Category Archives: Sharpen This

Sept. 9 at Our Storefront: ‘Sharpenday’

Posted on August 31, 2017 by

Next Saturday, Sept. 9, is our regularly scheduled open day for Lost Art Press. We’ll have our complete line of books plus a good number of slightly damaged books at 50 percent of retail (cash only). And T-shirts. Coffee. Stickers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Lost Art Press Storefront, Sharpen This, Uncategorized | 22 Comments

Sharpen This, Part 10: Oh, Stewardess! I Speak Jive

Posted on August 1, 2017 by

Some days I wish there were a Google Translate filter for woodworking forums and podcasts. It would allow people to understand what is really being said. Below are some actual quotes I’ve heard through the years and my rough translation … Continue reading →

Posted in Sharpen This

Sharpen This, Part 9: Guided by Voices

Posted on July 30, 2017 by

Read the other installments in the “Sharpen This” series via this link. When it comes to the topic of honing guides, I’d sooner have a double colonoscopy than discuss them. But here goes. Honing guides are jigs. They hold a … Continue reading →

Posted in Sharpen This

Sharpen This, Part 8: Polish & Get Back to Work

Posted on July 29, 2017 by

Read the other installments in the “Sharpen This” series via this link. One of the misguided mantras in sharpening is this: Polish the edge until you remove all the scratches left from the previous grit. Then move to the next … Continue reading →

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Sharpen This, Part 7: The Burr in the Saddle

Posted on July 28, 2017 by

Read the other installments in the “Sharpen This” series via this link. The burr – how to make it and how to remove it – confuses many beginners. Many underestimate its importance. Others disagree on how to remove it. First, … Continue reading →

Posted in Sharpen This, Uncategorized

Sharpen This, Part 6: The Bevel & the Devil

Posted on July 23, 2017 by

“Der Narzissmus der kleinen Differenzen (The narcissism of small differences).” — Sigmund Freud, 1917 The topic of sharpening is plagued by Freud’s “narcissism of small differences,” and the best example of this is all the noise about the shape and … Continue reading →

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Sharpen This, Part 5: The Myth of Super Sharpness

Posted on July 22, 2017 by

Read the other installments in the “Sharpen This” series via this link. Let’s pretend I want to break one of your fingers. The job would be easy if you held up your fingers in the air with them spread apart. … Continue reading →

Posted in Sharpen This