Honing help

[tipusnr]

I just purchased the 5-piece HSS (High Speed Steel) mini chisel set from PennState Industries as they had it on sale and I thought it might assist me in adding greater detail to my work.

The set came today and is only 3 pounds packed! I opened the box expecting it to be empty by mistake and found five of the thinnest tools I have ever seen. None of them has an edge to speak of (as found by touch as I didn't have my magnifying glass handy).

Any thoughts on how I safely and accurately sharpen these? I assume the grinder is out so my next thought is the diamond hones I have.

Let me know if any of you have experience in this. I think one of the members is a dentist and THAT may equate.[?]

 

[Old Griz]

I don't know.. but sounds like something I might want to return and get a decent set of minitools with some meat on them...
I have found that I can do just about anything I need using my 1/2" skew and 1/4" spindle gouge... the other tools I use the most are my 1" skews and my 3/4" and 1.5" roughing gouges... I have made some real small tops

and even mini-birdhouse ornaments

with them...
One of the professional turners at my club says that mini-tools are not necessary and can sometimes cause more mistakes than they help...

 

[pssmith]

You may want to get a dowel and a 1/8" scrap piece 1" by 4" and adhere with spray adhesive some fine sandpaper, I've made them with 150 grit on one side and 800 grit on the other. Make a little sanding paddle and sanding rod and hand-hone them. I keep a few of these around and occasionally stop and hone my chisel while working at the lathe just to touch up or remove a burr. Saw Leonard Lee do this in his sharpening video (which I recommend for all WW'ers)and have found it useful on larger tools.

Good Luck

 

[William Young]

Bill (Tip)
I was looking at that set and I see what you mean. They sure have skinny shanks on them.
I got the "Benjamin Best" 3 piece HSS pen turning set also from PSI and they are all that is really needed for turning pens and related small articles. They sharpen easilly and hold an excellent edge. I was really surprised with the quality for the price. I use them every day on small stuff.
I use my 8 piece full size set for turning bowls and larger splindles but never for tiny stuff like pens. I tried my full size ones on pens but for me it was definitely overkill.
I wonder if PSI would take those light duty ones you have back for a credit against the pen turning set ?
Here is the set that I got and where from but it is the same PSI set at a lower price.
http://pocwoodworking.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/42/products_id/147
W.Y.

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

I have a mini set of tools and I use 2 or 3 of them and really like the fine detail I can get with them. I sharpen them on the disk/belt sander and it works great! They were a gift so I don't know where they come from although I suspect Rockler.

 

[bud duffy]

I have a three piece set of the tiny tools and sharpen them as well as all the other ones on my belt, disc sander with an old 200 grit belt on it , works great !!!!

 

[tipusnr]

Thanks for the info. I'll try it but not tonight. Just got back from a weight workout with my 21 year old daughter (she'll be 22 just before I turn 50) and my hands, arms, and shoulders feel like jello. We are just getting back into training after a layoff (8 years for me) and there are egos involved.

 

[wdcav1952]

Yes, we do have a member dentist, but I can tell you he knows very little about sharpening tools! I wouldn't let him work on me on a bet! I would see if I could find out the proper angle to sharpen each tool, then cut a wedge of scrap wood at the appropriate angle for each tool. Use the wood as a guide to hold the tool at the proper angle and hand sharpen on the best oil or water stone you can get. If needed, use a leather strop to fine tune the edge.

William
(the dentist)

 

[low_48]

I would go ahead and use a grinder, very light touch on a 120 grit wheel. I can never get the same quality of edge by just hand honing compared to grinding and honing. It is very difficult to hold them true enough to remove the material and get a good angle. Most "factory" grinds are not flat planes in the steel. Usually they are put on with sanding belts and the surfaces are somewhat rounded. Not a good base to start hand honing. But, ask 20 turners and you'll get 20 different ways to sharpen, maybe more!!

 

[wayneis]

I don't know where he lately but a while ago DW recomended a sharpening set sold by Grizzly. This is a two wheel set made of cardboard, well I checked it out and I ended up buying it. I've never had such sharp tools. DW and some others call it scarry sharp and I now know what they meant, WOW. This system really works and I use it to sharpen my small tools, the smallest tht I have is a 1/8" chisel that I use once in a while when I want very fine detail. My two cents worth.

Wayne

 

[dw]

Wayne,

All present and accounted for! Glad you tried the sharpening system. It's hard to convince anyone that something so simple cam be so effective. But that's really the way most things in life are.[] Sharp tools make all the difference in the world. You're not really enjoying yourself till you have experienced that difference.

I'm equally glad that I tried the Enduro WB Poly lacquer. As you know, I'm a little like a crow in that I like shiny things--really shiny things...especially pens. I have had excellent to good to frustrating results with using CA as a finish. When it's good, it's very, very good...etc.. But, once I got the hang of it, the WB seems to come out, at least as good, and usually better, than the CA ...every time! All that's really needed is several mandrels (usually cheap) so that you can apply the WB and then set it aside while you turn another pen. Alternating like this, makes the 20 minutes to half hour that I wait between applications seem, trivial. Great stuff, thanks for the recommend.[^]

 

[tipusnr]

Could either of you provide the Part No. for that sharpening system from Grizzly? I couldn't find it on their website. Was surprised to find that they are now carrying penmaking supplies and kits though the descriptions are fairly sketchy.

 

[wayneis]

Yup, here ya go. Its called the razor sharp system, Model G5937 $29.95 You will get two 8" wheels, one charged with an abrasive grit and the other a slotted one that used with white rouge to do the honing. Kit also includes sharpening grit, white rouge and conditioning grease. My tools are so sharp that I can and have shaved with them. I tried one out on my arm just to see how sharp it was, not problem shaving the hair right off. I also by accident touched the end on one of my chesels and cut the end of my finger.

Wayne