Grit-Slurry Sharpening
T
O ADD EVEN MORElore to a subject many craftsmen approach
with mystic reverence, here’s yet another sharpening method.
The method uses a slurry of loose grit on a flat glass plate and is
effective for sharpening woodworking tools, particularly plane irons.
It is the same method laboratories use to sharpen the microtome,
an instrument that slices tissue into thin sections for microscopic
examination.
Start by dumping^1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon of 400 grit on an 8-in. by 8-in. pane
of glass, adding several drops of light machine oil to make a slurry.
Hone the plane iron as though you were using a bench stone. When
you obtain a good bevel, wipe the glass clean and repeat the process
using 600 grit to obtain the final cutting edge. For optimum results,
polish with a polishing compound or give the blade a few strokes on
a leather strop.
This method is superior in several ways to sharpening on a stone.
The glass is flat and wears little, even with much use, and the large
surface area allows for a more comfortable hand motion. The large
surface is particularly suitable for the use of a roller device to hone the
iron at a constant angle. Finally, you can buy a wide range of abrasive
powders at hobby shops that deal in lapidary supplies (one source is
Grieger’s Inc., 900 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, CA 91109). A small
investment in materials will allow you to perform work that would
otherwise require several different grades of stones.
—GEORGEMUSTOE,Bellingham,Wash.
CHAPTER FOUR