Did you know that a Japanese waterstone can remove fingerprints - from fingers?!
On a whim, I?d picked up an 800 and a 6000 King waterstones well over a year ago but never used them - I already had a Tormek which I thought would be all I?d ever need for sharpening. The Tormek doesn?t work for flattening the backs of chisels and plane irons but the india stones and the hard arkansas stone from my engraving days took care of that shortcoming. Then I got a set of Sorbey butt chisels. Well the Tormek jig I had just wouldn?t handle short chisels.
Hmmm - maybe the waterstones?
Soaked them, put each in its own shallow big casserole dish with some water and started flattening the back of the first chisel on the 800 stone. Hey - this sucker cuts fast yet doesn?t leave deep scratches like a coarse or even a medium india stone.. No oil either. Wiped off the grime and tried the ?super finish stone? (6000). Amazing, most of the scratches from the 800 all but disappeared, leaving a nice shiney finish.
Went back to the 800 and started on the bevel - freehand. - middle finger of my left hand pressng the front of the bevel down onto the stone. A passor two - check the new scratch marks - looks good so kept going. On to the 6000 - nice! Over to the piece of leather glued on a marble tile and dusted it with tin oxide. A few passes on the bevel and I had a nice sharp chisel. One down, six to go.
When I finished the butt chisels I grabbed a handful of Buck chisels and did them. While I was at it I sharpened the blue handles Marples and a pair of skew chisels. And while I was at it I did my marking knives as well. KOOL! With the exception of the Two Cherries, all my chisels are ready for making the through dovetails I need for the skirt/apron of the real workbench I?m making. Chopping out the waste in 8/4 stock requires sharp chisels and now I definitely have sharp chisels.
Turned out the shop lights and went to bed - dreams of see-thru slices of end grain dancing in my head. Waterstones! What a trip!
When I awoke this morning I noticed that the tip of my left middle finger felt funny. Looking closely I noted that I?d waterstoned some of my finger print off - along with whatever the material below is called. Turns out that while pressing the front edge of the bevel onto the waterstone I?d also been pressing some of my skin on to it as well.
Notes to self:
Sharpen one or two chisels at a time when using an 800 waterstone.
DO NOT sharpen 23 chisels and two marking knives in one session.
Make a sign WARNING Japanese Water Stones Will Remove Fingerprints (and some of the underlying meat)
If you haven't tried japanese waterstones yet ...
charlie b