sharpening flex tools

[Guest]

???When using an Arkansas surgical black slipstone to sharpen flexcraft tools and micro tools. Do I need to use oil on the stone?
Water? Spit? (no kidding) was told that is what Hobos used??? and will it hurt the tools to just use water? If I must use oil-what kind? thanks

[whittlinwit]

Re: sharpening flex tools

First off, you will not hurt your tools whether you use oil, water, or bodily fluids.

The liquids are used to 'float' the metal that is removed from the tools during sharpening.

On a new unused Arkansas you have your choice of fluids or you can even use it dry. But, once you use oil on it, you can't use it dry again.

If I was starting with a new surgical black Arkansas stone, I would use baby oil. It is cheap, available, smells good, is good for your skin, and will float metal dust just fine.

(To use a new Arkansas dry, you use an eraser to clean it)
This has benefits if you like to hike and carve.

[Teri_Embrey]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....we're supposed to SHARPEN our tools ? :-/

Teri :

[whittlinwit]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Yes, unless you come to Seattle every few months.

[Teri_Embrey]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Hmmmm...sounds like a much better plan. I kind of liked just kicking back in your backyard and chatting while you went to work sharpening all my tools! I could just consider it another 'tool' :-)

Teri

[plain_ol_ed]

Re: sharpening flex tools

I learned using the saliva method has worked for over 50 years (just don't try it while chewing tobacco -- yuuuukkkkkk!). The thing with saliva is you've always got it with you.

[colin_partridge]

Re: sharpening flex tools

I'm with Teri although I can do a so so job of sharpening my tools I am certainly not good at it. When my knives and gouges get dull and honing wont bring back that edge I package them all up and take them to a fellow carver who can put the edge back on them in no time flat. It is an art to sharpen tools, as one old timer once told me 'Sharpening is the first part of the carving process'. Back to that fellow carver friend of mine he charges me $1.00 a tool and to me it is worth every cent.
Colin

[AlArchie]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Ed, is that saliva stuff the same as spit?

Al

[plain_ol_ed]

Re: sharpening flex tools

It's saliva on Sat and Sun, spit during the week.

[Guest]

Re: sharpening flex tools

[quote author=AlArchie link=board=Beginner;num=1060910786;start=0#7 date=08/17/03 at 06:20:56]Ed, is that saliva stuff the same as spit?

Al[/quote]



'The spittin' image' :

[Guest]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Thank you all for the great reponses to my sharpening questions. I am a wiser wood carver today than yesterday.

[Guest]

Re: sharpening flex tools

And I am outstanding in my field.......but then, I am going to have to walk back to the house soon, dinners ready!

[Kenny_S]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Oh NO! No more chewing tobacy! Guess there will be no more spit and whittle men on the street corners. What are those old men going to do?

Diamond stones and leather strops forever!!!!Well, for a while anyway!

Happy Carving

[richy-ruff]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Has anyone had much luck with the ceramic stones? No oil, no water, just plain ol ceramic....
Cheers
Ric

[Teri_Embrey]

Re: sharpening flex tools

Yup, I'm all for paying someone ELSE to sharpen my tools. I will continue to work at it, and maybe someday I'll be a sharpener....but I don't see it happening any too soon.

Just tonight I ruined the edge on one of my favorite gouges trying to sharpen it on a ceramic stone. It wasn't the stone's fault...surely it's mine.

I just ordered the Burke Sharpening System (from Rick at Littleshavers.com). We'll see if that makes a difference. If not, oh well....I'll just make regular trips to Rick's house!

Teri