Scary Sharpening

[keithkarl2007]

Ok I don't know if this is the right place to ask this but, would granite be ok to use for Scary Sharpening? A local granite supplier said i could root through their offcut bin on Saturday to find something suitable.

 

[RogerBoyle]

Yes provided it has no pitts in the face and it is level

HTH

Roger

 

[carlb40]

Yes i use it at the mo. I purchased a tesco chopping board / worktop saver just for this reason

 

[keithkarl2007]

When machined I think the granite is perfectly flat, just like 10mm plate glass. I'm guessing there would be no difference between both. I'm hoping to get a long piece to also use to flatten the sole of a hand plane.

 

[bugbear]

When machined I think the granite is perfectly flat, just like 10mm plate glass. I'm guessing there would be no difference between both. I'm hoping to get a long piece to also use to flatten the sole of a hand plane.

I wouldn't go down that route for sole flattening.

a) many things cause more obvious and urgent issues with a plane than out of flat soles
b) rubbing a plane of a (hopefully) flat abrasive surface is neither effective or accurate (IME).

Evidence and citations here:

http://web.archive.org/web/200901140658 ... atten.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200901141057 ... heory.html
http://web.archive.org/web/200901141455 ... ctice.html

BugBear

 

[keithkarl2007]

Thanks for that. I saw it done on a Record No. 7 video on youtube and thought it would be ok to do.

 

[Peter Sefton]

We use glass to do Scary sharpening and plane sole flattening (sorry BugBear) and find it very good, we check and reference on a granite inspection plate. As with all techniques they take practise and are not fool proof.
The Edward Barnsley Workshop Scary sharp on granite which is great if it is flat but not as mobile as glass.

 

[mn pete]

I've only used glass, but I've seen a lot of guys use granite. Some of the woodworking tools stores actually sell granite slabs specifically for sharpening and flattening.

 

[bugbear]

We use glass to do Scary sharpening and plane sole flattening (sorry BugBear) and find it very good, we check and reference on a granite inspection plate. As with all techniques they take practise and are not fool proof.

Indeed - two people I respect have achieved good results with it, and (as referenced on my pages) Sauer & Steiner use it to flatten their excellent planes.

http://sauerandsteiner.blogspot.co.uk/2 ... sucks.html

(note the very large, reliably flat work surface, and frequent abrasive changes - key to making it work, AFAIK)

But I couldn't make it work, and I've read many tales of woe from people who've tried it and had poor (convex every time) results.

Even worse, they're convinced their sole is flat because they have scratch marks all over it - not releasing that this is possible on a convex sole

It's only when they check (as you do) against a reference that they realise their error.

The other downside of the technique is large planes - as the size goes up, the pressure (on the abrasive) goes down, leading to slow progress.

BugBear

 

[Racers]

Hi, BB

I think the main cause of convexity is a ripple in the paper, I find if you stretch it tight you don't get a problem.

This is my set up note the clamps pulling the paper taught.

Pete

 

[riclepp]

I use the scary sharp on float glass which is around 10mm think and 3 foot long which I flatten the soles on all my planes on as well as the sides. I was taught this by Peter Sefton and to be honest I don't seem to have had a problem with it. But also have a large granite block which I use to ensure that the soles are flat by putting the plane sole on it and then getting out the feeler guage. I also use the perverbial marker marks on the sole to see how the scary sharp is working. I butt two pieces of scary shap together when I run out of the long stuff (only done this once....lol). But when using the long roll cut to length you don't get the join. I think that this is a great method to use, as my skin on my hands can testfy to its sharpness when completed

 

[keithkarl2007]

Thanks guys. I'll see about getting the abrasives needed as I really want to get the chisels done too. I'm only starting out and I'm still picking up bits and pieces both online and at flea markets. I picked up the Record No. 4 plane and two different 2MT cup centres for my lathe at the market. I picked up the Jet machines recently too, a bandsaw, tablesaw, planer thicknesser and mortiser. I paid €2300 for the 4 of them. The lathe I already had.
This is my workshop. If you think it looks untidy there you should see it now. I turned 8 bowls recently from Cherry and there are shavings all over the place. I also have pieces of bog oak all over the place which can't be seen in that photo.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n ... directlink

 

[riclepp]

Thanks guys. I'll see about getting the abrasives needed as I really want to get the chisels done too. I'm only starting out and I'm still picking up bits and pieces both online and at flea markets. I picked up the Record No. 4 plane and two different 2MT cup centres for my lathe at the market. I picked up the Jet machines recently too, a bandsaw, tablesaw, planer thicknesser and mortiser. I paid €2300 for the 4 of them. The lathe I already had.
This is my workshop. If you think it looks untidy there you should see it now. I turned 8 bowls recently from Cherry and there are shavings all over the place. I also have pieces of bog oak all over the place which can't be seen in that photo.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n ... directlink

For the rolls of scary sharp give Axminster a looksee, I get mine from there as well as Workshop hevan for the sheets. Really good prices and very quick turnaround too. If you want to lose some of your bog oak, i'll have some....lol

 

[keithkarl2007]

Thanks guys. I'll see about getting the abrasives needed as I really want to get the chisels done too. I'm only starting out and I'm still picking up bits and pieces both online and at flea markets. I picked up the Record No. 4 plane and two different 2MT cup centres for my lathe at the market. I picked up the Jet machines recently too, a bandsaw, tablesaw, planer thicknesser and mortiser. I paid €2300 for the 4 of them. The lathe I already had.
This is my workshop. If you think it looks untidy there you should see it now. I turned 8 bowls recently from Cherry and there are shavings all over the place. I also have pieces of bog oak all over the place which can't be seen in that photo.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n ... directlink

For the rolls of scary sharp give Axminster a looksee, I get mine from there as well as Workshop hevan for the sheets. Really good prices and very quick turnaround too. If you want to lose some of your bog oak, i'll have some....lol

What size pieces do you need?

 

[riclepp]

Oh.....I was only joking, because I know how expensive the stuff is. But thank you for the kind offer though

 

[keithkarl2007]

I just checked the Axminster site and found the Hermes Self Adhesive Abrasive Film. It's available in 800, 1200 and 2500. What would these be used for, flattening backs and sharpening? You'll have to forgive me, I am completely new to this type of sharpening. I am hoping to use this method to avoid the mess from waterstones and having to flatten them regularly. Plus the costs involved in purchasing the various waterstones is kind of out of my range.

 

[keithkarl2007]

Oh.....I was only joking, because I know how expensive the stuff is. But thank you for the kind offer though

Your kidding me, right? I practically live on the bog and get pieces the whole time. What I have in the shed is bone dry and mostly crack free.

 

[Racers]

It would work but it will take years, you need to start much coarser.

Pete

 

[riclepp]

As Pete has said these would be more for the polishing the back of the cheisles and the honing. You need the courser grit to get rid of all of the factory grinding marks. Get a large piece of float glass and stick the adhesive paper on and away you go. I put water on the abrasive paper I use for chesiles and parafing for flattening the soles of plans. For the soles you need a long piece of float glass, mine is 3 foot long. To do the chisels for the first time takes a fairly long time, getting the first and micro bevels dose not take to long. The more you do the easier it gets.

 

[riclepp]

Oh.....I was only joking, because I know how expensive the stuff is. But thank you for the kind offer though

Your kidding me, right? I practically live on the bog and get pieces the whole time. What I have in the shed is bone dry and mostly crack free.

No, I tired to buy a piece recently and nearly fell over. I am soon to start turning pens for the family and small peices like that, so not that much was needed, but the price I was quoted was not what I had expected; and therfore put it on the back burner for now at least.