Kelly Thorson ]
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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the master of sharp tools is Joe Cieslowski..\ I went to a seminar that he gave.... some of the tips on your links do not agree with Joe. I hope he joins this thread and explains why...
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I hope so too Michael. I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat, but if there is something contradictory I'd sure like to know. I was thinking when I went looking that I wished Joe had done a video on sharpening. There aren't many out there for sharpening carving tools.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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Just saw a fun movie with Meril Streep. Then I read the article in Kelly's first link and I watched about 3/4 of the UTube video.
No wonder carving is a dying art.....carving without sharp tools drives folks pretty quickly to the CNC's.
IMO, to be succesful you first have to understand what the hell you are trying to do. Is it to just create a cutting edge? A tin can lid is a cutting edge, How does that work? If I do the same thing to a knife edge, am I all set? What happens to the steel when you are sharpening on a stone,......really, what happens to the steel. How does the stone "cut" the steel? What are the results?
Neither of those two links explain these basics.
A cutting edge is an inclined plane....neither link talks about it.....seems pretty "basic" to me.
To sharpen succesfully, you not only need a basic mechanical process, you also need to know what that process does and why. Otherwise, it's all a shot in the dark.
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Joe, many years back Gary Rhodes turned me on to this visible grinding disc that goes into the drill press and has slots cut lit spokes through it. With a light on it you can see the edge through the disc as it shapes the steel. I follow that with a cotton wheel on a grinder and green compound. I seem to get a razor edge in a minute that holds for a while, then I just re buff. Haven't used a stone in years.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6724 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Joe, I have no answer to either of your questions. I can see right away if I have the same angle as previously by the visible brightness of the grind, and can maintain that angle or alter it. I seldom use the angle that came on the tool because I carve in redwood and use a little sharper angle. I have two of those wheels and no idea what the grit is. One of the wheels is the one made by Beaver Industries, and I think they stopped making them because of some litigation resulting from misuse. The other was made by Gary Rhodes brother in law from a store bought grinding disc. They are fast, and I like seeing the area I'm grinding while I'm doing it.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6724 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'd love a copy too, but here is a better suggestion if it can be done. I don't know if you are allowed to use the article - if it belongs to you or Sign Business, but if you are maybe you could send it to Barb and get her to put it into the tips and tricks session. The other option would be to post Joe's method and have it locked so it doesn't become a discussion , but rather a tutorial of the way you sharpen. That way it is here for future reference for everyone.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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I do retain the copyright. In SOTT articles, they retain all rights. It's one reason I write more for SB. SC also doesn't.
I suppose I could re-write it here but the pics are on film......I'd have to copy them to digital, which is easy enough. There are a few things that do need to be added to the original so it would probably be a good thing.
We'll see how it goes.
Joe,
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
-------------------- Joe Cieslowski Connecticut Woodcarvers Gallery P.O.Box 368 East Canaan CT 06024 jcieslowski@snet.net 860-824-0883 Posts: 2345 | From: East Canaan CT 06024 | Registered: Nov 2001
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Joe, there are probably many people here that would appreciate the additional effort you are considering taking on to share information with us. Often I would just wait and watch, but I wanted to chime in and speak for the masses who might be watching & waiting... Bring it on!!! We ARE watching & DO appreciate the information!
The link you posted has a machine that uses the "see thru" wheel like Rick talked about. You'll notice that it's a "free hand" holding system.....not very accurate and would be a real bummer for a beginner. Also no water cooled grinding. There are other downsides.
Thanks for searching around.
This Delta sharpener showed up in '94, I think. I'd always had in mind what the ideal grinder would look like and I jumped on this in a nano second. It had just about everything I was looking for. Prior to this, I was using an 8" lapadary wheel and basically a conventional tool rest.
Here is the one that Doug Bernhardt uses.....this does have promise. If that square tool rest can be tilted to 75 degrees and you add a home made adapter/jig to it it would work great! Isn't water cooled tho.
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Joe, the method that I use involves no guide or support. Free hand, and I have a water can next to me and dip before the metal ever gets too warm.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6724 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Joe, I learned the slotted wheel sharpening technique when I took Dusty Yaxley's carving course. It took the most part of a day to reshape all my Swiss and German chisels. I would grind a little on each one and when it got even close to being warm I put it down and picked up another one. Water will drop the temp too quick and take the temper out of the tip. The wheel is from Beaver Engineering, Pawtucket, RI (401)728-4740); but a quick look on the net leads me to believe they are no longer in business. Too bad cause this is an amazing tool. I remember a Letterhead meet where a guy picked up one of Dusty's chisels and felt of the tip, saying "that doesn't feel that sharp to me". Dusty opened his wallet and took out a bandaid and gave to him. The guy asked him "Why are you giving me that?" Dusty smiled and said "Because you're bleeding all over the floor", LOL.
BTW, I have a very nice set of chisels, the slotted wheel, a huge Baldor buffer (1" shaft!) with a 3/4" and 3" muslin wheels, & dressing that I would like to sell if anyone is interested.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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-------------------- Catharine C. Kennedy CCK Graphics 1511 Route 28 Chatham Center, NY 12184 cck1620@taconic.net "Look at me, Look at me, Look at me now! I't's fun to have fun, But you have to know how!" Posts: 2173 | From: downtown Chatham Center, NY | Registered: Feb 2004
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Cat, I'll make some pix for you and come up with a reasonable price and send them to your email.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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