Sharpening stone box.

[Stewie Simpson]

The following is an update on the box I am making for my Welsh Llyn Idwell Grecian Stone.



The box after being mortised out and spirit stained ready for the stone to be seated. The timber used is Tasmanian Huon Pine. http://www.wood-database.com/huon-pine/



A black caulking is used to seal the stone within its mortised housing.



Tomorrow I can apply 2 coats of wax to the stained surface and buff it to a respectable sheen. Final photo to submit.

If any other members have recently made a box to house their sharpening stones, your quite welcome to add your own photo's.

Stewie;

[Trevor Goodwin]

I'm trying to get my head around why you would stain Huon Pine black?

[Stewie Simpson]

Trevor; you need to understand that Huon Pine without inherent feature such as birds eye, or white bait, is a rather plain looking timber. I will include a visual of the natural appearance in later photo's.

Stewie;

[Trevor Goodwin]

Stewie, I am very familiar with Huon Pine, and I have to say your taste in wood is very different to most woodworkers. I grew up in the Huon Valley in fact, where it is still possible to purchase it at reasonable prices. Just three weeks ago I helped my dad mill a 3m log that he found on a beach 20 years ago, the timber we got would be worth hundreds. Today I went to a woodworking show and almost every piece on display was Huon Pine, just "plain" huon pine, not birdseye. The timber is popular for several reasons; it's rare, exclusive to Tasmania, versatile, but mostly because of it's beautiful yellow-gold texture and fine grain. I must admit I get sick of seeing it around, because we have many other great timbers that deserve some exhibition, but I don't think anyone with appreciation for the timber would intentionally mask it with a stain.

Here is how I keep my sharpening stones:

DSC_0061.JPG

It's 4 radiata pine boards that are routed and edge-joined. The holes are for drainage and I have rubber feet on the base to stop it sliding.
They are 10mm Naniwa Specialty Stones. I go left to right; coarse to fine. I don't care about dust on my stones and I'm not too worried about grit contamination.

[Stewie Simpson]

Thanks Trevor. Interesting feedback.

Stewie;

[Tony Zaffuto]

Real nice Stewie!

Old tool hunting tip: if anyone comes across a sharpening stone, with a fancy box like Stewie made, there is an above average chance the stone was a prized possession of the former owner and more than likely, a top notch stone.

[Frederick Skelly]

Nice box Stewie!

[Derek Cohen]

I'm trying to get my head around why you would stain Huon Pine black?

Staining huon pine is sacriligeous in Australia. This is now rare and highly valued timber. It is old growth timber, very hard to come by. I posted a bowl a few days ago made of the even rarer birdseye variety. All huon is valued for its gentle, clear grain. When handplaned, it shimmers and glows.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Graham Haydon]

Sensible idea to stain in black on the basis you're using oil to hone? Pale timber would look grim petty quick, much better idea to stain it, uses up an off cut too I assume.

[Stewie Simpson]

Sensible idea to stain in black on the basis you're using oil to hone? Pale timber would look grim petty quick, much better idea to stain it, uses up an off cut too I assume.

Thanks Graham; that's the primary reason I chose to dark stain the timber.

Stewie;

[Stewie Simpson]

Attached are the final photo's after 2 coats of wax was applied.





Here is a photo of the bare Huon Pine I used to make the box. It provides a contrasting image to what others have been suggesting.

Feel free to offer a comment on which finish is better suited to a sharpening stone box.



regards Stewie;

[Pat Barry]

Attached are the final photo's after 2 coats of wax was applied.





Here is a photo of the bare Huon Pine I used to make the box. It provides a contrasting image to what others have been suggesting.

Feel free to offer a comment on which finish is better suited to a sharpening stone box.



regards Stewie;

I like the box and I think the black looks really nice and is entirely appropriate as I think it fits your intended purpose very well. I don't know anything about Tasmania so I fail to grasp the idea that staining the pine a beautiful black is bad. If that is bad perhaps we should just leave it alone entirely and quit the harvesting, sawing, etc. I say this facetiously of course because the material exists such that it can be used for some purpose or other. I expect there are plenty of examples of furniture etc using this material that are stained or finished in some manner or other.

[Stewie Simpson]

Appreciate the feedback Pat. I posted the following on another forum site that's covers the reason I chose Huon Pine.

Bront; Huon Pine was chosen as its a naturally oily timber, highly resistant to moisture decay. Its traditionally a rare practice to stain the inside of an enclosed box. Had the outer box remained a light coloured timber, its surface would have been susceptible to later unsightly staining from the combination of lubricant and stone slurry. The use of a caulking seal to prevent moisture entering the lower housing of the box is self explanatory. Traditionally, tar/pitch was used.

Stewie;

[Stewie Simpson]

Finished the Jarrah natural stone sharpening box (8000 grit). Both box halves were book matched to maximize the grain orientation. All the new brass fittings were given an antique finish. The fit of the stone within its mortise halves were double checked for clearance using a traditional chalking technique. Nothing more than a straight forward beveled edge was decided upon for the top half, to promote the wood grain as the main feature of this box. 4 coats of garnet shellac was applied, followed by a 2 coats of cutting paste buffed to sheen.

All up the presentation of the box turned out quite reasonable.



A spring loaded bullet catch was fitted to the bottom half of the box. This aids to maintain moderate tension between the 2 mating surfaces of the box when the front clasp is secured in the locked position. With the front clasp in the open position, that spring tension is then released.



Close up of the front spring loaded bullet catch.



Sharpening Box fully opened.



Stewie;

[Stewie Simpson]

I should make mention, as there is a related post on the use of shellac. This 2 part Garnet Shellac mix (dewaxed) I am using was dated August 2015. Its been stored within a sealed jar and kept out of direct sunlight in a disused refrigerator in my workshop. On opening the jar to use on this sharpening box, the mix was as good as new, and will likely last another 12 months before its starts to going off. Had it been a mix using dewaxed Blonde Shellac, previous experience would indicate it would have well and truly expired beyond use, inside that same time frame. I can only assume the bleaching process used to create Blonde Shellac has a major impact on its shelf life.

Stewie;