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Category Archives: sharpening
Bright Shrink Pot
Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out, “Stay awhile.” The light flows from their branches. —Mary Oliver, from the poem “When I am Among the Trees” That poetry excerpt may look familiar. I shared it last … Continue reading
Posted in paint, patterns, quotes and excerpts, sharpening, shrink box, Uncategorized
Tagged carved lettering, quaking aspen, shrink pot
16 Comments
Adze Adjustments
I’ve been getting a lot of good questions from people that, unable to find a good bowl adze, wish to make the most out of a less-than-ideal adze or refurbish an antique adze head. I’ve written about adzes in several … Continue reading
Posted in adze, sharpening, tools, Uncategorized
Tagged adze, bowl adze, grinding an adze, hollowing adze
7 Comments
Sam Understands V-tools
As I was watching my buddy, Sam, poke his head into the kitchen through the cat door as he often does, I got to thinking about v-tools. Sam’s problem is also the problem of many v-tools: his bottom is too … Continue reading
Posted in books, bowls, sharpening, tools, Uncategorized
Tagged v-tool, v-tool sharpening
14 Comments
“Fish Say…” Shrink Pot
As I was shaving down the walls of this cherry shrink pot, I couldn’t help but notice a few small tight pin knots, mostly because the swirling grain direction around them was causing me fits. Then I thought they might … Continue reading
Posted in cherry, Lettering, quotes and excerpts, sharpening, shrink box, tools, Uncategorized
Tagged cherry shrink pot, Heaven poem, pen knife blade, Rupert Brooke
16 Comments
The T-Handle Auger
To bore the initial hole in a shrink pot, I use an auger, typically this two-inch diameter T-handle auger. I found mine at flea market years ago. Large augers like this aren’t rare, but there are a few things to … Continue reading
Posted in sharpening, tools, Uncategorized, video
Tagged shrink box, shrink pot, T-handle auger
9 Comments
What’s Wrong with this Edge?
Look at the lines of reflection on the beautiful polished surface. The polish is good. The fact that the lines of reflection take a bit of a nosedive as they reach the cutting edge is a problem, and a very … Continue reading
Back in the Swing
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. — Abraham Lincoln Although this is a widely known quote attributed to Lincoln, he probably never said it. Besides, Lincoln wouldn’t … Continue reading
Posted in axe, bird bowls, quotes and excerpts, sharpening, teaching, Uncategorized
Tagged Abraham Lincoln
3 Comments
Sharpening an Adze
I took some photos tonight while I sharpened my adze. I wrote about my general sharpening procedure for an axe in this post a while back. The general idea is the same, but sharpening an adze can be more intimidating … Continue reading
What Thumbnails Are For
Sharp makes everything better; less force is required to cut, control is gained, and the surface left from the tool is superior. As obvious as that is, it is easily forgotten in the midst of a project and the haste … Continue reading
Posted in sharpening, tools, Uncategorized
Tagged sharpening, sharpening test, thumbnail test
5 Comments
The Apple of His Eye
Near the end of March 1845, I borrowed an axe and went down to the woods by Walden Pond nearest to where I intended to build my house…. The owner of the axe, as he released his hold on it, … Continue reading
Posted in axe, carving, quotes and excerpts, sharpening, Uncategorized
Tagged axe, bevel, diamond stones, quotes, sharpening, Thoreau
2 Comments