Jointer stones vs custom bushcrafter

HeavyHanded

HeavyHanded

Joined
Jun 4, 2010
Messages
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Hello all, have been getting back into using my "old" jointer stones. These are stones made to sharpen jointer blades in the machine, some of them with custom profiles, and so come in a variety of characteristics and grit values. The hardest of them are suitable for hand sharpening and function very much as an oil-based waterstone. Are relatively inexpensive, slow wearing, and pretty versatile. Videos are longer than I'd like but that's the way the project ran - am thinning out the primary and lowering the inclusive to just under 30*. Knife is a Mark Andrews, did a great job!

As always, jam packed with interesting commentary and observation!

[video=youtube_share;NsESt_hx3jI]http://youtu.be/NsESt_hx3jI[/video]

[video=youtube_share;u2PG0q6q_Qw]http://youtu.be/u2PG0q6q_Qw[/video]
 
Thanks for sharing Martin!
I guess they do function as a reasonable priced JWS. I see (jealosuly) how solid your mechanics have become!
Looking forward to the diamond combi stone ...
 
awestib said:
Thanks for sharing Martin!
I guess they do function as a reasonable priced JWS. I see (jealosuly) how solid your mechanics have become!
Looking forward to the diamond combi stone ...
Click to expand...

Testing that one out should be pretty fun, I should have it by next week at latest!

The Jointer stones are a nice option, they do not come in very fine grit values as the equipment is sharpened at running speed, but at an average cost of $20 are a great value. Am pretty sure the stone I use to make a toothy edge will produce a very high polish edge used as intended. Still, the old newspaper test doesn't do it justice, that edge off the stone can cleanly shave arm hair and (uncomfortably) dry shave facial stubble yet is catchy as all get out. Is also a good bridge to a finer edge, and makes a great surface polish as well as provide improvised stropping compound.

One thing many probably don't consider is the use of oil on some stones and stropping media can really allow one to dial in on their mechanics and the cutting edge very precisely - is a very handy technique I first noticed when using a hardwood lapping board with slurry.


Edit to add:
I've become so used to working off a Washboard, it took a few sessions to get used to the feedback from a resin bonded stone. Using the WB has definitely worked a lot of slop out of my technique and really sped up my sharpening but also made me a little lazy in some respects such as burr removal and managing an oil film/slurry.

If I hadn't been doing a surface polish, the entire sharpening would have been about 15 minutes, maybe less, including lowering the inclusive. The difference in angles from the new secondary angle to the primary grind is not much of a shift in degrees, so had to be careful when laying in the grind to keep it steady from the get-go and not have the shoulder get all rounded out. Now my biggest concern is getting a Kydex sheath for it, or at least using hot wax on the existing sheath. It was sharp before, now I'm certain it could go through the sheath far too easily for my tastes, especially backpacking.
 
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Chris "Anagarika";13964543 said:
Martin,

Nice videos, and knife! :thumbup:
Just chance to watch after downloading it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for watching!

I had a chance to do some preliminary on the diamond jointer stone and am really liking that one as well. It is not a combination stone but appears to have two grit sizes in the same block. It makes scratch patterns in the range of a DMT EEF, maybe a slight touch less refined but very close in any event. The abrasive also appears to be monocrystaline and the reclaimed mud is a natural for stropping. For 30 bucks you get the stone and all the diamond grit you'll ever need. I hope to get around to another video once I get some more time in on it.

They are odd birds but make very nice edges once you get used to how they function, and do a great job of cosmetic polishing to boot. Behaving very much like an oil-based soft waterstone, you can finish backhoning on them and it creates a nice clean microtooth right off the stone. Off the diamond stone was treetopping arm hairs, which on my arm is pretty much hair whittling, a step up from treetopping leg hairs.
 
Looks great Martin! I haven't talked to you in awhile or posted as much in the MTE subforum of recent. Mostly because I am relatively confident in my sharpening and can get consistent sharp edges almost all the time! I haven't used the washboard much as my main sharpening block, but I do use it frequently as a stropping block and it works really well.
 
Martin,

You're a bad influence ;). I was happily content with my stones & washboard until you show this :)
The diamond jointer releases muds? :confused:
 
Chris "Anagarika";13967988 said:
Martin,

You're a bad influence ;). I was happily content with my stones & washboard until you show this :)
The diamond jointer releases muds? :confused:
Click to expand...

That's correct, a diamond stone that releases mud....:cool:

I'm working on a video....
 
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Bladenoobie1 said:
Looks great Martin! I haven't talked to you in awhile or posted as much in the MTE subforum of recent. Mostly because I am relatively confident in my sharpening and can get consistent sharp edges almost all the time! I haven't used the washboard much as my main sharpening block, but I do use it frequently as a stropping block and it works really well.
Click to expand...


I still use the sandpaper for convenience most of the time. Lately have gotten back into some of my other kit like these jointer stones, but I seem to always find my way back to various compounds and slurries for finishing, even if only the grit from a fine silicon carbide stone. The Washboard is always nearby - you can just wrap the loaded paper around a combination stone or similar, but the WB reliably does a notably better job in that role.
 
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