Sharpening instruments are among the most important tools in your workshop because they make all your other tools work better.
SHARPENING STONE
These come as natural quarried stones, or as specially made abrasive stones designed for different purposes. Sharpening stones should be treated with a light, free flowing oil to float away fine steel particles and prevent them clogging the stone, and to provide a faster, cleaner sharpening action. The stone should be kept clean and moist and given a light coating of oil before use. A new stone should be soaked in oil for a few days before use. Keep in a box with a closed cover and a few drops of fresh clean oil left on the stone. Coarse grained natural stones should be used with plenty of water. Medium and fine rained natural stones require oil because water is not thick enough to keep steel particles out of the pores of the stone.
Choose the right stone for the job.
SHARPENING VARIOUS TOOLS
Screwdriver - use a combination stone (one with coarse and fine faces). Keep the two faces of the blade parallel and carefully shape the bottom of the blade square.
Chisels - woodworking chisels require a fine, long lasting cutting edge, which must be square. Use a combination stone, starting with the coarse side to quickly develop the desired edge bevel then finish with the fine side. Always move chisel back and forwards in a figure eight pattern utilizing all of the stone. This will ensure that you don't wear a "hollow" into the stone.
Axe - use a special axe stone to give the edges of the axe a bevel, continuing the oval form of the blade. Lay the axe flat on the edge of a bench and move the sharpening stone in a circular motion from end to end of the blade. Turn the axe over frequently while sharpening.
Garden shears - sharpen on a medium stone, stroking the edge bevel from point to heel. Turn over and repeat on the other blade.
Carving knife - use a long butchers style sharpening steel with long strokes, swinging the blade from the hilt of the steel to the tip in curving movements, alternating both sides of the blade.
Kitchen knife - use a circular motion on both edges of the blade. Use a special kitchen sharpener.
Scissors - use a combination stone placed near the edge of a flat surface so one blade hangs clear. Grasp near the middle and place cutting edge on stone at a slight diagonal. Tip blade towards the bevel. Draw the cutting edge against the stone diagonally the length of the stone start with coarse then use fine edge stone.
FILES
Files are used for shaping and smoothing metal. When filing, grasp the handle in one hand and the tip in the other. Since the file cuts as it moves forward, lift it slightly on the back stroke to preserve the teeth. File with the whole length of the file. File spades, shovels and hoes using a diagonal motion against the edge bevel until enough metal is removed from the blunt edge so the tool will dig into the earth with minimum effort. Rotary lawn Mower blades can also be filed to remove nicks and restore the original bevel. To file, remove the blade and grip in a vice. Clippers and shears can have the edge restored by stroking the file forward along the blade, going from the heel all the way to the tip.
Saw blades require special tools to sharpen each tooth individually. Other tools set the file at the precise angle for sharpening and a tool called a Saw set bends the teeth back to the correct angle after filing. These are the only tools which should be used to sharpen a saw.
GRINDING WHEELS
A hand operated grinding wheel is satisfactory but ideally you need someone to work for you as tools should be held in both hands. The wheel should turn towards the tool, and tool should be held steady and squarely on to the wheel. If the tool is held at a slant, the stone will wear unevenly on one side.A grinding wheel is useful for jobs such as restoring a very dull chisel. Hold it against the wheel until square then hold the beveled edge at a 30 degree angle to the wheel, moving the tool from side to side until you have an even 30 degree bevel with a burr on the flat side. Dip the tool in cold water as you work to prevent the blade overheating.
