{"id":1419,"date":"2021-04-27T11:10:39","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T08:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/?p=1419"},"modified":"2022-09-07T12:00:50","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T09:00:50","slug":"ultimate-guide-to-sharpening-wood-carving-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/ultimate-guide-to-sharpening-wood-carving-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Ultimate Guide to Sharpening Wood Carving Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Several wood carving tools available today are supplied already sharpened by the manufacturer. However, over time and with constant use, these tools become dull.\u00a0A dull tool can pose problems to carvers of all levels and make carving tedious. If you dare to use a blunt tool on hardwood, you will end up frustrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharpening your wood carving tools is not only important but also necessary. It helps get the job done faster, more efficiently, and much safer. Those who would love to find out ways to sharpen their wood carving tools, rejoice, for this is the ultimate guide to sharpening wood carving tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to sharpen wood carving tools depends on the particular tools you want to sharpen, and your expertise as a woodcarver. Most of the time the best approach to sharpening wood carving tools is to do it with a with a sharpening stone, it is important to sharpen your tools in a proper sequence which is: Sharpening-Honing-Sharpening-Stropping. In some rarer cases, you can also use a belt sander to sharpen your tools.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we will answer several questions covering how to sharpen different wood carving tools and methods of sharpening these tools. We would even give you tips on sharpening your tools effectively and safely while making you understand the difference between sharpening and honing, among other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Sharpen a Wood Carving Knife<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sharpening a wood carving knife can be done in many different ways and by using various sharpening tools. The most common way is to sharpen the knife with a whetstone, but other ways such as sharpening a knife with a leather strop<\/a> and sandpaper are also very functional and good to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The method you choose will depend entirely on your preference; the aim here is to get the edge of the carving knife razor-sharp and ready for use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to sharpen a carving knife with a whetstone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes down to popularity, the whetstone is the Sean Connery of sharpening a carving knife. This tool has over the years proven to be the most valuable and versatile sharpening tool.<\/strong> Its use is not limited to carving knives alone; it can also sharpen many other straight edge sharp tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whetstone has a fine grit on one side and a coarse grit on the other side. To sharpen your carving knife with a whetstone, you will require these materials<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. A whetstone;<\/strong> the grit size will depend on the current state of your blade. For very dull blades, a grit size of 1000 grit will suffice, but for sharp knives that need to be made sharper, a grit of 3000-6000 is necessary. We can recommend the Pebble Premium Whetstone<\/a> that is double-sided with the coarser side being 1000 grit for quick sharpening and the finer side being 6000 grit ideal for making your knife very sharp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Water<\/strong> and a clean cloth<\/strong> to keep the knife clean<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. A stone holder<\/strong> for holding the whetstone in place and prevent it from sliding away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since you now know what a whetstone is and the necessary tools you need to get this started, let\u2019s show you how to use the whetstone to sharpen your carving knife<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Find the Sharpening Angle<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first thing you should do is get the whetstone wet. This will ensure a smooth glide while using the whetstone. Finding the sharpening angle is not hard. Hold the knife with the cutting edge facing down at a 90-degree angle to the whetstone, then move the blade to a 45-degree angle. Next, move the knife to half the 45-degree angle. Now you have your sharpening angle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Expose or create the Burr<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Once you have your sharpening angle, place your thumb on the spine of the carving knife and use your other hand to guide the knife as you draw the knife over the whetstone in a forward and backward motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to adjust your fingers as you move back and forth. Put pressure on your fingers when you move the knife forward on the whetstone, and release the pressure as you draw the knife back towards yourself. This will expose the burr. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The burr is also known as the wire edge. It is formed on the other side of the blade as your grind metal away from one side. Forming a burr is crucial, and the burr will only be formed when the knifes cutting edge is very thin.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Remove the Burr<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

After the burr is formed on the opposite side of the knife cutting edge, switch the bade to the side where the burr is formed and begin to sharpen that side. By doing this, you will remove the burr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything described in steps 1 and 2 should be repeated, <\/strong>but reduce the pressure on your fingers while running the knife over the whetstone. About 50% reduction is enough. This will remove any burr from the edge of the blade. Flip the blade from one side to the other repeatedly to achieve this. This will clean the edge of the blade and remove the burr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to move from heel to tip and then back from tip to heel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 4: Confirm the sharpness of the sharpened knife by doing a paper test. <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Here is a more detailed piece on How to Sharpen A Whittling Knife With a Stone?<\/a> Here we talk about selecting the perfect whetstone and the difference between honing and sharpening a knife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to sharpen a wood carving knife with a leather strop<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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A leather strop is designed specially to remove any left-over burr after the sharpening stage. The leather strop works best with a stropping compound. The stropping compound is normally applied over the leather strop. The process is similar to applying crayon on a coloring book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stropping needs to be done on the edge of an already sharpened knife to increase its sharpness. It is the last stage of sharpening. If you are a DIYer you can also choose to make your leather strop yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting your knife to a sharp edge by using a leather strop is easy. Lay the blade as flat as you can on the leather strop. Make sure the sharp edge of the knife is directed towards you. Then, using one finger, apply slight pressure on the blade and the strop, finally move the knife away from you by performing repeated gentle strokes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the strop starts to turn black, it means your knife is getting sharpened as these black stains indicate that the metal is being cut from the blade. The Guide To Leather Sharpening Knives and Wood Carving Tools<\/a> has detailed information on ways you can sharpen your carving knife and several other wood carving tools like chisels and gouges with a leather strop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to sharpen a wood carving knife with Sandpaper<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The sandpaper is a very cheap way of getting your carving knife to become razor-sharp. The process can be completed in a matter of minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although not made of sand, this paper is made from synthetic or other natural particles. The sandpaper is available in different grit sizes, this makes it suitable for various stages of sharpening. 40-50 grits are coarse and are used for very dull knives, medium grits lie within 60-100 grits, and fine grits are within the range of 120-220-grit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is how to use sandpaper to sharpen your wood carving knife<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tools and Materials Needed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n