How Sharp Is Sharp Enough?
We just returned from Klingspor’s Woodworking Extravaganza in Hickory, N.C. this past weekend. It was a wonderful event and we met lots of new folks since The Woodworking Shows don’t usually have a presence in this part of the south. We would like to say thanks to the folks at Klingspor’s Woodshop and to all of the folks who took the time to stop and visit.
One of the recurring questions we always get is about sharpening high-speed steel lathe tools. Do we hone the edges after grinding, do we use a compound to achieve a really fine edge? The answer is mostly no with the exception of the skew chisel and then only for final cuts. I’ve talked about the math involved in turning wood before so I won’t bother you with the details here.
*At normal turning speeds, each 2.02 minutes you will pass 1 linear mile of wood past the cutting edge of your lathe chisel.
Any extra super sharp advantage you gain will be gone in the first 30-50 seconds of normal turning. Extra sharp edges are only useful for final finish cuts just before sanding. Don’t get me wrong, sharp is absolutely essential to safe and efficient turning. You can easily achieve that kind of sharp with an 80 to 120 grit regular abrasive wheel. I use a 180 grit CBN for my normal sharpening. When I need to reshape a HSS tool, I do it with an 80 grit CBN wheel. I then put a sharp cutting edge on the tool with the 180 grit CBN wheel.
Honing
The only tool I ever hone with a leather wheel and compound are my skews and then only for finishing cuts on large beads or rolling pin type projects. I normally use White Diamond or blue compounds although I have used green compound with pretty good results.
Using a lathe tool sharpening jig and setup aids, resharpening a gouge takes only about 45 seconds total. I resharpen as soon as the tool requires extra effort or doesn’t cut smoothly. That could be after an hour or 10 minutes, or 2 minutes depending on the abrasiveness of the material. I retouch the edge on my scrapers much more frequently.
Using sharp tools is much safer, a lot more fun, produces a better quality finish, eliminates much unnecessary sanding and will result in far fewer catches. So, stay sharp and develop your sharpening skills just like you would develop your gouge technique. Remember that wherever you go, there you are.
Here is my inspiration for this week’s message:
Samuel 13:20 MSG
That meant that the Israelites had to go down among the Philistines to keep their farm tools - plowshares and mattocks, axes and sickles - sharp and in good repair.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 NIV
If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
Matthew 15:16 NIV
16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them.
See the bottom of this newsletter for guides to buffing compounds and the formula for calculating surface speeds.
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