prov163 Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 I'm reorganizing my shop and planning to set up a dedicated sharpening station. I have learned that the more consistent I am with sharpening the more I enjoy my shop time and better my final result. I have a couple of questions: I know that being able to repair damaged blades or grind new bevel angles is important. I have a Porter Cable 2.5 A, 3450 rpm, 6" grinder I bought on sale a couple of years ago but never really used. Will this work for grinding blades to prepare for honing? I understand that heat is a serious issue. From what I've read, slow speed grinders are extremely popular. Are they really worth the investment? If so, what are you guys using and what is a reasonable price to pay? I'm also thinking of having a stropping setup. In your experience, how beneficial is stropping? Leather is easy to get but what is your favorite compound and why? What's the stropping procedure you recommend? Any good videos/articles on the above you know about would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Meggison Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Asking about sharpening is like whacking a hornets nest. After almost 50 years of making sawdust, I am of the opinion that every technique I have heard of works well if you understand it's strengths and weaknesses. You are right about heat from your grinder. Keep a container of water next to your grinder and use it often. A slow speed grinder does not build heat as quickly, but you can still take the temper out of a tool with it if not used carefully. I do a lot of carving in the winter cause I can do that in the house. I touch up my blades with a hard white washita when I start then use a strop every 10 to 15 minutes to keep the edge. I use a piece of leather from an old purse my wife was going to throw out. If you can't talk her out of one, check the thrift stores. Doesn't seem to matter if you use the smooth or rough side of the leather. For hand carving, I have never noticed much difference in compounds as long as you avoid the "Lapping" compounds. They use an abrasive and will scratch, not polish. Just remember you are trying to achieve a mirror polish on both sides of the cutting edge. Have fun and practice. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BonPacific Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 One tip on the grinder question. Don't underestimate a belt sander as an option for re-shaping a damaged blade. It's faster, and doesn't seem to build up as much heat. You can get the whole bevel in one go too, as opposed to sliding back and forth on the grinder. The only thing I've ever done with my 6" grinder is ruin blades, but a 220 belt on the sander straightened out a couple old Stanley irons for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted January 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Scott, I know that any discussion of sharpening, or pallet wood, will start a furor, but I was hoping these narrow questions would avoid the "what's the best way to sharpen" arguments. I have a couple of Stanley beater chisels I'll play with on the grinder. Thanks for sharing your wisdom of 50 years in the shop Bon Pacific, I had never thought of using a sander. Hmmm. I'll have to play with that idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxdabroxx Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 If you turn the steel color you've gone to far to fast with the grinder. Even a belt sander clamped in a vice may be a better option than a high speed grinder. I like diamond lapidary paste on my strops. I found some on amazon for pretty cheap. I strop varying amounts based on what I'm doing at the time, usually about 10-30 strokes on my coarsest strop. If I really want to polish an edge I go through all 4 of my strops ending at 100k grit (I bought that paste because I figured I could always go coarser but not necessarily finer when adding pastes later on). IMO stropping is the difference between sharp and scary sharp. I strop my knives to the finer grits just for the appearance. I like seeing the look on peoples face when they borrow a knife and see that mirror polished edge looking back at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Meggison Posted January 18, 2017 Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 I have had good results with belt sanders also. Good suggestion. Diamond Lapidary Paste? I may have to try some. I have always used the sticks of jewelers rouge, but I am always looking for better ways of doing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxdabroxx Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 14 minutes ago, Scott Meggison said: I have had good results with belt sanders also. Good suggestion. Diamond Lapidary Paste? I may have to try some. I have always used the sticks of jewelers rouge, but I am always looking for better ways of doing something. It's the stuff they use to polish rocks, it's great. Way better IMO than different color rouges. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=diamond+lapidary+paste A little bit goes a long ways too. I've had my same 4 tubes for a few years now, seldom reapply any to the strops. If you put too much at once it will build up on the blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Speaking of strops and belt sanders, you can install a belt inside-out on the machine, and use it as a powered strop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Meggison Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 wtnhighlander: I like the inside out belt idea. Good use for a worn out belt. xxdabroxx: Just out looking at diamond lap paste at amazon. They have grits from 400-200,000. What range of grits do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 12 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: Speaking of strops and belt sanders, you can install a belt inside-out on the machine, and use it as a powered strop. Can't answer that but Lee Valley does sell a leather belt for just that purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxdabroxx Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 15 hours ago, Scott Meggison said: wtnhighlander: I like the inside out belt idea. Good use for a worn out belt. xxdabroxx: Just out looking at diamond lap paste at amazon. They have grits from 400-200,000. What range of grits do you use? I have a few from 1200 grit to 100,000 grit. I generally use only the 1200 for wood tools unless I have some really angry wood I'm dealing with, I can't remember what the next step up I use is. I'll try and remember and grab a picture of the ones I have. I bought the 100k grit because I figured I could always go with a coarser grit later but couldn't necessarily go finer later. Found some old pictures I had. Level of polish I got on a Mora knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Meggison Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 That knife looks great. Thanks for the info on the Diamond paste. I am going to Imlay City, MI tomorrow to pick up an old Grindstone 21" dia. I bought at an online estate auction That should work well for initial grinding. I'll post some pix when I get it home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted January 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 highlander, that's ingenious. Trust a Tennessee boy to come up with a creative use of leftovers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted January 20, 2017 Report Share Posted January 20, 2017 highlander, that's ingenious. Trust a Tennessee boy to come up with a creative use of leftovers Can't take credit, I saw it on a knife maker video. Might have been another Tennessee boy, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Meggison Posted January 26, 2017 Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 This is the grindstone I got at a farm auction. The stone needs a little trueing, but no cracks. Runs good, est. rpm 400 cost me $9.00 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted January 26, 2017 Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 400 rpm sounds a mite fast for a stone that size. 40 rpm would do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted January 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 24 minutes ago, Scott Meggison said: This is the grindstone I got at a farm auction. The stone needs a little trueing, but no cracks. Runs good, est. rpm 400 cost me $9.00 How big are your chisels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Scott Meggison Posted January 26, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 Subtle humor, I like it. LOL I enjoy restoring old planes and chisels. Needed something low speed when extensive re-grinding is needed. It will also work well on a lot of things around the yard. Besides how can you pass up a cool tool for only $9? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilgaron Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 I've not had any trouble with burning steel on my (adjustable) high speed porter cable bench grinder, but I switched out the wheels for green Norton 3x wheels. I think the slow speed might be more necessary if you're using them to sharpen, as well, but if you're just grinding then anything will work so long as you're careful about losing temper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chud Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 On 1/15/2017 at 5:22 AM, prov163 said: I have a Porter Cable 2.5 A, 3450 rpm, 6" grinder I bought on sale a couple of years ago but never really used. Will this work for grinding blades to prepare for honing? I understand that heat is a serious issue. Matt Cremona had a good tip on one of his videos on sharpening - keep dipping the blade in water to cool it while grinding, also keep a bead of water on the end of the blade while grinding - when it starts to boil/dissapear re-dip it. So long as you then follow up with a good hand-sharpen you should be good; the bladesmith in the below vid takes that approach when he has to actually re-grind rather than just sharpen. Actually at 16:19 in you can see the power of stropping - ridiculously sharp knife that's been used for 6 months & only been stropped...and it's not got a fine bevel angle on it... https://youtu.be/33DM8Q63vM0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Meggison Posted February 6, 2017 Report Share Posted February 6, 2017 On 1/25/2017 at 10:45 PM, wtnhighlander said: 400 rpm sounds a mite fast for a stone that size. 40 rpm would do the trick. Damn fumble fingers! Where did that extra zero come from? My Bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 On your trip in May, if you end up driving back down I85 to get home, I'm about halfway between 85 and 95 right at the Va./N.C. line, or 20 to 25 minutes from either. If you stop by here on your way back, I can put your hands on what is available for sharpening to show you how to use it. I have everything available that's not too hard to get to, except for one of those 20" sandstone wheels. I have one of those, but it's still in the wooden crate that it came in when I bought it new in the early '70s. I can show you how to not burn an edge with a regular, friable grinder, and what a CBN wheel does. I started sharpening edges in 1959 with a cheap, manmade honing stone, moved to Arkansas stones and used them until the early '90s. I've been through what's available with water stones, and now have the most efficient dedicated setup for their use there is, or at least will have it set up by the time you get here with the sink I recently bought off of Craigslist. I can let you use any kind of plane or chisel that is set up, ready to go, and as sharp as possible, so you can see what the benefit of the goal is. I use this stuff for what I do for a living, and have for 43 years now. I also have a broadcast quality HD video camera, so maybe we can put your Wife to work with the camera, and you will have something for show and tell. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 That's a very generous offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted February 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 Wow, that is generous! As we get closer to the trip I'll touch base and see if we can work it out. Thanks a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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