Thread: Modifying a sanding jig

Originally Posted by carrolljc

While I was building a sanding jig, I also attached a vise to a plank that I could clamp to a work table. I had envisioned holding a blade in the vise and working on it with a Dremel. I did try that, but it was tedious to keep clamping and unclamping the blade. I've ended up mainly using the sanding jig instead.

Here's the vise. It's a nifty little device set on a ball joint that allows 360 degree movement. . . . Here below is the plank clamped to the work table. I like the vise and hope still to find some use for it, though I can't yet envision quite what.

Attachment 167797

I found a use for it! I clamped a razor in it while pinning the razor. The wedge end of this particular razor is narrow and tight. It was hard to keep the scales open enough to insert washers on the pin. So I clamped the razor in such a way that it was horizontal, parallel to the work table, and propped open the scales with a shim. I inserted a pin in the bottom of the scales, pointing up, and used needle-nosed pliers to drop washers over the pin. I'm hoping other uses for the vise will come up, but that one use makes it worth having.

Joe

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Years ago I made as similar one from pine, but smaller and glued a Popsicle stick on one side to hold the edge.
It was still too easy to cut your self.

So I switched to a 3X12 in piece of 4mm foam. I too use WD40 and the whole strip can be cleaned in the sink with simple green or any spray degreaser. When it gets to funky toss it and cut another strip. A 9X12 in pad of 4mm foam is around a dollar.

Attachment 167788Attachment 167789

Pressing down on the blade while hand sanding buries the blade in the foam and you can sand or polish right to the edge without any danger of cutting yourself. It also prevents scratching the blade once polished, use either a clean piece of foam or lay a paper towel over a dirty pad.

I did some hand sanding using the foam pads. They work great!Thanks for that tip.

While sanding the spine, with the blade edge set vertically on the foam surface, I had thought the foam might help protect the edge, but the edge cuts easily through it. Another solution occurred to me: placing the edge on a wine cork.

Joe

All good tools. I use a rubber sheet surface on a block. I may try the magnets under it but the razor doesn't slide around very much at all on the rubber. The foam sounds like a good idea to support the back of a hollow grind so you don't hear that horrible dink sound of a blade snapping. I am a dry sander. I hate messes and slippery metal :<0)

Originally Posted by carrolljc

While I was building a sanding jig, I also attached a vise to a plank that I could clamp to a work table. I had envisioned holding a blade in the vise and working on it with a Dremel. I did try that, but it was tedious to keep clamping and unclamping the blade. I've ended up mainly using the sanding jig instead.

Here's the vise. It's a nifty little device set on a ball joint that allows 360 degree movement:

Attachment 167796

Here below is the plank clamped to the work table. I like the vise and hope still to find some use for it, though I can't yet envision quite what.

Attachment 167797

Joe

Hey Joe it might come in handy for holding scales while they get shaped and sanded.
That 360 degree rotation could be handy for this job.

Hi guys hope you don't mind.but here is my solution. To holding a razor. For sanding the spine or any spine work. Pic 1 a cork sanding block. With a cut from a utility knife 2 insert the blade heel first (carefully) 3 feed the rest in, again carefully. Then press home. And yes you guessed it. VERY CAREFULLY :-)

Good advice and ideas. Thanks to all.

Originally Posted by razornut

Hi guys hope you don't mind.but here is my solution. To holding a razor. For sanding the spine or any spine work. Pic 1 a cork sanding block. With a cut from a utility knife 2 insert the blade heel first (carefully) 3 feed the rest in, again carefully. Then press home. And yes you guessed it. VERY CAREFULLY :-)

Looks good. I didn't know about cork sanding blocks. I looked them up on Amazon and just ordered a couple.

Joe