While I’ve had a modicum of success sharpening my chisels, I have finally got the hang of it and actually got my chisels sharp enough to cut the fine hair on my arm and pare end grain!!!!! Yippee!!!!
My pictures stink (those digital cameras still take talent!). But you can make out that the fibers are cut not crushed.
I used a combination of methods – some I used my WorkSharp and some I used my waterstones. I think my waterstones came out just as good or better than the WorkSharp. Now maybe I’ll be able to get some decent dovetails cut.
Thanks for looking.
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
4 comments so far
Moai
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721 posts in 288 days
posted 240 days ago
Great Betsy, you are in the club now!
-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.
ferstler
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138 posts in 415 days
posted 240 days ago
Re: your comments about your photo skills. It looks as if you took the photos in low-level, available (incandescent) light. If you cannot go outdoors and make use of sunshine or get some very bright photoflood lights, use a flash for photos like that. Digital camera or chemical-film camera, if the shutter speed is too slow you will get movement-related blurring and probably a very shallow depth of field, due to a wide-open aperture.
Unfortunately, many digital cameras have an on-camera flash function that does not illuminate all that well. The better digital cameras have a hot-shoe on top that lets you install a powerful, rotating-head flash unit that can bounce light off of the ceiling for a nice sense of natural illumination, with no blurring.
Good job of sharpening, in any case.
Howard Ferstler
lew
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4486 posts in 650 days
posted 240 days ago
Great Job, Betsy!!!
Glad you mastered the water stone, wish I could.
Lew
Julian
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697 posts in 420 days
posted 240 days ago
It’s a great feeling when you can shave endgrain. Now you know you have the sharpening skills down, and can focus on the work instead of the tool.
I have great success with just using the macro setting on my camera. It gets rid of the blur/jittery shots, and takes care of the flash problem.
-- Julian, Park Forest, IL