Sharpening Stanley 45 blades

[tablesawtom]

I didn't want the high jack the other post. I posted in that post that I had been in the Woodsmith store a week earlier. It is a 3 hour drive for me to get to the nearest store like that so it isn't often that I get to one. I played with a Work Sharp and thought it would be prefect for flattening chisels and plane iron as well as 45 and 55 cutters. I am not for sure. but I think they have come down in price over the years.

IClark mentioned a foot switch and I can see the validity of it but I don know for sure, something to consider though. The only way to really sharpen a 45 cutter is to grind on the flat side. If one tries to short cut the process by doing the angle it is to easy to destroy the profile or to be in for a very long day with a stone. I want to clarify what I said. if you are using a stone to flatten a chisel you are in fact grinding away metal. Basically whether one is using a stone or a Work sharp the process is exactly the same except one is powered by electricity.

I also stated that Woodturners Wonders has CBN wheel for a work sharp. Some say that CBN wheels are for very hard steel like M2 only. CBN wheels works on about anything that will hold any kind of an edge. They also sell a product called Slick Stick. and it works also, but a little goes a long way. From experience, a small fine steel or brass brush will unload a CBN wheel. If it is on a grinder the grinder should be in the off position.

The following is my experience with the process. My RPM is 60 and is to slow, that is why I think a Work Sharp would work much better.

   

   

   

   

   

   

I know a lot of you have different way of sharpening , I sure do. But as far as doing flat work the Work Sharp is probably the easiest way to control the flattening process and much quicker than by hand. It even does angled.

Just another way to spend your money. I hope I have given you something to think about.

[AHill]

Nice setup! I agree that CBN is effective on just about any steel. One caution is that it's very aggressive, so you need a light touch for the softer tool steels. I would not use it on brass, bronze, or really soft tool steels. Brass and bronze will load up the abrasive very quickly, rendering the cutting power ineffective.

[TheCabinetmaker]

The 45, 50, and 55 blades are soft find and can be shaped with a file and then honed (chainsaw files are great for the smaller ones). Also if you see ones that have not been sharped the bevel is somewhere around 35*to help them hold up.

[Timberwolf]

The 45, 50, and 55 blades are soft find and can be shaped with a file and then honed (chainsaw files are great for the smaller ones). Also if you see ones that have not been sharped the bevel is somewhere around 35*to help them hold up.

.........................
For the curved edges I use an appropriate sized cylinder burr in a Dremel, and smoothed up using a burr shaped Bright Boy { rubberized abrasive } also in a Dremel.

[bandit571]

Then less than fun part.....spurs...how sharp, and how to sharpen them....and...sharpen an un-used lobe to make a new cutter....?

[tablesawtom]

Yes I know that there are a lot of different ways of sharpening the contours on cutters. Most of the time it doesn't really matter if you change the profile slightly. But if they are matching profiles it does. Also there are cutters that have sharp corners, in which some if the methods won't work. It is not a post about how to sharpen 45 and 55 cutters per say. Did I mention flattening chisels and plane iron which a dermal tool can't do.

I posted some pictures of a machine that I made. Call it a machine for a lack of a better thing to call it.  It does works at , or for, flattening chisel and plane iron backs.. I posted the pictures because it is basically a form of a Work Sharp machine. I stated that my machine ran at 60 RPM and I though 60 RPM was to slow. The Work Sharp is faster and after playing with one at the Woodsmith store, I found that the speed was about right and that the blades could be handled without the danger of it being hard to control when in use, and with a CBN discs, over heating or making the tool to hot to hold comfortably doesn't come into play. 

My Grandson asked me how I sharpen chisels, he said that in his 9th grade shop class they use a Work Sharp. That question is what prompted this. Having a tormek and other ways of sharpening I never even considered a Work Sharp.  I know it works on glass plates and sand, emery, paper,  that has to be changed regularly and so on. CBN wheels are available and they do not wear out. Reread original post about unloading discs. also found out that it is available for right at $200. I though it was much higher, or it was  when it first hit the market.

At that price I am considering purchasing one. I am not sure what I have in the disc, but it can transfer over. I have around $25 in the gear reduction motor which is lost money but oh well. I think that with a little fixture working I would do a great job of grinding down the edges of chisels so they can get into tight places like for dovetailing without the high cost of special chisels.

I wrote all of this because I though it might be something a person might find  this information handy to have and something else to consider, (other uses) when deciding which way to go when purchasing a sharpening machine. It is not, and I repeat not, about sharpening any particular tool. Every one has an opinion on that subject.

Tom

[Tony Z]

Nice set up Tom!

I have a Worksharp, but only use it on narrow bevels, and for me, it works well. Don't know if I was holding my tongue wrong or what, but i've had only bad luck on flats.

[Timberwolf]

Yes I know that there are a lot of different ways of sharpening the contours on cutters. Most of the time it doesn't really matter if you change the profile slightly. But if they are matching profiles it does. Also there are cutters that have sharp corners, in which some if the methods won't work. It is not a post about how to sharpen 45 and 55 cutters per say. Did I mention flattening chisels and plane iron which a dermal tool can't do.

I posted some pictures of a machine that I made. Call it a machine for a lack of a better thing to call it.  It does works at , or for, flattening chisel and plane iron backs.. I posted the pictures because it is basically a form of a Work Sharp machine. I stated that my machine ran at 60 RPM and I though 60 RPM was to slow. The Work Sharp is faster and after playing with one at the Woodsmith store, I found that the speed was about right and that the blades could be handled without the danger of it being hard to control when in use, and with a CBN discs, over heating or making the tool to hot to hold comfortably doesn't come into play. 

My Grandson asked me how I sharpen chisels, he said that in his 9th grade shop class they use a Work Sharp. That question is what prompted this. Having a tormek and other ways of sharpening I never even considered a Work Sharp.  I know it works on glass plates and sand, emery, paper,  that has to be changed regularly and so on. CBN wheels are available and they do not wear out. Reread original post about unloading discs. also found out that it is available for right at $200. I though it was much higher, or it was  when it first hit the market.

At that price I am considering purchasing one. I am not sure what I have in the disc, but it can transfer over. I have around $25 in the gear reduction motor which is lost money but oh well. I think that with a little fixture working I would do a great job of grinding down the edges of chisels so they can get into tight places like for dovetailing without the high cost of special chisels.

I wrote all of this because I though it might be something a person might find  this information handy to have and something else to consider, (other uses) when deciding which way to go when purchasing a sharpening machine. It is not, and I repeat not, about sharpening any particular tool. Every one has an opinion on that subject.

Tom

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I have a CBN wheel on a bench grinder and considered a CBN flat disc for my Worksharp 3000, until I discovered these diamond lapping plates that fit it. I bought several in different grits up to 3,000..The coarser grits are very aggressive,.They are about 8 bucks each from Amazon..and they last a very long time..I have not worn one out yet!! The diamond grit is electroplated to the steel plate and is very flat at about 90 thou. thick..They are all I use now on my Worksharp for chisels and carving knife edges..I finish the sharpening process using 3micron diamond powder and vaseline on the glass plate that comes with the Worksharp..You can make {or buy} a leather disc to adhere to a worn out plate for stropping.

[Timberwolf]

Then less than fun part.....spurs...how sharp, and how to sharpen them....and...sharpen an un-used lobe to make a new cutter....?

.....................
These work very well.............
https://www.amazon.com/DMT-D2K-Dia-Sharp...191&sr=8-9

[tablesawtom]

until I discovered these diamond lapping plates that fit it. I bought several in different grits up to 3,000..The coarser grits are very aggressive,.They are about 8 bucks each from Amazon..and they last a very long time..I have not worn one out yet!!

I kind of looked on Amazon for the lapping plates but I didn't see them but then I am not good at searching. They do sound like a better deal than CBN wheels. I have CBN wheel on my slow speed bench grinder as well. One can use polishing compound on a MDF disc also. How about some numbers or links so we all can look them up.