Sharpening thoughts
HI. Sorry it has been so long since last post but things have been busy. At the moment I am in a bit of a quite time before I go to camp next week. I volunteer to do spiritual direction for a week each summer at Camp Pagweak in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. A lot of fun but a tiring time. This year it is day camp with a bunch of 6-9 year olds and counselor trining in the evening.
I have not been turning a lot lately. I broke a bone in my foot a couple of weeks ago and standing for a while is a literal pain. It has been getting a bit better and I got a garden mushroom done from a piece of spruce log.
Anyway, I was reading on the newsgroup a message from a guy who has figured out the fun of turning. When the edge starts to feel a little dull, sharpen. The shavings come better and the effort disappears. I know you can lean into a cut and force the wood, but how much time does it save in the long run. When would bother to force a dull plane hoping it would make as nice a cut as a sharp one? So sharpen. I like a jig although I do some freehand. It only takes a few seconds to sharpen and the work is a game with sharp tools. Relax and cut.
I have some ideas on how I sharpen over on the sharpening pages If you do something different I would like to know.
