So... I made a sharpening video!

[Luke Dupont]

Because, I know we just can't get enough of sharpening

No, really though - I would like any constructive criticism / commentary! I decided to make it in a little "how to" format as I have a friend interested in woodworking and who was asking me about sharpening, and because it allows me to expand on what I do and why I do it. Moreover, I kind of enjoy sharing my knowledge from a beginners perspective, as I think it's useful to other beginners.

Since I am still a beginner though, I thought it would be prudent to run it by all of you just to make sure that I'm not advocating anything objectively wrong and can benefit from any experience relevant to my technique.

In particular, I'm curious how those of you who free-hand and maintain a perfectly flat bevel avoid the problem of suction/sticking. I've played around with that method multiple times, but I keep reverting to sharpening with a convex bevel because it remedies this problem.

Disclaimer: No, I don't normally spend this long sharpening a single chisel! I just find it extremely hard to talk and do something at the same time, apparently, and wanted to cover a wide array of points. I guess I should have recorded the process at regular speed as well/could make a second video demonstrating that.



This is one of my first attempts at making a youtube video, by the way.

[Brian Holcombe]

I can't say I ever run into sticktion with oil stones. I use mineral oil.

I made a sharpening video for you since I'm doing setup on some new chisels in my spare time.



At the end I show the chisel bevel being checked with a straightedge for flatness.

I use finger pressure where needed but my right hand is also used to apply a slight force to focus the pressure on the bevel rather than the soft iron. These Konobu chisels are extremely hard at the edge and so if just worked normally all the wear will be on the iron.

I go over the corner of the stone on these wide chisels because I want to wear the center of the chisel slightly concave so that when I return to the full width of the stone the bevel is made very flat. Otherwise a crown can be created and that is very hard to remove from wide chisels.

[Reinis Kanders]

Nice videos. Brian it looks like you use almost no oil, does it cut faster this way?

[Pat Barry]

Hey Luke, You should take a look at the chisel handle on the video as you are sharpening. You need to focus on keeping it level (now its going up and down quite dramatically). Of course, the up and down gets you that convex bevel I suppose. Is that what you are going for? Typically you want to set the angle and maintain during each successive sharpening step. I suppose you could sharpen the primary angle and then get a secondary angle with next next higher grit you use for sharpening also but I still think you want to maintain that angle and not be convex

[Brian Holcombe]

I also take the handle off of paring chisels to remove the weight acting in the wrong direction.

Once I build a swarf I really don't add much oil until
the stone slows, then I add oil and hit the surface with an atoma 140 to keep it cutting fast. The Konobu is very hard steel so fresh grit is required.

[Luke Dupont]

I can't say I ever run into sticktion with oil stones. I use mineral oil.

I made a sharpening video for you since I'm doing setup on some new chisels in my spare time.

[...]

At the end I show the chisel bevel being checked with a straightedge for flatness.

I use finger pressure where needed but my right hand is also used to apply a slight force to focus the pressure on the bevel rather than the soft iron. These Konobu chisels are extremely hard at the edge and so if just worked normally all the wear will be on the iron.

I go over the corner of the stone on these wide chisels because I want to wear the center of the chisel slightly concave so that when I return to the full width of the stone the bevel is made very flat. Otherwise a crown can be created and that is very hard to remove from wide chisels.

Thanks for the video!

Yeah, I've found the same thing regarding the hard/soft difference on the bevel when sharpening Japanese tools. It's actually Japanese tools that I've been practicing sharpening with an entirely flat bevel like you demonstrate. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't all that difficult for me to reprofile them flat by hand (I had sharpened them with a slight convex bevel prior), but when I did I had the stiction problem again.

I'm wondering what I might be doing different to explain this. I've used both water and oil-stones, with more or less lubrication, and I pretty consistently get the sticky suction problem. As far as I'm aware, my process/technique is no different than what you demonstrate.

I also get the edge (either the edge, or the sharp corner of the back) grabbing into the stone and getting "caught" sometimes when I sharpen in this manner, which creates a micro-bevel and kind of ruins the geometry. This kind of "slip up" tends to happen if I'm not applying considerable force at the very edge with my finger tips.

I have Tendinosis/Repetitive Strain Injury in my wrists already, so I find the kind of strength that I need to exert with my fingertips to keep everything steady makes this method very strenuous and painful for me. But, since I haven't heard anyone else complaining about this or seeming to have the sticktion problem, I wonder if I'm not doing something wrong.

Hey Luke, You should take a look at the chisel handle on the video as you are sharpening. You need to focus on keeping it level (now its going up and down quite dramatically). Of course, the up and down gets you that convex bevel I suppose. Is that what you are going for? Typically you want to set the angle and maintain during each successive sharpening step. I suppose you could sharpen the primary angle and then get a secondary angle with next next higher grit you use for sharpening also but I still think you want to maintain that angle and not be convex

Hi Pat! Yep, I intentionally vary the angle to get a convex bevel. Like I said, I find a flat bevel creates suction and requires more physical exertion, so I sharpen with a convex bevel so that only a small surface area is in contact with the stone at any one time.

Sometimes I do like you describe and sharpen with a consistently flat angle too. I have no problem maintaining a consistent angle and getting a perfectly flat bevel, but when I sharpen this way the bevel tends to stick to and catch on my stone, and it seems more strenuous for me, as I described in response to Brian. Maybe I'm using too much oil or putting too much force in the wrong place or something when I sharpen this way -- I'm not sure! Do you have any problems with sticking / suction when you sharpen with a flat bevel?

[Brian Holcombe]

Luke, try using less oil, just oil to the point where the blade doesn't cause a grinding noise and see if the stiction disappears.

[Warren Mickley]

Luke, I suggest standing up. Put the stone straight out in front of you. Hold the chisel with the right palm holding the very end of the handle, and with the index finger pointing toward the edge. That way the chisel handle doesn't flop around and you have greater angular control. Steady the edge up close with fingers of the left hand. With this posture you can use the larger upper body muscles and not strain wrists. You also ought to be able to bring more pressure to bear.

Some people like to lock their wrists and arms and sway their whole body in order to help keep a steady angle. I don't think you need to do this; you have very good hands. You already do a good job of keeping the honing angle in bounds, but honing a flat bevel will make it even easier. I think with better posture you can have more strength, less sticking.

[Pat Barry]

I find a flat bevel creates suction ... Do you have any problems with sticking / suction when you sharpen with a flat bevel?

Personally, I have really never noticed this sort of stickiness due to suction. In fact, if I did, I'd think I must really have things perfect. I'd say if you can feel that suction effect then you have a sensitive touch and are doing things right.

[Luke Dupont]

> Brian/Warren:

I'll try combining both of your advice!

Brian definitely uses far less oil than I usually do in his video. The sticktion tends to happen on my finer arkansas stones rather than coarser stones such as my India though, which makes sense as it requires two smooth surfaces.

I can also see how standing up might make it a lot easier / less strenuous. I just realized that I do usually sharpen sitting down, and you can see how it's an awkward, unsupported angle to work at in my video.


> Pat

Thanks! Well, I'd say it means that the geometry of the bevel is correct at least, but considering how I find it awkward, I'm sure I'm doing something a bit off even if it's just how much oil I'm using or the position I'm working from. I'll keep working at this method when sharpening my Japanese tools and see if I can't make it more comfortable/less awkward.