honing P/T knives?

[ivan]

Worth it? Some writers suggest it's a good idea to hone if knives generally OK but you're getting a bit of tearout on tricky grain. If so, what with? Waterstone too soft, GP slipstone very coarse, and diamond too coarse? (1200 grit) as scratches wil be // to edge, not 90 deg to it. What do you do?

[mrgrimsdale]

Funnily enough I just did mine today. Not so much a hone more a touch up. Use wet n dry with white spirit on the planer table. Also means that the nicks are less likely to line up when you put the blades back. But for serious sharpening I send them off.

[stevep]

I use a Tormek wetstone to do mine, but it's a slow old job, especially first time or on blades that have been let go a bit. If I was organised and did them regularly it wouldn't take so long. They do end up really sharp though, much better than blades I've sent off.
By the way, I've just looked up the Tormek - they seem to have doubled their prices since I bought mine - don't think I could afford one now.....

[modernist]

I agree about the Tormek price but they have also introduced a cheaper model to compensate

I have sharpened my "throw away" knives from the Hammer but I havn't tried the resut yet. They seem OK but it means I will have to lift them a little.

Brian

[scraper]

I've given mine a touch-up with the two grades of diamond I have (No idea of the grade, but the second one is certainly fine) and it has always been time well spent as the difference is noticeable.

It won't replace a professional grind though

[ivan]

Thanks for your suggestions - I was thinking of a quick by hand touch up, with knives still in planer, rather than something like "proper" sharpening. Sounds as if Jacob takes his out for the wet & dry treatment.

I do take my knives out and lightly dress them on a 1000 grit Japanese wetstone type horizontal grinder between sending them out for grinding. Machines grind to "spark out" (even wet ones) so a coarser grit can gives a better edge than when used in hand.