Carving & Spoon knife sharpener!

[Thumbcrusher]

I’d made a couple of small sheaths for my carver and spoon knife and while doing so I noticed that both blades were fairly dull. Sharpening the carver is pretty straightforward but the spoon knife was proving more difficult.

I had the metal clothes rail from an old wardrobe so wrapped some fine emery paper around a piece of it and due to its shape found it really easy to sharpen both knives. I used the rounded bit for the curved blade and the flat edges for the straight blade. Then I thought why don’t I make a storage pod for the emery paper and then I can carry the sharpener with me so this is what I came up with…..

http://i42.tinypic.com/2cp6o34.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/2eob9n8.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/51262g.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/9riu6d.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/30tqn94.jpg

Found it hard to remove the emery paper at first so I got a large zip tie and zipped it up on itself then pushed it into the tube. I then rolled the paper up and threaded it over the zip tie and placed it into the tube. Now I can remove the paper easily by just pulling the zip tie.

http://i40.tinypic.com/n4xguw.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/9u9oj4.jpg

Does the job nicely now and cost me nothing!:jumping-joy:

[MadZ]

nice idea there man, have you got a strop for your knifes? you can do pretty much the same thing with a piece of leather, if you glue it down to a piece of wood(super glue works well) the apply stropping compound you can get a very nice mirror finish, also you said they had gone dull, i use my strop to put an edge back on to my carving knifes when this happens saves sanding and/or grinding on stones thus prolonging the blade life and increasing your time to work with them, a mirror finished edge works better and produces better results with less resistance. slip stones work really well to and come in all different shapes and sizes.

i set myself a rule and thats to only use a stone or sand my blades if i have damages them or severely scratched them up

[JonnyP]

Good idea but that would be too thick for most of my spoon knives. I had to make mine from small dowling rods.
Remember its the outer edge of the knife that needs the sharpening/honing (on most spoon knives). The inner side needs to be kept flat, so only needs honing to remove burs on the edge that side

[Adam Savage]

Good idea but that would be too thick for most of my spoon knives. I had to make mine from small dowling rods.
Remember its the outer edge of the knife that needs the sharpening/honing (on most spoon knives). The inner side needs to be kept flat, so only needs honing to remove burs on the edge that side

Exactly right Jonny. Was trying to point that out in another thread :) It's the bevel that needs the material removing from it, not the inside (flat surface). A light strop is all that's needed to knock the burr off on the inside T^

[JonnyP]

Exactly right Jonny. Was trying to point that out in another thread :) It's the bevel that needs the material removing from it, not the inside (flat surface). A light strop is all that's needed to knock the burr off on the inside T^

I have a double bevelled spoon knife here and although its sharp, its about as much use as a hand brake on a canoe. It 'chatters' as it cuts, leaving more work to do..

[Adam Savage]

I have a double bevelled spoon knife here and although its sharp, its about as much use as a hand brake on a canoe. It 'chatters' as it cuts, leaving more work to do..

Heard most people call the double bevel spoon knives "hospital tickets", as the chatter can make you force it, and slip. I don't do much spoon carving, so never used one of those. Will stay away from them though lol

[butchthedog]

I have a double bevelled spoon knife here and although its sharp, its about as much use as a hand brake on a canoe. It 'chatters' as it cuts, leaving more work to do..

Ha Ha,, handbrake on a Canoe............. never heard that before, put a smile on my face this morning Jonny 'thank you' :happy-clapping:

[Thumbcrusher]

Thanks for the comments chaps. Some useful tips there. I do strop my carving knife but can you advise on the technique for stropping the curved spoon knife? I have tried in the past without much success!

[Adam Savage]

I'll try and get round to making a video at some point, as it's a lot easier to see, than hear :) Have a lot of things that need doing at the moment though, so not sure when I can get round to it. :(

[Tony1948]

I now wot you meen Adam,I strop my Mora spoon knives I do te inside with leather on a dow,I also mostly use a doubled edge one but I'v ground the top edge off bothof them9352Dont now if you can see it in the pitcher?

[JonnyP]

Thanks for the comments chaps. Some useful tips there. I do strop my carving knife but can you advise on the technique for stropping the curved spoon knife? I have tried in the past without much success!

Hold the knife in your fist with the blade sticking out little finger side. Have your sharpener/strop (I use chrome polish paste on leather for honing and wet n dry glued on some ply board for when a sharpen is needed) on the edge of a bench infront of you.
Then strop the blade, curving your wrist around as you go round the blade. Its easy to work out, harder to get right, but also awkward to explain on a forum.
As you sharpen it will create a burr along the edge which will feel sharp to your finger, but as soon as you use the knife, the burr will snap off and you will have a blunt knife, so thats where you use some fine wet n dry on the inside edge, keeping it flat to the blade.
Edit, cos I was in a rush this mornin.. I also use leather on the inside too, to polish the edge, keeping it flat on the blade.

[Thumbcrusher]

Thanks again for your help folks! JonnyP that was an excellent description mate. i'll give it a try!T^