On sharpening threads

[Derek Cohen]

There is something about a sharpening thread to which everyone feels compelled to contribute. Young and old, amateur and professional, newbie and experienced. And no one seems to read what others have written - they are in too much of a rush to put their thoughts down for others to read and applaud.

When it appears that The Post (the profound reply) fails to gain a response (because no one has read it since they are instead too busy writing their reply), we finally take time out to read what others have written. At this stage it is All or Nothing … either others re-write what I have written (in other words, agree with me), or they are clearly too inexperienced and have missed the profundity of my insights. WHAT is so hard about understanding that my way will save you YEARS of unnecessary experimentation and expense?!

Thank God that we are all different. It is not that we would end up bored senseless or have little to discuss (constant agreement is not a conversation), but learning requires bouncing ideas off one another. Ah, but this seems more often forgotten in a sharpening thread.

The endless sharpening threads are doomed to perpetual repetition and revolving, repeated statements since there cannot be universal agreement. It is impossible since sharpening has as many methods as Patrick has sharpening stones. That fundamental factor escapes all in the passion of the moment.

The thread finally loses energy after everyone has repeated themselves several times, or a moderator decides that what little debate there was has been replaced by too many slanderous remarks … and the thread is closed.

Of course, since this cannot bring closure, it is doomed to be repeated the next time someone asks, “Should I use waterstones or ….?”

Regards from Auckland (leaving tomorrow)

Derek

[Malcolm Schweizer]

So, to your point; do I need a microbevel or not?

[Dave Zellers]

There is something about a sharpening thread to which everyone feels compelled to contribute. And no one seems to read what others have written - they are in too much of a rush to put their thoughts down for others to read and applaud.Derek

I'm sorry. What did you say?

[Tony Wilkins]

So, to your point; do I need a microbevel or not?

Yes. And be sure to use only Hunts ketchup on you water stones.

[Dave Zellers]

But seriously, I LOVE, and I mean LOVE sharpening threads. Because I'm getting pretty darn good at sharpening and it's because good people here have been willing to share their knowledge gained over decades of trial and error as well as their knowledge gained from elders who have shared what they learned before them..

I am now sharpening my kitchen knives on my water stones with amazing results. The last time I cut myself slicing vegetables, I didn't feel a thing.

[Dave Zellers]

The thread finally loses energy after everyone has repeated themselves several times, or a moderator decides that what little debate there was has been replaced by too many slanderous remarks … and the thread is closed.

In my perfect world, the perfect sharpening thread would never end. It would become the longest thread in the history of threads. The most common phrase would be "I'll have to try that".

The second would include a picture and say "Look at this shaving! Thank You!".

Inevitably there would be a third from me with a pic saying "Check out these stitches!".

[Doug Hepler]

Oh, Lord, won’tcha buy me a Shapton Glass Stone?
I sharpen with sandpaper, and feel so alone.
The cool kids all mock me whenever I tell
That paper is cheaper and does just as well.
And it never will shatter if it happens to fall
And I don’t need to soak it, a few drops, that’s all.
I never did buy Naniwa nor Nagura
It’s already flat, of that I am shura
But still, gracious Lord, I must make amends
I must find a way to conform to the trends
And also impress all my sharpening friends.

[steven c newman]

Too late to make the Popcorn? I could run up to the local Movie House, and buy a few tubs.....buttered?

[Patrick Chase]

Oh, Lord, won’tcha buy me a Shapton Glass Stone?

Brilliant. As I read that I heard it in Janis Joplin's voice.

[Patrick Chase]

The endless sharpening threads are doomed to perpetual repetition and revolving, repeated statements since there cannot be universal agreement. It is impossible since sharpening has as many methods as Patrick has sharpening stones.

Let nobody say that I lack stones.

The one serious remark I would make is that in my experience sharpening threads seem to go awry mostly because of ego, and specifically people who can't accept that others might have found their way to different but nonetheless valid solutions (at least for their own needs). If we could all just get that through our heads it would be a lot easier.

[Andrew Hughes]

Asking a group of anonymous woodworkers for the best way to sharpen is like asking contestants in a beauty pageant who the prettiest girl is in the room.

[Stanley Covington]

Asking a group of anonymous woodworkers for the best way to sharpen is like asking contestants in a beauty pageant who the prettiest girl is in the room.

So true, so true. Add to this analogy that everyone has a girlfriend on the pageant stage.

[Tom Stenzel]

Too late to make the Popcorn? I could run up to the local Movie House, and buy a few tubs.....buttered?

I've never tried butter on my oil stones. Might not work good but it sure would smell nice.

I've sharpened knives, scissors, planes chisels but never threads*. It'll provide yet another way for me to spill blood while tightening nuts.

-Tom

*This morning my daughter sent a message that her iphone whatever had fallen in the bathroom and the screen shattered. I promptly sent a message back that she needed a phone that was toilet trained. I guess today is bad pun day. Sorry Derek!

[Jim Koepke]

Brilliant. As I read that I heard it in Janis Joplin's voice.

Same here, Brilliant Doug.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

The endless sharpening threads are doomed to perpetual repetition and revolving, repeated statements since there cannot be universal agreement. It is impossible since sharpening has as many methods as Patrick has sharpening stones. That fundamental factor escapes all in the passion of the moment.

My answer to many sharpening questions is often a "perpetual repetition" being what ever works best for the person asking.

Often a poster will ask about the best way to sharpen without mentioning what they already have. There are two dozen replies before we discover the OP has a set of chisels, a half dozen planes and has been using a particular set of stones for 10 years.

What is even more difficult is how to help a beginner having problems with sharpening. Without being able to see many of the details of what can become big problems it is nigh impossible to triage the situation.

One of the best bits of advise about sharpening ever given to me was, "do it like you mean it."

Getting the right touch and pressure on any particular sharpening media is the 'trick' to the skill.

Another important part of learning sharpening is to accept that there is always something more that can be discovered in the art of sharpening.

jtk