Sharpening tools with curved cutting edge

Another option:

Spyderco ceramic files: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IXQLK

I actually have a set of varying grit ceramic files in a broader set of shapes that was cheaper at Garret Wade a few years back but they don't seem to sell them anymore.

The spyderco fine files like the above are really only good for light touch ups (yes I have them as well, I either have a stone collection problem or a sharpening solution), they don't remove metal that fast - but that's dandy for carving tools cause you don't want to remove metal all that fast.

The other trick is to use the tool to cut a cove and bead on a piece of hard wood like maple and then rub the maple with some polishing compound (a few drops of 3 in 1 oil smeared on helps the compound stick) then use that to hone the tool. Works really well for quick touch ups while working and you've matched the profile of the tool to the honing instrument so you're less likely to change the shape of the edge to much to quickly.

I haven't used the wave, I do have some variable width slip stones (http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=33012&cat=1,43072,43071&ap=1)- the main problem I have with them is that on smaller gouges you can only use a little bit of the stone to hit the whole profile in a reasonable fashion so they're somewhat tedious to use and keep a profile good. I think the cones ?might? be a bit more forgiving since they're narrower so you can kind of sweep them back and forth like they show in the video. Having said that the wave has a longer transition than the water stones do so it looks like you have a bit more of a "sweet" spot and diamond does cut a lot faster so it may well be less onerous in use.
 
I was temped to buy it but then I realised that it is only a diamond conical slipstone both concave and convex. So as I have other stones I opted for not buying it. It must work well or so I think.
 
What type of stones do you use Toni? I reckon you probably have more experience than most of us put together so I'd be interested to see what your setup looks like.

Hi Ryan.
Along the years I have accumulated quite a few stones that were from my dad, other were given to me by the master carver who also gave me his tools, and lately some more thanks to internet. Finding good stones here is difficult, basically becasue one doesn't know where to look for them, even in "speciallized" shops either they do not have them or don't know what to advice you.
Of all these ones that I'm showing here I only use a small part of them, as the "bad" ones are relegated to oblivion.

These were the first stones I had they were given to me by that master carver about 30 years ago, they are natural, worked well enough and I used them until I got others that were better. The thin one on the left is a reshaped stone originally sold for honing shaving straight razors. He used the cigar shaped one tho hone the interior edge of semicircular gouges.
IMG_4750.jpg
These ones I bought them about 6 years ago, they are almost useless, specially the ones on the left with the grooves. Maybe some day I will reshape them and try to use them. I think that they are water stones, but I'm not sure.
IMG_4749.jpg
These are the ones that I most use, a medium grain India bench stone and a cristolon medium grain square slipstone and a couple of india slip stones of different thickness. These square ones are quite good because they come with 3 edges already shaped in 3 different radius and the third one is flat so you can shape it at will.
IMG_4751.jpg
These are a similar setup as the previous but they are traslucent hard arkansas. The rectangular one on the left was given to me as a present by my dad about 20 years ago. The others I bought them together with the india square ones of the previous pic. These two sets are the ones I use.
IMG_4752.jpg
These ones were from my dad, they are of very different and fine grains, these stones were used in a metalographic lab were he worked to prepare the metal samples to be inspected on the microscope. I used some of them when I started carving but as they need to shaped accordingly I stopped using them. The two slips work but I use them very seldom, specially because I do not sharpen my thing gouges as often as the bigger ones.

IMG_4753.jpg

So as you can see my collection is made of errors, heirloom stones, and others. I also have some self made hand strops, and this set up of different hard felt wheels with green compound that speed up the stropping when carving a piece.
IMG_4754.jpg

One of the things I can tell you is that with time I find myself using less and less different stones, and mainly those that I find work well. Another thing that I can tell is that they are all oil stones, which I find better suited for carving gouges as water stones wear too fast IMHO. Besides you never risk getting rust in your gouges. ;)

Later on I found http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/ which is a heaven for sharpening stones and accesories, I whish I had known them long ago.

Hope this helps.
 
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Interesting set Toni.
Funny thing after a bit of a journey i can relate to what you have said.
This week i picked up a diamond plate by DMT.
One side is 600 grit and other is 1200.
The plate is incredibly flat and cuts fast but most important really flat. I found it the first thing i have managed to use to get a nice straight sharp edge on my pocket carving knife.
Another pretty economical set i use is this small set from Lv.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=33014&cat=1,43072,43071&ap=1

Here is the diamond coated stone i purchased.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=33005&cat=1,43072

I think for plane blades its going to be fantastic.


Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
Wow, thanks Toni what a great collection!

A few things stood out as interesting to me on your setup. First was how thin a lot of your stones are, it seems to be more common to see more of the thicker bench stones over here. Not that thin is bad in this case, especially for the slips where you want that smaller curve. Most of my slip stones look positively clunky in comparison.

I only have one translucent arkansas of dubious heritage, it would be interesting to try some more. You have quite a nice collection.

I agree on the water stone problem. I've been using the one sigma select ii 13k as a dry honing stone which works pretty well, it will put a mirror shine back on a carving tool pretty fast. I have an arkansas black, but it really needs to be worked in more to be usable (there are some cut marks on it still and it seems a bit coarse). The spyderco ceramic is athe nice because it's usable dry and curd any type of steel (it's basically sapphire in ceramic bond), although most of my carving tools are carbon steel so not a huge benefit for those.

I'll keep the uselessness of the shaped stones in mind :)

It would be interesting to know what the stones you got from your dad are. I can't tell from the picture, maybe some sort of slate? Nice to still have them anyway.

The honing setup looks interesting. I've been considering setting up a foot powered system that could clamp onto the side of the bench, I think I have it about figured out. Using the lathe would be a useful interim step :)

Anyway, thanks again for the great overview of your setup. Some interesting things to think about. Looking at the link as well, I don't NEED more stones (and you're definitely correct that picking some and sticking with them is smart), but still... :)
 
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