Cliff Stamp
BANNED
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 17,562
There is already a large amount of information available both on the web and in various books on sharpening, both in regards to knives and other sharp objects. The question could be asked is another book actually necessary? For example look at Lee's book "The complete guide to Sharpening", is there anything that this book actually leaves out? Well, first off it is a book on sharpening in general, and covers a lot of tools that unless you are a wood worker are going to be of little interest. It is also filled with a huge amount of reference information which while interesting to some, can cause someone who is looking for a place to start to get really bogged down.
Steve Bottorff's book "Sharpening Made Easy" clearly explains the principles of sharpening in terms of what you are trying to do, how to do it, the kinds of problems that you will encounter and how to solve them. It does mention other tools, but the main focus is on knives. It discusses the different types of knives, geometries and such, and how they influence your basic sharpening method. Also given are descriptions of the various types of abrasives and guidelines on selecting sharpening equipment, from basic things to look for as well as specific recommendations for a few products.
There are points that I think need clarification, and some minor points that I disagree with, but overall it is a very solid book that is easy to read and understand. It also contains as a bonus, some very useful tables on the grit level of various abrasives, mohs hardness and such. I did a search for sharpening questions on the forums for the past while, and it was rare to see a question that is not addressed in this book. I have passed mine around to friends and it is very well received.
-Cliff
Steve Bottorff's book "Sharpening Made Easy" clearly explains the principles of sharpening in terms of what you are trying to do, how to do it, the kinds of problems that you will encounter and how to solve them. It does mention other tools, but the main focus is on knives. It discusses the different types of knives, geometries and such, and how they influence your basic sharpening method. Also given are descriptions of the various types of abrasives and guidelines on selecting sharpening equipment, from basic things to look for as well as specific recommendations for a few products.
There are points that I think need clarification, and some minor points that I disagree with, but overall it is a very solid book that is easy to read and understand. It also contains as a bonus, some very useful tables on the grit level of various abrasives, mohs hardness and such. I did a search for sharpening questions on the forums for the past while, and it was rare to see a question that is not addressed in this book. I have passed mine around to friends and it is very well received.
-Cliff