PEn Mill sharpening II

[ctEaglesc]

Recently there was a post about sharpening a mill. Griz posted a tip where you "hione" the verticle flat rather than the angled cutting edge.
This is counterintuitive to anything I thought I understood about sharpening...
But it works!
I did not have a diamond file but only some small triangled files used for sharpening saw blades and gave it a try.
Even with the file the improvement was undelieveable!
Yesterday I was at lowes and in the cabinet where the sharpening stuff was I spied the perfect diamond stone.
The price was right $6.00.
It was a Smith's knife sharpener.
I mention this because all the other diamond stones I have are plastic backed and the diamond does not go all the way to the edge.
I am not saying notto have a mill professionally sharpend, I can see where the flats should be trued for height and angle, but on a Sunday afternoon you may not be able to find someone with a sharpening setup.

 

[Old Griz]

VINDICATION... and by no other that the Eagle himself... LIFE IS GOOD.. []

 

[ed4copies]

I also tried the technique, after getting a new one in case it did not work, and Voila'!!! I now have 2 sharp mills (and 4 dull ones I'll get around to soon).

Thanks, Griz!!

 

[Dario]

To the skeptics, give it a try.

I've done it this way and never had any problems . Well actually only done it once [] dang thing doesn't get dull fast enough!!! LOL

I'll probably try to touch it up more often though.

 

[ctEaglesc]

Originally posted by Old Griz
<br />VINDICATION... and by no other that the Eagle himself... LIFE IS GOOD.. []

Griz, in case you missed it I think I posted a thumbs up in the original post.
I still don't intend to use this as a replacement to conventional harpening, but like I said aboput Sunday afternoons...

 

[Rifleman1776]

I had a great conversation on the phone with Eagle yesterday. We covered this subject, among others. And he explained why he believes, as Grizz also does, why stoning the flat back is better than doing the traditional angle part. The theory as to why it is better is that when honing the angle it is possible to make the individual cutter shorter than the rest, thereby causing an uneven cutting action. That sounded plausible until I thought about it for a while. By the same token, when stoning the flat back, one is making the cutting edge thinner. The top comes to a point (edge) as the back gets thinner, that edge will just naturally get lower. Stoning the angle sharpens. Of course some metal will be removed. A microscopic amount. I think it is a 'six and one half dozen, the other' situation. 'Nuther words, both work, makes no difference. Nice that we can discuss, without cussin' , debate and disagree. Except with Texicans. [][] It is how we exchange ideas and learn.

 

[ctEaglesc]

Frank=
There is one thing I started to say yeasterday and didn't get covered.
The purpose of the mill is to make the end perpendicular to the tube, and FLAT.
If you"eyeball" the angle on the flat you may wind up with a dished mill.
Buy honing the sides,that may happen but chances are less.
A sharpening jig that can be set accurately to hone the angles on the top at the same height is the best possible scerio but I don't have the equipment in my shop for it.
A $6.00 diamond file on the certical face makes the mill cut like new until I can get it professionally done.
Trust me try it.
You'll have less risk of goofing up the "flats"

 

[ctEaglesc]

Thumbs asked if I could send him a pictuer of the diamonds stone I found a Lowes.
It was in the end cap of the sharpening cage by toolsm $6.00.
Note the sqaure edge for the side of the mill "ride" on, it is a smooth surface, no dmage to the mill.This comes in handy but I don't think it will replacew a professional sharpening job.The "flats will eventually be ground to nothing.
If you find yourself "burning or tearing" your blanks as opposed to shearing the fibers try this.
Side benifit,I haven't had as many tubes "peen" over leaving me with having to dismantle the mill to get the blank off.

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