Thread: Reasons I feel hones have to be sedimentary

A sen is a Japanese draw knive that is like a cross handle that holds a hardened steel cutter that resembles a tiny chisel. They are used to cut the fullers (often wrongly called "blood grooves") in knives and swords and to shape the ends of Japanese plane blades and chisels. A mill file is a common, single cut file with grooves going in one direction (usually diagonally along the length)... you pull it sideways along a hunk of metal and the grooves act like little diagonal snow plows and shave off bits of swarf.

I wanted to post a vdo clip of a filemaker at work to punctuate my point that there is more to a file than simply cutting grooves in a bar of steel. But I could not find it! My main point of contention with the stone file concept is how to make?

Certainly not with the methods and tools we use for lapping.

Further, files are directional. Either push or pull- they don't do both. Neither do they work parallel to the tooth. This will limit the numbers and styles of strokes you can perform.

I have seen some fairly coarse particle estimates for Arkansas stones. But I have wondered in over time they do not act somewhat finer after they acquire some glazing. Continual rounding/smoothing of abr. grit to a glazed/clogged condition is hardly my ideal medium. So I have considered that there mat be something to this texture idea.

With texturing, etching or ? how does one also create a plane surface.

How often would we then need to repeat this difficult task after the stone glazed?

I've left out some thoughts hoping you can fill in the spaces.

On one hand we might consider that almost anything would work if we have enough determination. The old saying Iron sharpens iron comes to mind. On the other, there were natural processes acting so perfectly in producing those rocks we call hones, whetstones and tennen toishi isn't it just better to use the ones with centuries of proof?

You would; my guess, accomplish more with years of practice on a randomly fine awwasdo at 30-40k+ using a well orchestrated variety of strokes to balance the natural occuring errors of human movement than a equilivant time engineering whatever is is you're talking about

If you really want to decrease the edge dimension significantly you will have to leave hand honing behind and shoot well aimed ions.

fwiw The easiest way to produce a mirror on 1k is to polish like mad in the steely swarf.

Originally Posted by kevint

fwiw The easiest way to produce a mirror on 1k is to polish like mad in the steely swarf.

I read an artcle on superpolishing automotive shafts once.... Basically what they do is have the shaft on a lathe and a motorized grinding wheel on the tool post (all computer controlled of course) and the key to it is the pressure and viscosity of the lubricant. It forms a fluid bearing between the shaft and grinding wheel and only allows contact between the tips of the grit particles of the wheel and the remaining peaks on the shaft.

Originally Posted by yuzuha

I read an artcle on superpolishing automotive shafts once.... Basically what they do is have the shaft on a lathe and a motorized grinding wheel on the tool post (all computer controlled of course) and the key to it is the pressure and viscosity of the lubricant. It forms a fluid bearing between the shaft and grinding wheel and only allows contact between the tips of the grit particles of the wheel and the remaining peaks on the shaft.

Hi Pam, I was hoping you might have that yasuri makers vid in your collection of knowledge.

No, but there is a pic of a yasuri style file on this page
Sauer & Steiner: One file to rule them all - and in the Ebony dust bind them. and Woodcraft has some "feather edge" yasuri saw files.

Originally Posted by kevint

I have seen some fairly coarse particle estimates for Arkansas stones. But I have wondered in over time they do not act somewhat finer after they acquire some glazing. Continual rounding/smoothing of abr. grit to a glazed/clogged condition is hardly my ideal medium. So I have considered that there mat be something to this texture idea.

With texturing, etching or ? how does one also create a plane surface.

How often would we then need to repeat this difficult task after the stone glazed?

I've left out some thoughts hoping you can fill in the spaces.

On one hand we might consider that almost anything would work if we have enough determination.

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking when I started this thread. That stones harder than steel (as in the whole thing, not cutting particles) CAN work, but are a pain because of the texturing. Lets say you start with a 1k "solid" hone. How will you get it there? IF it wears after a long time, how do you refresh it? etc etc. If it glazes, how do you clean it? With the bonded abrasives, its easy, you just lap it.