Question for ScarySharp folks.

[Chuck Nickerson]

People keep talking about using low-tack adhesive to hold down the sandpaper. When I wander the aisles of the BORGs and hardware stores, LTA is not jumping out at me. What's a brand/product name you use?

TIA

[Bob Glenn]

If you think you really need it, go to Walmart. No sense spending more at a specialty store. I tried the LTA when I first started the SS method. When it came time to change paper, I found it time consuming and messy to do so.

Now I just slap a piece of sand paper down on the glass, hold it with one hand and sharpen with the other. You can get by with one piece of small glass that way. Don't why people glue the stuff down. :confused:

[Michael Faurot]

People keep talking about using low-tack adhesive to hold down the sandpaper. When I wander the aisles of the BORGs and hardware stores, LTA is not jumping out at me. What's a brand/product name you use?


You may not need that stuff. When I've done this, I use one of those granite surface plates that are sold at Woodcraft, and then I just wet the back of the paper and the granite with a spray bottle full of water.

Another thing you can do is use masking tape or that blue painter's tape. Just frame the sand paper with the tape and it'll stay put.

[Greg Cole]

Chuck,
I use 3M spray adhesive for my sandpaper to glass adhesive. #77 or something like that.... it's not realy low tack, but it takes awhile to wear out the paper and it scrapes off with a razor blade.

Greg

[Eric Hartunian]

Another option is the 3m sanding film that has a adhesive already on the film. I use this and find it far better that sandpaper. It seems more consistent, and there is no mess dealing with spray adhesive. Use 3m 77 once and you'll know what I mean.

Eric

[Jim Mims]

People keep talking about using low-tack adhesive to hold down the sandpaper. When I wander the aisles of the BORGs and hardware stores, LTA is not jumping out at me. What's a brand/product name you use?
TIA
Dang it, I must not be holding my tongue just right. 'Cause when I posted a bunch of scary sharp questions a couple of days ago, almost none of them were answered. You're lucky.
I was at the borg and saw a couple of different spray adhesives and just picked one, which is working well for me. At least in my store, they were on the isle with rope, chain and trailer (grease) parts.
- Jim

[Zahid Naqvi]

I buy the pre-backed paper that LV sells. Spray adhesive will always have some degree of inconsistency, as in globs, which might impact the edge of your blades

[Clint Jones]

I used scary sharp for a while my advise is buy the Norton water stone starter kit, some pieces of leather and green honing compound from LV. You will save money in the long run and there is nothing sharper than a blade from an 8000 norton to strop.

[JayStPeter]

I use the LV stuff for the finer grits mostly because it lasts longer than anything I can source locally. Since it's only available above the equivalent of 1000 grit, I just get the more coarse grits from the borg and use the 3M #77 spray. My trash can is near where I sharpen. I take the piece of sandpaper I want to stick down, hold it over the trashcan with the back facing me and give it a quick squirt. It's more like I wave the can over the surface with the button held down. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to hold the stuff in place. In fact, the less you get on there while still covering the majority of the surface the better. It's much easier to peel off later. Slap it on the glass and go.

[John Dykes]

I used scary sharp for a while my advise is buy the Norton water stone starter kit, some pieces of leather and green honing compound from LV. You will save money in the long run and there is nothing sharper than a blade from an 8000 norton to strop.
My honest vote too...

Respectfully -
jbd

[glenn bradley]

I get the 3M micro abrasive that is PSA. The glue comes off easily with a little lighter fluid (no, not lit) when you want to change paper. I have some coarser abrasive that is wet dry and just a film of water on the glass will hold it still. This will vary depending on what method you use: abrasive over the whole surface with the jig riding the abrasive (a little water will work) -or- abrasive on the front half of the glass with the jig riding on the glass (the paper gets pushed around if not fastened).

I find the second method gives me more consistent and controllable results. For spray adhesive 3M #77.

[Gary Herrmann]

Just a spray of water. One of it's properties is high surface tension. The sandpaper will stay right where you put it.

[Chuck Nickerson]

Stone-users: I have Shaptons for all my flat work. I'm looking to use SS on shaped MDF for curved blades. I should have mentioned that.

3M 77 users: I have learned it's not low-tack.

Water-tension users: see stone-users response.

3M PSA-users: in my experience these papers wear fast. What might I be doing wrong?

Next time I'll start with more detail.
Chuck

[JayStPeter]

3M PSA-users: in my experience these papers wear fast. What might I be doing wrong?

Next time I'll start with more detail.
Chuck

Most paper wears fast. I use the stuff from LV because it seems to wear better than others, but it still goes quick. This is the main reason I'll switch to stones.

[Justin Grow]

Go to your local picture framer and ask them to order you some cans of 3m remount. They can get it from

[ken seale]

Just go to Walmart or Ace and buy a $3 spray can of Elmers multi-purpose contact cement. It's the blue & orange can. Cleans off easy with naptha (lighter fluid) or lacquer thinner.

77 is way hard to remove and I find that water can let the paper slide. The stuff scrapbookers use probably would work fine too. If you have some around, you might give it a try.

[Mike Brady]

The reason an adhesive is recommended over no adhesive or water as an adhesive is: the paper will tend to roll sightly just ahead of the lead edge of what you are sharpening. This roll will dub the edge...a problem that I feel is a real drawback to the SS method. Here's what I mean: Flatten the back of an junk chisel using the SS method go thru the grits to at least a 1000. Looks good doesn't it? Now go to a medium grit, known flat sharpening stone like a diamond stone and start the process over. I wager you will notice that the very edges (where it counts) of the chisel are still mirror shiny, while the rest of the back is scratchy from the stone. That's because the edges got dubbed over during the use of the paper and the stone is not cutting at the edges of the blade. Gluing will help minimize the rolling of the paper that causes the dubbing. MHO only. Others (of course) may disagree.

Take a look at Clint's post above.

[glenn bradley]

Ford. Chevy. Tastes Great. Less Filling. Sharpening is a very personal thing to some, a very mathmatical thing to others. In the end you'll find what's right for you ;-) However you get there, you can't beat a sharp edge to put a smile on your face.

[Kevin French]

Buy the cheapest, use just one deliberate spray, full length.

I use adhesives over water, because I have many pieces of glass and I don't have to keep changing the paper.