Bob

Thanks for the link to a fascinating site.

Regarding the sharpening, I really like using dowels for sharpening the concave surfaces of gouges, bent knives, and round over plane blades. I don’t own any slipstones. I wrap 3M PSA Microabrasive sheets around the appropriate diameter dowel. The 3M sheets are available from Tools for Working Wood and Lee Valley, down to 0.3 or 0.5 micron grit size.

For final honing/stroping I sometimes charge the soft wood dowel with LV green honing compound or diamond paste.

Rob

Bob

I spent the better part of today wandering around the Cariboo Blades site – thanks for the link! I found it to be interesting in the extreme that you can buy one (or more) of their products from them, or use their instructions to make your own.

Obviously from the testimonials page, their knives and chisels are well worth the prices charged. But – and this is a big one – you are encouraged to make your own if you want. The price actually does the encouraging for them; if you want one and can’t afford it, then make your own. I believe that option adds to their sustainable process in a big way; paying forward (I hate that term, go figure)to society their success of their sustainability and multiplying it’s beneficial effects beyond measure.

So… I’ve got several worn semi-soft edger blades that are just the right size for small plane blades… could I use his directions and make a for-real blade with that poor-seeming steel??? Ideas of several mesquite handled tools are now dancing in my head….. hmmm… hand-made bonsai tools would be appropriate!

Skip

Bob