It depends on the steel.. ;). New modern steels don't respond well to traditional bricks...
;)
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It depends on the steel.. ;). New modern steels don't respond well to traditional bricks...
;)
Blue steel of course requires Blue Circle cement, as every experienced woodworker knows.
(I only know about Blue Circle because of a well-known gag in aerospace circles, wherein early production Panavia Tornado interceptor variants were said to be flying with "Blue Circle radars")
Maybe they should start selling 12" x 12" squares of Terrasco Flooring as a polishing stone?
Ok, ok...how about this? You go into a Borg, pick out a concrete block the ones shaped like a brick? Mix up a slurry of Portland Cement and fine sand, with enough water to make paste. Trowel that mix into the flat surface of the block.....then do a slick finish. Depending on the grain size of the sand used, will determine the "grit" of the sharpening stone. I doubt IF you could use it as a water stone......maybe use a mineral oil like lube? Schwarz may even use Olive Oil....
You may have to buy a steel finishing trowel to slick finish the slurry......about the same slurry one uses on Concrete Counter Tops.
Everyone knows the only appropriate fluid for top quality sharpening on concrete is the stuff that drips out of your car onto the slab. Naturally.
I found out that bricks and rocks are no longer used in the field by professionals when a chisel needs a bit of a touch up. The tool of choice is the hand held belt sander. Expecially if you need a "Factory sharp edge"... ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uei2HYv9RA
I've got the Taunton DVD of Tage Frid. At one point, he talks about the importance of sharp chisels, then casually walks up to the stationary belt sander, hits the bevel free hand, walks over to the buffer, hits the edge to take off the burr, and then goes back to work. No oil stones, water stones, diamond stones, jigs, guides, special compounds, float glass, surface plates, grit progression, or any of that nonsense. It is interesting the different approach that people have when their tools are just tools, and not the object of their hobby:)
Do you have any concrete steps....well worn ones?
Also, anyone that "chews".....Mail Pouch makes a decent concrete "lube" DAMHIKT....