Thread: Slightly off-topic honing question

Yesterday I talked with my mother (She is a master book-restorer) about sharpening in general, and about how it is becoming very difficult to find master polishers to sharpen the various tools that she uses.

To make a long story short: I told her that I wanted to learn more about honing and polishing, and she gave me 2 of her tools that were very dull, but not of great importance.

I started with a tool that has only straight edges. It looks a bit like a short, dual sided box cutter with a sharp point.
I am trying to give it 4 new bevels since the old ones are destroyed. I am now working on the second bevel, and have so far managed not to destroy the knife

I guess what I want to ask is: I know that on this forum there are a number of people who are also experienced in honing knives and maybe other things.
Is there anybody who can give me some tips for a honing newbie? or perhaps point me to some known good resources.

I know I could use google, but that is likely to turn up all sorts of conflicting ideas, and I would like to be able to ask some questions as I proceed.
At the moment I can occupy myself with those 4 bevels on a course stone, but after that I would not know for sure how to proceed.

Any help is appreciated

I'm a newb too at sharpening and your question you just posted is one that I had thought about posting myself, so thanks!

I know the Shapton stones are expensive, but they have a list of DVDs on how to sharpen various things.
http://www.shaptonstones.com/stones/DVDsharp.php

They also have a video of a guy using a Shapton lapping plate and sharpening a planer blade. At one point he picks up the stone with just the water surface tension between the bevel of planer blade and the stone (about halfway through the video)
http://www.shaptonstones.com/stones/...ng/diamond.php

I've never sharpened a chisel or a planer blade, but it looks pretty easy to get rid of the burr.

Are your mother's tools similar to woodworking tools?

I'm interested in how to sharpen scissors myself.

Bruno, I would recomend 'The Complete Book of Sharpening' by Leonard Lee. It will tell you everything you need to know and more.
Zig

Here's a link that does a pretty decent job at explaining the basics of sharpening in case you can't get your hands on the aforementioned sources.

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=26036

Although there may be "conflicting" methods cited out there (e.g. edge leading vs edge trailing), the principle is the same: remove steel to set the bevel, then hone/polish. Just remember to remove the burr before you move to the next grit and you should avoid experiencing the pesky burr.

A couple of tricks/tips that I find helpful is using the magic marker trick (cited in the article), as well as any magnification tools you have available to watch your sharpening progress.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by wdl1

Although there may be "conflicting" methods cited out there (e.g. edge leading vs edge trailing), the principle is the same: remove steel to set the bevel, then hone/polish.

In a nutshell, thats all any sharpening/honing is.
The key is getting the bevel correct. With straights, it is made easier because you just lay the razor on the stone, and the spine gives you the correct angle. With knives, you have no such aid and have to trust to some other method.

If I have to resharpen a particularly dull knife, then I will give it a go on a motorised Whetstone first to remove the most steel. Then I use a Spyderco sharpmaker, going through the four stages on the two types of ceramic rods.

The Sharpmaker I find easy to use, as its the rods that are set to the desired angle of 30 degrees, not the blade. The blade is then drawn down the rods in a straight motion.

By the time I have worked through, I can shave hairs off my arm with my knives.

Originally Posted by Zig

Bruno, I would recomend 'The Complete Book of Sharpening' by Leonard Lee. It will tell you everything you need to know and more.
Zig

I just ordered it.
It seems to be what I am looking for, and it is inexpensive.
Thanks.

Originally Posted by spacetoast

Are your mother's tools similar to woodworking tools?

I will continue this in offtopic, since it doesn't have to do with razors perse.