# A new way to sharpen



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

So, i was down in the shop today with nothing better to do and i decided that i should probably sharpen my chisels, give that after 4 months and numerous drops on concrete, the edges on a few were pretty... lets go with ragged. Now, normally id grab some 80 grit wet/dry paper and spend the next 6 hours scrubbing everything back into shape. Not today though, because i have a fancy dandy belt grinder now. So, i spent a half hour and built this:









Err, to be clear, i built a new tool rest, not a new grinder. Now, doubtless some of you out there are composing a post wondering just how the bloody heck having a board next to the belt helps sharpen the tools, to which i say, drop the keyboard oh ye of little faith! That vertical board next to the platen is actually perfectly flush with the platen, allowing for this:









I figured, i could spend a couple hours trying to make a new tool rest narrow enough to get the chisels on with a fancy trunnion hinge system to set the angle, or i could spend a half hour making a platform for my MK2 honing guide to ride on. Laziness wins out, and this way i make that honing guide earn its keep. Didnt spend nearly $100 for nothing after all. Besides, something tells me that the honing guide will set the angle a lot more accurately and with a lot more repeatability than even the most well designed tool rest.

Sharpening goes how youd expect. Align the 'tool rest' with the platen and make sure to do it right. Set up the honing guide, im not going to elaborate on that one here, unless someone wants me to. Slap a belt on the grinder, 220 grit in this case, turn on the grinder to the appropriate speed (i found that the low end worked well on my narrower chisels, whereas higher speeds led to less heat buildup on my wider ones), set the wheel of the guide on the plywood and the chisel on the belt and away you go. 

Did a fantastic job of it too. I used the 220 because my chisels were in pretty rough shape, and once i had everything re-ground i switched over to the scary-sharp method to finish off the edge. The only reason i switched methods was convenience, it was a lot quicker to switch sandpaper sheets than it was to switch belts, what with all the re-aligning of the tool rest. If i wanted to, i have belts going up to 800 grit, and belts up to 2000 grit are available, as are leather and cork belts that can be charged with polishing compound, so the entire process from rough to final polish could be done on this grinder. 

Oh, and it also does lathe tools like spindle gouges, just hot glue a wedge of the proper angle to the horizontal part of the rest and use like a normal bench grinder. Better results on this too, because the flat platen gives you a flat grind, vs a hollow grind on the bench grinder


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

A couple of things that may make things more easy for you in the future:
























Top picture it the micro adjust support arm and a small tool holder / table that goes on it. I believe the support is calibrated in MM. (One complete turn is one MM best I can remember without looking it up or actually *reading* my manual) 

Bottom picture is the bracket that holds the support arm. (that bracket could be placed anywhere you wanted or needed it to be on your machine)

With that support arm and holder you could easily use any of the Tormek (or Grizzly) jigs on that machine... :yes:

I think all the stuff in the pictures above is less than $100.00 (or darn close) from Acme Tools.

Fine work you got going on there Epic. :thumbsup:


Seriously consider getting one of those leather belts for your tool if you have not done so already. Honing like you mentioned takes things from sharp to 'spooky sharp' very quickly. :yes:


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

OnealWoodworking said:


> A couple of things that may make things more easy for you in the future:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You know, I never even considered any of the tormek jigs could be adapted to something like this. That's a great idea though, its be a lot better of a system for sharpening lathe tools than my current "hot glue a wedge" system. 

As far as the leather belt for the grinder goes, I considered it but ultimately decided against it, at least for now. Still working on the necessary muscle memory to keep the sharpening angle just right, so right now it works out better for me to take the edge to 800 on the grinder, then finish the edge off by hand. Besides, I like sharpening tools


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

Cool tool you built here. Very cool!!


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Burb said:


> Cool tool you built here. Very cool!!


Youre more than welcome to swing by sometime and try it out mate. Heck, if you want ill PM you when i finally get the heat treat oven built, you can try your hand at making a knife.


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

epicfail48 said:


> You're more than welcome to swing by sometime and try it out mate. Heck, if you want ill PM you when i finally get the heat treat oven built, you can try your hand at making a knife.


That'd be AWESOME!! I've looked at some of the knife kits & I'd love to make one some day!! One of these days you need to stop by place in Republic. I'll buy you a "insert beverage of choice here"...


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Burb said:


> That'd be AWESOME!! I've looked at some of the knife kits & I'd love to make one some day!! One of these days you need to stop by place in Republic. I'll buy you a "insert beverage of choice here"...


Coke, my friend, coke. Also, where's the fun in a knife kit? Way more fun putting together your own kit, then you can make whatever you want! 

In all seriousness, I'll give you a shout once I get the heat treat oven built, or at least have some decent steel in. Few ways to kill an afternoon are quite as fun as grinding a knife out of a hunk of 1084


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

epicfail48 said:


> Coke, my friend, coke. Also, where's the fun in a knife kit? Way more fun putting together your own kit, then you can make whatever you want!
> 
> In all seriousness, I'll give you a shout once I get the heat treat oven built, or at least have some decent steel in. Few ways to kill an afternoon are quite as fun as grinding a knife out of a hunk of 1084


Sounds great!!! I'm looking forward to it.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

You can use the steel from leaf springs out of a truck. A junk yard would probably give you some.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

hwebb99 said:


> You can use the steel from leaf springs out of a truck. A junk yard would probably give you some.


I already considered that. The only junkyard close to me charges $20 per spring, so the math breaks down to $20 for 1ft of rusted mystery steel, or $20 for 4 ft of shiny new 1084 bar stock. Either way im skint broke, but once i actually have money im just ordering some. Better results that way too


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

epicfail48 said:


> I already considered that. The only junkyard close to me charges $20 per spring, so the math breaks down to $20 for 1ft of rusted mystery steel, or $20 for 4 ft of shiny new 1084 bar stock. Either way im skint broke, but once i actually have money im just ordering some. Better results that way too


 
Do you have a link to what stock you were looking at specifically?

Was there a website?


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

OnealWoodworking said:


> Do you have a link to what stock you were looking at specifically?
> 
> Was there a website?


http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/shop/1084hc/

In particular i was looking at the 1/8 thick 1.5 wide stock. Comes in 4 foot lengths, and for some reason the 1084 from that website in particular is pretty highly regarded by what appears to be most of the internet


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