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How many of you use sandpaper to sharpen your tools? I'm going to try it out, if for no other reason, because I came across a copy of a post from the Hesh of rec.woodworking.

https://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkT ... Sharp.html

Brad

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Works real good...

I switched this winter with a great improvement. And I thought I did a pretty good job in the past.

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

Switched from sandpaper to Waterstones.

I've tried Scary Sharp with wet n' dry abrasives to 2000 grit, Hermes Self Adhesive Abrasive Film to 2500 grit, and still have/use occasionally some 3M lapping films from 100 up to 0.3 micron (about 100.000 grit), mainly for chisel preparation.
All work well, but I prefer my diamond stones (up to a DMT D8EE) and Waterstones (all spray and go, up to a Naniwa 10.000 grit) for routine sharpening, convenient, and cost less in the long run.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I'm too cheap to buy water stones so I use wet/dry sandpaper up to 2000 grit and "very fine" grit on an old marble end table top and jig that was on a you-tube video by some Japanese fellow who only spoke Japanese.

Hmmm-- well it was right side up when I attached it

Sandpaper. Simple Green spray cleaner for lubricant. Richard Kell honing guide (fabulous guide).
Occasionally I will strop the very edge using the small buffing wheel and compound I use for buffing bone. I only do this for extreme delicate cutting.
Dave

I/ve only used 300 and 600,1200 on a granite surface plate for flattening the bottoms of planes and chisels. I prefer the L/N jig and use a 13 k waterstone for final finish. Carving chisels are done on a turned around red an green 1750 rpm buffing wheel. I would hesitate to use sandpaper as IMHO it rolls over the edge, particularly on the bevel, which I prefer flat for max edge retention.

I use the veritas guide on 2000 grit dry and now have scary sharp chisels. I could never get it right before.

Derek Cohen, who posted that, is a pretty fabulous woodworker (from down under). He gets tools and supplies from manufacturers to try out because he is such a methodical and lucid reviewer. Anybody interested in usable information, try his website:

https://www.inthewoodshop.com

Look at the many entries under "sharpening techniques" - he has tried them all and is very practical in his assessments as to what works quickly and easily. Talk about getting into the weeds, he gets into the DNA.

In fact, his Scary Sharp tm (always use the tm) entry appears to be where Hesh got the page he posted. It was right around 1996 when Steve and a few others started the OldTools page to get away from the rancor of the rec. I have been on OldTools since 1998 and all these old guys were a stitch, as well as being superb craftsmen. Steve is no longer with us, but a couple of the originals are. Patrick Leach of Blood and Gore fame is another. That list originated the terms Galoots and Neanderthals, and was and still is the only place to go for truly civilized discussion of hand tools. Everyone appreciates everyone, just a plain great place to spent time. nd it is still words only - no pictures.

If you would like to try it out, Steve will be looking down on you from above

https://oldtools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

The only part I don't like about Scary Sharp (tm) is that I am too cheap to replace the sandpaper as often as I should - some use a fresh 1/4 sheet after a couple of tools, and some like me get months and months of use out of it. I have done it both wet and dry, and dry is just as good and no mess. I have a piece of pine charged with green compound to finish up after the 2000 wet-dry paper. I have also done it with a jig and without, and once you get a feel for it, without is as good as with - a worthwhile skill to have for quick touch ups. If you are a carver, then none of these comments apply.

I just got a couple of EZLap diamond stones for Christmas because I am hard to buy gifts for, but I still like the Scary Sharp (tm) method the best.

My 2¢ - for most things you don't need extreme sharp - a friend who gives Windsor Chair classes takes all his planes, spokeshaves, drawknives, travishers, and adzes to 150 grit with a piece of aluminum oxide paper glued to a flat stick. I have done lots and lots of work with 600 grit as the final abrasive. But for guitars, I go the full monty to 2000 then the compound.

Have fun

Ed

It probably still is .... in Japan!

I sharpen with whatever is handy - waterstones, oil stones, sandpaper, beltsander, diamond hones, even a grinder. Different edges need different profiles and different degrees of sharpness. I sharpen my machete a little differently than my straight razor (which doesn't see much use these days).

I use a Work Sharp powered sharpener, which is more or less a powered version of the Scary Sharp (tm) concept. Glass wheels with different grits of PSA sandpaper attached, and a built-in honing guide. I love using sharp tools but hate taking a lot of time to get them sharp, so it’s perfect for someone like me.

Yes I use this too and it only takes a few swipes to resharpen

You know me and trying things.

I've had the veritas guide, an inexpensive guide, and the LN guide. Norton stones, fancy Japanese stones, Shapton stones, DMT stones...

And scary sharp.

I've settled on the LN guide and any modern waterstone. This will give me a sharp edge in a minute or so. I believe right now I'm using DMT's and a Japanese stone for the edge tools, and have Naniwa's in the kitchen for the knives.

This is one of those things that's just personal preference. They all work and give you a sharp edge.

[quote="Ernie Kleinman"]I/ve only used 300 and 600,1200 on a granite surface plate for flattening the bottoms of planes and chisels. I prefer the L/N jig and use a 13 k waterstone for final finish. Carving chisels are done on a turned around red an green 1750 rpm buffing wheel. I would hesitate to use sandpaper as IMHO it rolls over the edge, particularly on the bevel, which I prefer flat for max edge retention.[/quote]


Ernie, is that the Sigma Power 13k stone you're finishing with, and if so, how do you like it?

as a machinist and luthier I can say there are many ways to put an edge on a piece of steel. I use a Tormek and water stones but all systems can work well. I will say this with 100% certainty , if it doesn't shave it isn't sharp.
Learning how to sharpen a tool is a basic skill so learn and master it.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
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