An Easier, More Efficient Way to Sharpen Swords
Вставка
- Опубліковано 10 кві 2017
- Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition
USA: amzn.to/2pnJsD2
Canada: amzn.to/2oTfuec
Blade grinder attachment
USA: amzn.to/2oZPrS5
amzn.to/2nzu2iR
I bought this recently to upgrade the Work Sharp and turn it into an actual compact belt grinder. It's much more powerful than the standard unit due to the longer, wider belts it can use. And being able to freehand it allows for more versatility.
Pretty neat for sharpening and re-profiling larger blades. Saves me a lot of time, especially when having to do multiple swords / machetes / axes, but it doesn't take up as much space as a regular belt grinder. It's also a little quieter.
********************************************************************************
Want to help fund future videos?
/ skallagrim
My favorite online store for buying swords (worldwide shipping):
ww4.aitsafe.com/go.htm?go=kult...
Channel-related shirts and stuff:
skallagrim.spreadshirt.com/
My Facebook page:
/ skallagrimyt
Some recommended knife makers on Amazon:
amzn.to/1qjwMNL - Розваги
For those of you who cannot afford such a tool, a simple alternative, though much slower, is a wooden block with sand paper affixed to it via tacks or small nails. The blade can be affixed to a table edge or board by clamps with the edge exposed, allowing a rigid surface for you to bear against as you sand by hand. Like I said, this is much slower but can allow for a more accurate and natural grind if you are willing to invest the time into it.
As for using a belt driven tool of any kind, there will be a sweet-spot in pressure needed to get a decent grind, but also limit the heat build up. For inexperienced users, I would strongly recommend wetting the blade first with water to help dissipate heat, as too much pressure or too slow of a grind will rapidly heat the steel, which runs the risk of damaging the temper of the steel. If the blade begins to be uncomfortably warm to the touch in any area, stop and let it cool with a gentle application of water.
The critical temperature you will not want to exceed is 100C/212F, so if you see the water "Flashing", or evaporating rapidly away from the ground surface, allow the steel to cool.
This is perhaps erring a little far on the side of caution, I realize, but it is really easy to overheat a tempered piece of steel if you are not aware of this problem.
It's a shame that this information isn't higher in the comments. Anyone familiar with high end kitchen knives knows if you're going to use powered tools, you have to go slowly and use water. There are plenty of cowboy knife sharpeners that ignore this. This wasn't highlighted enough in the video. Imagining someone going at it like Skall did in the video with an Albion makes my skin crawl. Apologies for resurrecting your 4 year old comment.
you can stick a small magnetic level to it, so you can better see if its exactly parallel to your working surface
This needs to go to the top. I was thinking of the same thing for those who aren't good at maintaining something level in motion to give them a guide.
Was thinking the same thing. Something like this: www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-4-in-Magnetic-Handy-Level-246M-H/206354317 would work well. Could even put multiple on the blade depending on the length.
but you can't be sure of if you are mantaining the same angle and there's no tool for that
interesting idea but I think your overthinking it you could build a quick wooden frame to drag the blade across keeping it the exact same angle every time
@@nickgreene2971 show me please! I need a frame
You are teaching us how to sharpen swords to violently and brutally attack sheets of paper. This is violent and vicious. To the Daily Mail headquarters!
OMG! What are you suggesting? Him butchering some reporters?
How could you!
When free handing, try keeping your elbows close/locked into your sides with your forearms at a 90 degree angle, rotating your torso while grinding. That will help keep a steady, consistent angle as well as pressure, and may feel a bit more comfortable for you while not tiring your shoulders as quickly. This is a technique that Japanese sword makers use, moving their whole body with the blade. They also do this when forging.
I learned this several years ago & it is important and it works!
Well now that he knows it's japanese he's not going to do it.
Please always tie back your hair and Wear short sleeves when working with electric tools, a machine this small probably won't send you to A&E but it's worth making a habit of it.
Some new guy didn't listen to this advice well one drill press later he lost half of his hair and was sent to hospital
When it comes to sanding belts you should wear something to cover your arms because you'll get pieces of steel on your skin and it will irritate you for months. But for stuff like a drill press definitely pull up your sleeves.
@@1810jeff yeah I'm a welder, and I would never work with any type. Of grinder without long sleeves. Good gloves are something I wouldn't go without too.
Just make sure the long sleeves aren't loose
@@1810jeff
Watching you use that gives me a healthy appreciation for my Grizzly.
You ask for tips.
1. Come over and check out the new shop layout and location (kinda) and use my big Grizzly again. I will have a video out about my new shop in the coming weeks.
2. Consistent smooth motion is key. Keeping the blade exactly parallel is essential. Never turning the blade forward or back or dipping/ raising the handle.
3. Your speed pulling it across is good, consistent and slow is what you want and what you did. Good job.
4. I prefer to have the belt turning into the edge, not away as you have. But then I am also using a very different tool than you and I doubt you can change it. Grinding into the edge allows me to peer at it from above and I find that helpful, though you must be very careful, its easy to slip just a little and slice your belt as you get sharper and sharper.
5. I don't know about the edge angle on swords, you mentioned the 22.5 angle, I usually go with a 25 degree angle on most anything that I expect to take a beating. All my knives are done to 25 degrees with the exception of skinners and kitchen knives. when next I get around to forging a sword I will use 25 there too, It holds an edge well and is very sharp. A very good balance.
6. When it comes to freehand grinding practice makes perfect and there really is no substitute for it. The grind is real (pun intended)
7. Look down the blade often. It helps you notice any wobble or off spots you might have created and allows you the opportunity to fix them before they get too far, especially with a coarse grit belt.
8. I almost forgot. Strop your edge on leather to hone that edge and remove the micro burrs. Then move up in grit to a car window. (seriously) Roll your car window down most of the way and very carefully with a consistent angle use the top of the window and push forward slightly as your draw across. This is one of the best strops I have ever used and its stupid simple. Just don't ever accidentally bang the top of the window... because its tempered glass and will shatter if you hit it with any force. Nice and light and consistent.
Let me know if that helps.
Skål!
What do bystanders think of you honing a sword on the top of your car window?
This is an item I have been considering for quite a while but I didn't even know this attachment existed. It definitely looks convenient for the sharpening of longer blades. A lot of people in the family are hunters and/or hikers, and I'm the one usually stuck with sharpening all their stuff (machetes, large survival knives etc.). Even when they're generous with the monetary contribution, it still often is more time and trouble then it's worth to do this on stones.
I'll be getting one.
love the fact that you post such a large variety of informative/entertaining material
If you move your grinder to the corner of your table or edge it helps to produce more steady grinds by holding your blade with two hands on opposing sides after you index it lock your arms and move your body at your hips keeping your arms locked. Also you do not have to take the nut all the way off to adjust your angles, also if your belt is loose it helps make setting your angle easier. General rule of thumb on your heat is to move your blade across at about 1" per second, that will keep your heat down. Cheers.
That worksharp set-up is almost $200. I get great results with my $50 belt grinder from Harbor Freight and some 1x30 belts from Amazon (an additional $30)...
Thanks for the reviews of this product. I added this to my Amazon wish list after watching your reviews and my wife just got me one for Christmas. Yippy!
I really fail to see the point of such an accurate angle gauge if you end up having to freehand the blade an try to keep the horizontal by eye, relative that little shelf guide.
Wouldn't it be better if that shelf was raised up to the grinding level? This way you could rest the flat of the sword on it and have it be ground at exactly the angle you set it up at.
My thought is what if that shelf is there to use the lower spot on the belt? Or you can use the shelf on the opposite side to remove the edge vs free handling. This attachment is definitely open to multiple position usage
I'm going to look into purchasing one of these in the future. Excellent review Skall!
I've got it and both of the attachments and it all fits in this little toolbox I got for it.
Excellent tool! there is also a 1X30 belt sander made by Harbor Freight that I use to bevel and sharpen blades I craft. From course to fine, to a leather or bear cloth belt, you can put an excellent edge on your blades.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR WORK!!!
You can use a Sharpy pen (red is the easiest color for my eyes to pick up) to see the material that has and or still needs to be removed from the edge. Just color in along the entire edge bevel and see the results after a few, or even a single pass (anywhere you see the color remaining is an area that you did not get in that pass adversely anywhere you see color missing is an area that you removed material). Optimally you hope to see that you have removed a consistent amount of material from the base to the tip of the blade. Just repeat the process to follow your progress
Tip 1: If you see waviness (wide narrow wide) or it tappers (wide to narrow), unless there is serious inconsistencies in the blade itself, you are probably not holding a consistent angle all the way across your pass.
Tip 2: A magnifying glass or fresnel lense can be great for seeing small imperfection in the edge.
Tip 3: Clearing the burs off the edge by running the edge across a piece of wood will prevent you from misidentifying and chip, dip or flat spot along the edge from just some burs that can be cleared away.
Awesome video, I just recently got into shrapening blades. Bought myself a japanese water stone and a leather strop for my balisong, I definately have a long ways to go until I can confidently sharpen it but so far so good
You could probably make a wooden platform guide that slides on top of the grinder, with a cutout that allows the blade (horizontal) to be pushed into the belt at a consistent angle.
Skallagrim you can use the front platten, on the front, which will help you very much in keeping the blade straight and keep the edge even as you grind. Do that and slowly run the blade back and forth each time you run the blade one way turn it around and run it the other way and continue to do that repeatedly and you'll get a wonderfully sharp edge.
if you want a very shallow edge that is
Skal, saying this as a hobby bladesmith, having the belt running 'away' from the edge rather than towards it, will bend the outermost part of the edge when you get it really sharp, creating a bur. I would suggest using the flat 'table' on the right side of the tool. Rest the spine of the blade on that plate and tilt the edge towards the belt at an appropriate angle. Since the belt has a platin behind it, this will off course result in a flat grind. If you want to do convex or concave grinds, freehand is really the only option. If you are doing a convex grind I wouldn't recommend having the belt run towards the blade, since it has a chance of catching the blade and throwing it, or cutting off the belt sending it flying.
Dip the blade in water frequently, use a wire brush to clean the belt while it's running to make it last longer, and make sure the grinder is firmly secured so it won't throw itself around when you touch the blade to the belt,
Oh yeah, and be patient, grinding is the part of making blades that takes the longest =)
Have fun!
I have the blade grinding attachment for my work sharp, I quite like it. On Amazon you can find a leather stropping belt for this attatchment that comes with a buffing compound if you want that "scary sharp" edge.
Quick suggestion for grinding blades on belt sanders, use the contact wheel rather than the slack of the belt. That will give you a quicker grind as well as a neater and more refined grind. Of course using the contact wheel means you have to create the angle manually but it will look rather nice.
I will have to remember this. In my earlier days of sword collecting, I used a whetstone to sharpen my swords. Granted I was an extreame amature at it, but I could get them somewhat sharp again for a little while. Unfortunetly all my swords have dulled out and will likely stay that way for a while until I get out by myself again but I will definetly remember this. It looks a hellavalot easier then finding a way to hold the sword/stone/finding a place to put the stone and work with it. Cool stuff yo
I have completely changed over to the grinder. I do not even use the guided attachment. I have several survival knives that are too thick for the guides. The grinder is easier for me to work with. Great video
Those belt Grinders on forged in fire are really cool
There's a video by Mike Edelson showing how to sharpen with the machine. For example he tells you to move the blade with the hips to keep the hands and the blade still.
the Ken Onion edition is amazing!
That's a neat little tool, thanks for the tip.
I like to get them to the point were they cut paper pretty easily.Then I can get them really sharp,I use my wet stones at that point.It's very time consuming.Then once you got them sharp enough that they easily shave hair.It's just a matter of periodic maintenance.That's really nice little belt sharpener I like angle attachment.
This is Thrand! Cool devise I just use a belt sander upside down with different grade sand papers and dame angles you use with we stone but paper runs away from edge not against it. I finish edge with wet stone and sometimes use steels :D
ThegnThrand I use the same, got it at harbor freight for 40 bucks! Bought it for tomahawk modding now it’s one of my favorite tools
Doing it with stone and leather.
Especially when it was a stressful day I love sitting down alone in my workshop and just sharpening every dull blade in reach.
Pretty meditational 😅
Hey skall, pretty little toy you got there, seems almost perfect for grindin' in small places.
Might make me a mini belt sander soon, just for when i get the itch to sharpen something in my room at midnight. (no joke, srs)
Try to use your hips/torso to follow the curve of the blade, arms to move it sideways and hands to keep even angle and control pressure as needed, at least that works for me when sharpening something larger than a kitchen knife.
Try out different methods and find out what works for you!
Btw, no need to actually grind something to get the feel of how would you do it with something... So grab a large piece and have a dry run against any surface of adequate height, pretending that's your belt/stone whatever you plan to use.
With this new guide, that machine is transformed into basically a miniature belt grinder. I wonder what other tasks it can be used in, other than blade sharpening. It would be so useful for an amateur maker that does not have a shop to put a full size belt grinder, or can not afford one.
funny how I just click on skallagrim and this was uploaded a minute ago, Feelsgoodman
I have one of these. And I have 3 carbon steel machetes that I have personally put put through a 2" sapling in one swipe. This sharpener Is the best one I have ever used. I have used it on hatchets, brush hooks, a maul, even a ceramic knife. (With the right belts)
My best tip would be that you should start the grind in a more uncomfortable angle such as you start further away from the body and bring the blade towards you as the grind end. This way it's easier to maintain a smother grind and makes it so that you do not have to relocate your hands or move your body through the motion.
Also you could try and get something to rest your forearm on as you grind which could aid you in maintaining a proper angle.
For shorter blades especially this is a good idea.
When you grind try and look for a good burr. When you do the grinding this means that you could start with as an example, 10 full grinds on one side and then the same on the other. After this reduce the amount of grind per turns by two until you reach one. After that alternate your passes such as you do one grind on each side until you are satisfied with the sharpness. Polish in the same alternating manner. cheers
I just want to mention, the loose hair. I'm not sure if this is just because you're demonstrating a feature and not using it normally but it's a lot safer if you tie that up. I don't want to see you get into any MORE accidents than you have, you've suffered enough.
I don't use a belt sander currently (I did once upon a time). I do have a a few bench grinders/buffers (hand crank and electric). Advice wise I have a few things to say that should help:
1) If possible/practical remove a blade that you intend to sharpen from it's hilt/haft assembly. The guard, bolster or lip of a knife, sword or axe will almost always get in your way. It's so much easier to work with just the blade if it can be helped.
2) If you want to get a truly sharp, durable, and well polished edge. Get leather strop honing belts. I checked the links you provided and they do sell them for your tool. Also get cutting/buffing/polishing rouges to use with those belts.
3). Once you have those finer action materials...Don't mix rouge and applicator. One rouge type for one belt. You'll end up hampering your effort otherwise.
4) Don't be afraid to spark test in order to figure out what type of rouge you should be using (there are charts online for spark testing and which rouges are appropriate for different alloys). Especially if you have the blade free of the hilt/haft assembly. As you can then spark test where the scuffing will never be seen in normal use.
i use a bench grinder for sharpening lawn mower blades and tools, its pretty similar it just takes a bit to get used to guiding it freehand like that
The point of drag seems to come into play just prior the point where you would need to rotate the blade to get the curved portion of the edge in consistent contact with the belt. From what I can see, the you were holding the edge to the belt at this point was less perpendicular and more of a diagonal, putting more of the edge in contact with the belt. More surface area to grind, less material removed.
I haven't belt ground an edge in over a decade, but the same principle applied when I was sharpening wood chisels for finish carpentry. Granted, this tool is WAY safer than the unsecured 4 inch belt sander just sitting on its back that I used. Very reasonably priced, too.
Just throwing out there, that is a Sabersmith Cutlass. An older design that we no longer make, but you can check out our current work either on facebook or our website www.sabersmith.com.
Only thing I might suggest is to strop the edge after sharpening- denim from old jeans stretched over a piece of wood works well, or a piece of leather mounted the same way ( fuzzy side up )- rub some polishing compound onto it and then drag the blade over the strop, pushing down with a fair amount of pressure ( pull towards you, sharp edge facing away from you ). Do that a dozen or so times to polish the edge and really make it cut even better. Learnt that from woodworking channels, sharpening chisels and planes.
If you want to foolproof it a bit more, you could attach an angled surface on the front and rest the blade there as you grind the edge.
Walter Sorrels has some pretty good tips for using a belt grinder (or similar device) one tip from him that might be pretty relevant or important is the higher grit the abrasive is the quicker it's going to heat up this is something important to keep in mind for a scandi grind
A compact adjustable belt grinder. Nice
If you are looking for a cheaper option you can make an mdf wheel for bench grinder and add buffing compound and it gives a nice sharp edge. Some grinders are quite affordable, I've seen some used for like 30€ new ones are around 50€ which is still whay cheaper than a work sharp, also you don't need the belts it is an efficient and cheap system if you have the space to operate it.
Thank you for the video. I already have the Work-sharp (nearly proprietary belts) and a Harbor Freight one inch grinder (you end up mail ordering belts for this non-standard grinder). I was excited at first to think that the Work-sharp attachment would work the same way. It doesn't. Essentially, you are free handing. so I would not buy the attachment (probably again, proprietary and additional belts). If I had it to do over, I would own the basic Work-sharp and a 2 or 3 inch grinder.
learning new stuff love it,mind you your going to get a lot of people asking to have you sharpen blades nice little side bissness
I just do it by hand with a stone. When I'm sitting down, I brace the blade tip on the floor (on a piece of wood or other tough material) and hold the grip of thebblade while I do a circular back and forth pattern on the blade with a stone at the proper angle.
Im no expert myself but i once saw someone sharpen a big blade with a beltgrinder and he used 2 extra belts that suspended the blade like a swing, so its very easy to control and turn (1 belt at the hilt and 1 at the tip, which needs readjusting when u reach it) that might not work for all blades though. but it is simple and very flexible
Your technique is great actually. You hold a consistent angle and don't run the blade through too quickly or slowly or at an inconsistent pace. Only way to get better is to just use it more and get even more consistent. In reference to 9:40, my only tip would be that if you have a problematic spot, especially around the belly of the blade, you still want to work the whole edge until that spot is sharp or else you'll grind a flat spot. *Edit:* Oh, and Marius Sprock 3 months ago in the comments had a really good point: "you can stick a small magnetic level to it, so you can better see if its exactly parallel to your working surface"
As far as the rough spot on the blade goes, just put a sharpening steel to it and that should move the burr into a right angle.
For sharpening, I personally use a coarse followed up by fine then ultra fine.
The extra coarse belt is generally used when you need to hog off a lot of material such as when you're re-profiling a blade, striking in a fuller or setting geometry on a blade that just came straight out of a forge (make sure that it's cooled sufficiently or you'll burn the belt)... yeah you can do that with a WorkSharp, it just takes a little longer than a full sized belt grinder
Also when you're working a blade that long, keep a atomizer bottle handy so you can give it a spritz (or 5) to prevent overheating and thus ruining your temper.
Will you be doing reviews on halberds? I've got my eye on the cold steel billhook. The head seems worthy but not sure about the shaft/pole/stave/stick.
Its a shame your channel never popped up when I was trying to learn my ken onion. Now that I watch your channel you show up under sword sharpening work sharp
Thanks for this one! I am starting my own blade and tool sharpening service with the Ken Onion edition, so this is very relevant.
You're gonna want a bigger belt grinder.
Just a word to those in the US (as I don't know if there are Harbor Freight stores elsewhere). A $30 1x30 belt grinder from Harbor Freight and a $30 set of quality belts will do the same job, faster, and last a lot longer.
with the grinder, just take your time, better to be slow and safe than to over heat and ruin the heat treatment. The lower transformation temperature is about 600 degrees Fahrenheit (if I remember my metallurgy class correctly).
Definitely wont hit that on a Worksharp without really trying. Especially on a blade that large.
Skallagrim, did you register your worksharp online?
You should take the tension off the belt before adjusting the angle. Or have the angle set before putting the belt on.
The horizontal plate on the back is another reference platform so you can do 90 degree grinds.
On the first belt, did you work til you got a burr along the whole edge? Tends to produce a sharper edge.
hello skall ! first thanks for all your videos and the advertising you provide us !
Now, I am slowly building myself a forge. so far, i have done all my sharpening and grinding by hand with a file (i was trying to do it traditionally) but as I am going towards bigger pieces, i'm gonna need a sander. do you think this work sharp and belt grinder attachment would be enough to grind fairly big pieces of metal ? (like a dagger or sword or any weapon really...) or do you think that would be too small for such a job ?
once again, thanks for everything and have a great day ! :)
From what I know you should sharpen a blade like fishing hooks from the tip down. This way you will get the best edge for cutting
Looks great, I wouldn't mind buying one but with the ridiculous cost of them in the uk I think I'll stick to my wet grinder and oil stone.
i got a cheap accu sharp works good got it for around 12 bux simply run the rig across the blade super quiet re profiles blades in 10 strokes top u got a hair splitting edge
Ah, my favorite kind of video: sword sharpening ASMR ;)
I bought one after you recommended it in your other video... turns out the company is only a few blocks away from my house!
I used to jeer the idea. But now after seeing an open display at a hardware store, I'm thinking about getting one for terribly fat asymetric bevels and such. I can always finish things to a razor edge with manual hones afterwards. When you have to grind away a 1/16" of steel, small hand hones are laborious.
Great video!!
if Skallagrim lived closer to where i live i would be happy to teach him all of my tricks. the sharpener he is using is a good choice. if i had one pointer think of your entire body as a large sharpening jig posture and body movement should all be vary deliberate move more with your whole body less with just your arms they are not as stable as your shoulders and core
i can get those results with a fine cut and coarse cut bastard files a few diamond stones and a strop and in rare situations a bench grinder but only if its been damaged severely or blunted. the guys i work with are always paying me to sharpen things for them. i have sharpened knives axes machetes swords spears broad heads chisels plane blades. i have been doing this since i was 8 when i bought my first knife and stone.
What about a flamberge blade?
This is the earliest I've been to a Skallagrim video!
I've been watching you with great interest, Anticonny...
Hey Skall! Have you ever considered trying lead-cutting? I saw Matt Easton mentioning it in a video (and how it was apparently done with cutlasses), and it just seems something you would do.
The only issue i can see that gives me pause is the point where you are grinding, there is a slack in the belt. because the belt is not supported the angle you are grinding could be off by a good bit and the edge will be more convex then you may intend. A slack belt is great for adding gentle curves or rounding too your work. Were a belt that is supported by a flat rigid plane is great for cutting straight angles. Although if you are going for a concave aspect for your blade you will want to work on wheel, preferably one with the correct diameter. Hope this helps and keep up the good work.
Skal at what speed what the grinder working? And what is the life expectancy of the belts and the price for them pls if you can. Thanks in advance man !!
I'm curious, do you have any videos or resources on how exactly fighting differs in armies clashing as opposed to one on one?
Skall try using the vertical portion and rest your knuckles on the flat grey plate closer to the silver motor..Then you can use the backside of your fingers and knuckles as a guide and draw it through with the other hand
I find that if you put the grinder on the edge of the table and use your waist to move while keeping your hands stiff it makes it easier. :)
That's a cool cutlass
That's one of our older designs. Check out our website www.sabersmith.com
you dont have to remove the knob to change the angle..... only need to loosen it and thats is you can also adjust how tight/loose the automatic belt tightener should be to give you more or less convex too
also when doing a large/heavy blade you should up the speed on the machine a little over medium so you dont overload the motor and kills the switch
What an informative, practical and highly relevant video, go raibh maith agat.
these things are great
ya, the most important thing to remember when sharpening a blade freehand is to be consistent. the angle is important too, but if you don't hold the blade as close as you can to the same angle for the entire time you end up with a poor edge.
i'm not saying Skall did anything wrong. (because i don't think he did) i'm just saying, consistency, consistency, consistency.
QUESTION, does it scratch up the surface of the blade, Im worried about messing up my mirror polish on my Katanas, I will definitely use the Grind attachment though, also does it give you a secondary Bevel?
I know a lot of people love the Worksharp with the blade grinder attachment...
There are tons of 1x30 belt grinders that would do this job much better and less than half the cost... and really not that much bigger.
Just something to think about.
Roy Fernbach recommendations?
You can usually go to any Harbor Freight and get their 1x30 belt sander for around $40 USD(with 25% coupon easily gotten)
Also Amazon has the same 1x30 belt sanders (unbranded) for around the same price... shipped.
Considering the Work Sharp is around $130 USD + the blade grinder attachment is another $80 USD... you can get 4+ of the 1x30s for that price.
Seach youtube for 1x30 belt grinder, everyone uses them.
The 1 x 30 belt grinders I found on Amazon ranged from about $70 to $120. I wouldn't trust anything from Harbor Freight as they're into selling cheap, okay tools instead of really good tools meant for people who use them every day. If I didn't know any better I'd say you have stock in them for singling them out, as mechanically inclined people I know will recommend any store *other* than Harbor Freight. While I agree with you that the table top belt sander is more versatile than the tool made specifically for sharpening, I don't think Skal is recommending the Work Sharp because it's cheap but because he doesn't have a lot of space to spare and it does exactly what he needs. I don't think it's as clear cut a case as you make it out to be. I imagine the 1 x 30 would be a good option for him if he had his own place, but living in an apartment, I can understand firsthand how he'd want something that is very easy to box up and put away.
Despite watching your channel for several years, I went and bought my first two swords (from Windlass) and hand and a half and longsword. Mostly for aesthetics, partly so I can learn how to handle actual swords, I bought this tool recently so I can put an actual edge to them.. you know... Because Windlass..😂
Nice handle
it takes a "little" more to ruin tempering from what i learned in school ^^.
youll need much more than 200 degrees Celcius to even start causing damage to the tempering of regular carbon steel(therefore youll burn yourself badly if you touch it. if it is too hot too touch you might be ruining your tempering)
if you look for doing damage to a toolsteel like the hss youll even need a lot more degrees to actually do something at all.
i guess youve been trying to say this to keep people from letting that thing get too hot and ruin the edge and blame you for it but thats a little bit overcaring ^^.
Yes, I'll admit I'm unnecessarily paranoid about that. :)
The part you are grinding and the material immediately next to it can easily reaches 200+ degrees. I'd say there is a good reason to be wary of ruining the tempering.
Skallagrim but better than to chilled and then ruining something
There's so much material in the case of that sword that you wouldn't hit 200 degrees without considerably heating the rest of the sword first, unless you were burning out the motor with excessive pressure, and trying to destroy the blade.
I'm out I don't know enough about that
Very nice!! Imma have to buy this. But what of the abraisive belts? Does it come with those or do i have to buy them separate?
Actually as a bladesmith i am pretty confident that drawfiles are better at reprofiling. Yes, sure, they take a lot of time to work with, but the results are more consistent and you have more control. For sharpening though, the tool looks neat
I use a wet stone grinder but those belts look great.
keep the blade cool my best tips
the motor on my worksharp just overheated and died after sharpening my condor naval cutlass (the new one with the not plastic guard) which was the first and least of my serrds and the one i was most willing to screw up on as it was my first time using the new attachment. I took the worksharp apart and left the motor to cool in front of a fan but there was whips of smoke coming out for a little bit. does anyone know how to fix an overheated motor on one of these things?
You can use a belt sander to set the edge. However, I have found it very difficult to avoid overheating the edge with my Harbor Freight 1 x 30 sander. After setting the edge, it's usually necessary to go back and give it one good sharpening with stones. That's enough to remove the heat damage from the belt and prevent problems. If you want to test if the edge was damaged from sanding, you can do a cutting test. Use a piece of lumber for a base/chopping block, then chop, lightly, through a bamboo skewer. If the edge dents at all, you damaged the edge by overheating. If this is ok, you can move on to cutting through tie wire. It's the soft wire used for tying reinforcing steel. Even soft machetes will cut this without damage, if the edge hasn't been overheated by belt sander use.
Oh, one more thing. If using tie wire, make sure the wire is laying on the lumber perpendicular to the grain, while the blade should be parallel to the grain when cutting. For the skewer, it doesn't matter.
have you or can you make a video on sharpening using a dremmel like multi tool and which attacments are best ? as an inexpensive option
As you asked for some tips I'll give you one that applies to all sharpening of long blades on belts, dont move your hands and arms, lock them into place and then lean your body backwards and forwards in a set stance, that way you wont wobble and mess up your grinding. If you want something that will get it done faster. Get a hand held belt sander with a wide belt and clamp it upside down onto a work bench and use that instead, this thing has tiny belts and is bad for swords really. Final tip learn to use a proper large whetstone, yes it takes longer to master, but it's a skill you will have forever. Once you master hand sharpening on a whetstone, you wont need allt hese machines, just a nice 10-12 in stone in your bag.
I have to touch up the tip of my rapier, it's significantly dull from the testings the company I bought it from did, then I did stab a tree a few times. Should any belt sander work?
Well, looks like I'm buying a Worksharp lol. Thanks Skall!!!
Great video Skall. How long did it took you to sharpen that blade?
About 15 min.
Does it create enough heat to anneal the metal or change the properties of the metal ?
Skallagrim, what is the coolest weapon you have ever seen that you can even remember. It doesn't have to be practical, just cool. (Of course it can still be practical)
I'm 100% new to this stuff would a pull through sharpener work well?
So you're saying grindr is a great way to whet your blade?
Seems to be good thing to have for Hanwei European sword line