Scary Sharp

[Bud]

I didn't like the high level of maintenance required by water stones so I gave scary sharp a try - I'm sold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqg0bWb_Gl8

The paper is very durable and quite inexpensive. I originally went with water stones because I heard they're a better long term investment. After pricing it all out (and after buying a bunch of water stones) it seems like a fairly poor argument to me. Even still, I prefer scary sharp to stones due to the speed and infrequent maintenance. I don't think you've made a bad choice if you use water stones, this is simply my preference.

[PaulMarcel]

Nice video, Bud! I like the glass and the abrasives configuration.

[jhl.verona]

Having watched a video on using water stones, and my own abismal experience using whetting stones, chisels and planes have been off my shopping list for a long time.

The simple technique your video highlights has certainly changed my mind about that.

A few questions:

1. Looks like you bought yourself the complete set of papers. Do you really use them all? Would 400, 600,1200, and (eventually) 2500 be a reasonable choice?

2. (Forgive my ignorance) Would this technique work with plane blades too?

A quick search brought these up:

http://www.finewoodw...ages/w00003.asp

http://www.woodbutcher.net/scary.shtml - a copy of Scary 1?

TIA

John

[HoboMonk]

I'm a big fan of the Scary Sharp method for sharpening. I teach woodworking and this is my preferred method. A local glass shop has a good inventory of old jalousie window glass that we have cut in to bases for the abrasive papers.

[Vic]

Your simplicity approach wins out again!! Nice, Bud!

[Bud]

@ John - It works on plane irons and anything else you need to sharpen. You could use any number of grits and get great results, however, I think a high number of grits is a strong point of scary sharp. It allows you to start on a very low grit for coarse work, since the next highest grit is always very similar the scratches polish out almost immediately. It's counter intuitive until you try it but the more grits you use, the faster you can polish to your highest grit.

[PaulMarcel]

I had an all-day sharpening day yesterday since I wanted to try Scary Sharp after seeing a preview of Bud's video. I didn't have a big selection of grits on hand and it still went very fast. I agree that more grits would make each step even faster (and make the adhered abrasive last longer).

In my case, I did the coarse work with a DMT 220 diamond plate simply because I had it and don't have P220 wet/dry paper. Then it was on to papers P800, P1500, P2000. I redid all my backs since, uhm, I might have been hasty the first time I did them... Then did the bevels of some, but really you only need the micro-bevel like Bud showed if the bevels are okay. After the papers, I stropped the back gently with green the white rouge. My left arm looks like it lost a battle with Nair

I did chisels and plane blades, including some with cambers. I'm sold. I never really had a great system before as I could never decide between them all. This video and the fact that I had nearly everything sitting right here for it convinced me.

HoboMonk... you get your glass cut. In my case, I made-do with a piece of solid surface that was flat enough to a ruler's edge, but I'd like real glass. Do you cut them in a square like Bud had so the whole system is on one piece or do you make individual squares, or something different?! Would like to know before getting something cut then realizing another way would be more practical.

[HoboMonk]

Jalousie window glass slats are about 3.5" wide. Just about the right width for one strip of sand paper (cut to width). Sometimes I'll tack glue a strip of sand paper on each side.

I like a length that is short enough for the glass plates to fit in a one gallon zipper plastic bag. This makes a convenient size to put them in my tool tote.

[Vic]

I had an all-day sharpening day yesterday since I wanted to try Scary Sharp after seeing a preview of Bud's video. I didn't have a big selection of grits on hand and it still went very fast. I agree that more grits would make each step even faster (and make the adhered abrasive last longer).

In my case, I did the coarse work with a DMT 220 diamond plate simply because I had it and don't have P220 wet/dry paper. Then it was on to papers P800, P1500, P2000. I redid all my backs since, uhm, I might have been hasty the first time I did them... Then did the bevels of some, but really you only need the micro-bevel like Bud showed if the bevels are okay. After the papers, I stropped the back gently with green the white rouge. My left arm looks like it lost a battle with Nair

I did chisels and plane blades, including some with cambers. I'm sold. I never really had a great system before as I could never decide between them all. This video and the fact that I had nearly everything sitting right here for it convinced me.

HoboMonk... you get your glass cut. In my case, I made-do with a piece of solid surface that was flat enough to a ruler's edge, but I'd like real glass. Do you cut them in a square like Bud had so the whole system is on one piece or do you make individual squares, or something different?! Would like to know before getting something cut then realizing another way would be more practical.

Paul, I just recently bought a 18"x18"x1/4" for about 20 bucks, which happens to fit perfectly in the drawer for all my sharpening stuff. The just knocked off the sharp edges. What I need to know is where to get the adhesive backed sandpaper. I couldn't find any, so went with mat spray. It worked, but not ideal.

[PaulMarcel]

Getting glass isn't difficult, but I wondered the size people like. I don't have a sharpening drawer. I have many junk drawers, however. hmm. What Bud used would be too big, but I'm thinking of two rectangles, one with the coarse grades, one fine.

I used spray adhesive. I think I'd prefer it since you're not limited to what you can find and order in PSA.

[Jim DaddyO]

I did my cheap chisels up with this method. Now I did not put a lot of effort into it as I was just experimenting. The chisels won't "shave", but they do take hair off my arm. For the backing plate, I went to the local lumber store and they had some 12 x 12 granite tiles on sale because of some off colouring. I think it was $2 or so. I just bought a bunch of planes and I am going to use this method on them too. I was just looking at a Veritas Mkll system, I think, for the money, I can buy a lot of sandpaper.

Jim

[themrfreeze]

Same here...I sharpen my stuff almost exactly the same way. My glass is 10" x 36", so I have one side arranged with six 3" x 8.5" sandpaper strips running parallel to the long edge (for flattening backs), and seven strips perpendicular to it on the other side for the bevels (which I do with a Veritas Mk2 honing guide). Quick, easy, and cheap.

[Juicegoose]

Couple quick questions guys.

1. How thick and what type of glass do I need to be asking for when I call the local glass shop?

2. For those of us trying to buy the paper where are you guys getting your sandpaper from?

3. What grits would you recommend getting and also regarding honing and stroping what are you guys using and where did you get the supplies?

When I went to Jeff Millers shop for a hand tool event he had a large or rather long piece of glass that he would stick a long strip on sandpaper to. I can't remember the grit but he used it to flatten the bottom of soles and and anything else that needed some more agressive work.

I've got a #6 that I need to tune up and was thinking of using a long piece of glass with some wet dry 220 glued down to help flatten the sole.

In the past I've gotten my low angle block to get pretty sharp(sharp enough to cut hair) but never so sharp that the hair jumped off my arm in fear. I've also never felt that bur on the back that everyone talks about.

[Xaromir]

Mind blowing.

I've been looking for better paper for a while.

Does it also come in rougher grids?

When i tried to get the bottom of my plane flat i've gone through the sheets really quick,

the sand just instantly came off.

Yes i set the blade so that it's well inside the plane and doesn't touch the paper.

I may be a bit of a dim bulb but not quit that dim.

I guess i see if i get some of those, to try.

The paper i now use really gives me a hard time,

and i'm also not that fond of stones actually.

[PaulMarcel]

The wet/dry paper comes in much coarser grits. They'll do better wet as the water will be a lubricant and help move the swarf out.

The paper I bought at Woodcraft is Klingspor paper and it must be made for sharpening as it is regular wet/dry paper with a much thicker back plastic coating. Lays down nicely on the glass with adhesive without wrinkles. Also seemed more durable.

Which type of paper are you using that you are getting sand right away? Even after doing 12 chisels and 7 plane irons on my paper (this includes lapping the backs, a more-or-less one time deal), the papers still cut and they don't have areas bare of abrasive.

[Onboard]

I think a key word is "flat". I’ve heard of some woodworkers doing their sharpening on a sheet of PPG Float glass (this is not “plate glass”) since it is a very flat glass. Expensive though. Granite of course is considered to be very flat. Frank Klausz uses (or used to use) a melamine board to lay his sandpaper on, saying that it is very flat. I’m not sure if there are any specs on how flat a surface needs to be in order to do sharpening of chisels and hand plane blades or flattening the sole of a plane. Anyone know?

[Jim DaddyO]

I buy my paper from the local NAPA store, they have Norton paper in grits up to 2000. I went to the local building center and bought a granite tile that had a colour flaw in it for about $2. I have heard of some folks going to where they cut granite counter tops and getting the piece they cut out for the sink.

Jim

[themrfreeze]

I've never run into a sandpaper that died on me super-fast, but stuff that seems to last a pretty long time is the Mirka waterproof paper I bought ages ago from Jeff Jewitt's store. If I start with fresh paper, I can sharpen almost my entire collection of planes and chisels before having to replace it once.

[Saddlestrum]

I found some nice granite pieces I spray with adhesive and then lay down wet/dry paper on. These granite pieces can usually be found at any local granite cutter yard. They usually have stuff in the discard pile that has been cut wrong. There's one place in town here that puts their "discards" out the back each night. Free works for me!

I found a large piece and cut it into smaller pieces myself with a cutting blade in a 4-1/2" grinder. Each piece takes a 1/2 sheet of wet/dry. Just was careful to have a garden hose trickling water onto the surface while I cut it gently back and forth and a felt tip marker line. (keep the water away from the electrical cord). Only had to cut a little over 1/2 way through and it snapped off cleanly. Just be careful as that snapped edge is sharp...you don't want to slice your finger when you're running a chisel or plane blade back and forth.

Putting the granite pieces on some non-slip rubber matting keeps it secure on the workbench. I always use water to create a slurry and carry the filings away.

"Scary sharp" works good. Waterstones work great as well. To each their own. Always have to remind myself to "drag" the chisel or plane iron towards me...ruined too many papers by pushing back and forth and the point gouges the paper. "too soon old, too late smart", ha-ha.

Regards, Saddlestrum, Victoria, BC