micro tools

[Sam Fleisher]

A friend decided turning wasn't for him so he gifted me these when he found out I had ordered a small lathe.

Can they be sharpened with the wolverine set-up or do I need to start practicing my freehand sharpening? I'm not at home otherwise I'd just experiment and find out, but I kind of don't want to ruin the grind on them.

Sorby micro set and a crown pen set.

 

[robo hippy]

Well, I am the wrong person to ask, but I sharpen on a platform which does have more room, or at least makes it easier to sharpen smaller tools. I picked up a set of old Glaser mini tools at an estate sale and I don't think they would fit in jigs.

robo hippy

 

[hockenbery]

do I need to start practicing my freehand sharpening?

I think you will. We have a micro gouge and the tool is too short to get a 1.75” protrusion from the verigrind.
Yours may be longer

kind of don't want to ruin the grind on them.

The scrapers and skews you would do on a platform any way.
The gouges you can easily do a traditional grind on the platform by keep the tool square to the wheel and rolling it.

To get a fingernail grind there are several techniques.
I use a technique David Ellsworth showed us in a class in the mid nineties.

My advice is to learn and practice on a larger gouge 1/2 “ Or 3/8”. In my experience 1/4” and smaller tools are harder to sharpen because a slight hesitation on the wheel eats up a lot of steel.


I use the platform to support my hand and for the whole sharpening the tool is kept square to the wheel.
1. I rest the center bevel on the wheel starting with the heel and lifting the handle until the cutting edge comes in contact ( sparks will break on the cutting edge)

2. I roll the tool left and right 30 degrees or so to smooth the bevel and round the nose ( sparks break on the

3. I sharpen the wing with 2-3 more passes where I roll the tool to 90 degrees while pushing the tool up the wheel so that the cutting edge stays in contact with the wheel ( sparks breaking at the cutting edge)

This is the step 3



Have fun
Be safe

 

[Rick Moreton]

I have a Sorby mini bowl gouge. I don't use it a lot, but so far I have just touched it up with a diamond card as needed. I usually just need it to get a finishing pass on a small area. I would still use a bigger tool for bulk removal.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

I didn't even think of the tool not being long enough for the jig. I don't think my buddy ever sharpened them because they are very dull but I also don't think they were used much, probably just until dull.

I doubt a diamond card will bring them back though.