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| 30 September 2022 22:01
One hundred thousand thanks, Chris. I failed to consider a belt sander. The value I receive from Woodcarving Workshops is worth much more than my several years subscription.
| 30 September 2022 09:28
William - Not that this is one-upmanship but I'm still using the Arkansa stone with which I started over 45 years ago! True, it's a quite a bit thinner...
I use 2 methods to flatten my stones:
1. An old saw blade with something like valve-grinding paste (or silicon carbide with thin oil), rubbing the stone on the flat surface. I imagine your Veritas lapping grit on glass is the same idea; you just have to keep going with the elbow grease!
Slow, but good for light flattening. I go into more detail in my 'Woodcarving Tools, Materials & Equipment' book.
2. My belt sander: I secure it upside down on the bench - belt up - and carefully offer up the stone. A wood belt will do and you can start course and finish with a fine belt. Fast. It's good for major flattening and certainly I've used it on my Arkansas.
IMPORTANT! I must emphasise the need to look to the safety aspects - eye protection, protection from dust etc: Take every precaution. I do this outside, with a vacuum to take the dust; masked and goggled up, and wearing a thick glove on the hand with the stone.
Thanks for the tip on surface glazing. I've found a quick scrub with paraffin (kerosene) or petrol (gasoline) also deglazes quickly.
| 28 September 2022 19:58
My 10 year old Mexican Arkansas stone finally has obvious ditching of the stone on one side. Is there a way to reduce the stone surface to Flatten. Silicone carbide surfacing stone works well for India stones but Norton does not recommend it for Arkansas stones. What to do?
For those who experience surface glazing, I find the quickest way to restore “grip” is to use Veritas 60x lapping grit with oil on a surface that has Veritas PVA (adhesive backed) plastic sheet placed on a square of safety glass. Very fast method. Instructions found on Veritas website.
| 28 September 2022 06:19
William - Arkansas stones, being natural, can be inconsistent in composition and vary in their hardness and sharpening qualities. Certainly I've seen stones with differing roughness across their surface and, presumably that particle is some inclusion in the rock.
Whatever, I think the question is whether it bugs you or interferes with your experience and what you want to get out of the stone.
Have you tried turning the stone over? The other side with luck could be particle-free.
Or you could dress the stone below the level of the particle. Or, if it's new, send it back...
| 26 September 2022 18:06
Hi, Chris. As I use the translucent Arkansas stone (both Mexican and Arkansas sourced) I felt small, hard particles as I rub the tool. Can you comment on this — is this an issue to be dealt with or just the nature of using the Arkansas?
| 12 November 2013 08:03
Charles - These slipstones were designed by myself on behalf of Norton. There are different widths and you by them in pairs, coarse and fine - the first for 'shaping', the second for sharpening proper. I don't have anything to do with the distribution. Search for 'Chris Pye Signature Slipstones'. I'm sure Classic hand Tools (UK) and Tools for Working Wood (USA) carry them.
| 12 November 2013 05:10
Hello Chris,
I am watching the series on sharpening the tool using the two stones. I believe at one time you had mentioned that Norton is the manufacturer of these stones, but when I go to purchase the flat and slip stones what do I ask for ? I can see by the videos they are oil stones but what grit and or hardness ?
Thank you, Charles
| 22 April 2013 14:36
Al - You've got it: a little below elbow height seems about right. You must be able to sharpen without backache.
| 21 April 2013 02:02
Al Hamilton: When performing the sharpening operation, how high from the floor must the stone be located. It appears you are about elbow height.
| 26 November 2012 08:44
Beau - The reason you are 'dipping' is because you are removing more metal from the middle than the corners; and the reason for that is you are not rotating your blade enough. You can reverse the effect by working more towards the corners and less on the middle. In fact, if you miss out the dipped middle section (say the middle third) all together and just continue sharpening first one outer third and then the other, you'll remove metal towards these corners and bring them back in line with the middle. I hope this makes sense! Work both inner and outer bevels.
| 25 November 2012 02:19
I've managed to dip my edge again. This will be my third time starting over. Is there a better way to correct a dipped blade other than just sliding it vertically over the stone to get a square edge again?
