Sharpen by carving?

[mateo]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

My theory is that the glacial silt almost acts like the stropping compounds you folks are talking about. It's a very fine abrasive, and has settled/soaked into the outer layers of all the wood I use.

The problem with the theory is that stropping involves pulling the edge of the blade away from the abrasive while carving of course has the blade slicing into the silt. I think if anything the silt should dull the edge. What kind of wood are you carving.

[seangrady]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

The driftwood has been mostly black spruce, cottonwood and birch, particularly burls. Lot's of cottonwood bark as well.

[rick-in-seattle]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

Sean,
If you can keep your tools carving sharp without stropping and sharpening; you're doing better than I ever have.
Wood found in a river bed, Burls, or cottonwood bark from my experience will all dull sharp tools.
I carve logs found along the saltwater beaches, but I use one set of tools to carve most of it and finish up with another set.

If your tools never need to be sharpened, I wouldn't change a thing in the maintenance of them; you shouldn't waste money on strops or stones.

Nice pictures, Rick

[Donsexton]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

Sounds reasonable to me but I will look for any reason not to stop and sharpen I will just pick up a heaver mallet.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

I find when I carve Cottonwood, my tools dull even quicker. I strop more often with more strokes per side.

Dave

[Nomad]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

Alright, I was just wondering if perhaps I was missing out on something. I'll look into stropping further and try it to see if it makes a difference for me. Thanks!

Do you have any tests that you use? Most common one I know of for carvers is cutting across the end grain of a stick of basswood. Clean, shiny cuts with no scratches. Is this what you are getting?

[seangrady]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

I don't have any basswood, yet. Not sure what I have that would compare.

[rickm]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

newspaper or cigarette paper? Hold it with one hand, slice it wityh weight of blade, and then try and take just a little sliver off.

[Greyhair]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

Sean
I feel like my leg is being pulled really hard.
I carve a lot, strop a lot, sharpen occassionly. Small micro tools need sharpening more often. The bigger the tool the less it needs stropping or sharpening in my experience.

[seangrady]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

Not pulling anyone's legs, honest. I've got some stropping compound on order, and will give it a try. I'm guessing now that perhaps my tools are getting dull and I'm just not realizing it. I don't know though.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

Sean, I think you will see a huge difference after stropping.

Dave

[mark yundt]

Re: Sharpen by carving?

I don't even like to carve a piece of wood that has been previously sanded. I can feel the tools getting dull quickly with just that little bit of abrasive there.