Post by lataxe on Sept 8, 2020 16:47:09 GMT
For those who haven't yet come across the unicorn method of sharpening, here's a link to the main blurb along with another link to blurb from an independent tester of the unicorn method of sharpening:
www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=newarticles&file=articles_958.shtml
chisel-test.netlify.app/
In summary, the method claims not just a rapid ability to form a very sharp edge on chisels and plane blades but a far better retention of that edge, even on cheap tools with poor steel! Coo.
The method basically involves making a sharp edge as normal then giving it a 5 second hone on a buffing wheel with any old honing compound, at an angle of about 45 - 50 degrees on to an edge with an established main bevel of 20- 25 degrees and a secondary, perhaps also a tertiary, micro-bevel of a few degrees more.
****
Well, I had to try it so bought the Sorby buffing wheel kit (the soft cotton on a pigtail version) along with a bar of Sorby blue honing compound. ......
My chisels are already nice and sharp from the fine trizact belt on the Sorby and a final teeny tertiary bevel using 1 micron 3M paper on glass. Softwood end grain cutting gives a polished cut with no obvious micro tear-out or undue resistance from the hard part of the annual rings.
What does honing the unicorn edge on to this already sharp edge do? It does seem to make it sharper. The chisel slips through the end grain somewhat easier. It makes a different sound - no faint chrrrrking sound; or any sound at all. The surface left is glassy. Cutting along the grain, wispy shavings akin to those from a very sharp and fine-set plane blade are possible.
I have a feeling that carvers have been doing this for decades - honing final super-sharp edges on difficult carving chisel profiles via a polishing mop on a pigtail.
Will the unicorned chisel edges also last a lot longer than an edge made sharp without the unicorn? I don't use my chisels enough to be able to estimate that really - I'm a hobbyist not a professional shaving away at the wood each and every day, all day. But the tests in the links above seem convincing .......
Anyroadup, it justified the buying of that Proedge buffing wheel. :-)
Lataxe
www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=newarticles&file=articles_958.shtml
chisel-test.netlify.app/
In summary, the method claims not just a rapid ability to form a very sharp edge on chisels and plane blades but a far better retention of that edge, even on cheap tools with poor steel! Coo.
The method basically involves making a sharp edge as normal then giving it a 5 second hone on a buffing wheel with any old honing compound, at an angle of about 45 - 50 degrees on to an edge with an established main bevel of 20- 25 degrees and a secondary, perhaps also a tertiary, micro-bevel of a few degrees more.
****
Well, I had to try it so bought the Sorby buffing wheel kit (the soft cotton on a pigtail version) along with a bar of Sorby blue honing compound. ......
My chisels are already nice and sharp from the fine trizact belt on the Sorby and a final teeny tertiary bevel using 1 micron 3M paper on glass. Softwood end grain cutting gives a polished cut with no obvious micro tear-out or undue resistance from the hard part of the annual rings.
What does honing the unicorn edge on to this already sharp edge do? It does seem to make it sharper. The chisel slips through the end grain somewhat easier. It makes a different sound - no faint chrrrrking sound; or any sound at all. The surface left is glassy. Cutting along the grain, wispy shavings akin to those from a very sharp and fine-set plane blade are possible.
I have a feeling that carvers have been doing this for decades - honing final super-sharp edges on difficult carving chisel profiles via a polishing mop on a pigtail.
Will the unicorned chisel edges also last a lot longer than an edge made sharp without the unicorn? I don't use my chisels enough to be able to estimate that really - I'm a hobbyist not a professional shaving away at the wood each and every day, all day. But the tests in the links above seem convincing .......
Anyroadup, it justified the buying of that Proedge buffing wheel. :-)
Lataxe
