Allison Stelter on fri 12 dec 97
Does anyone have tips on how/when to sharpen trimming tools?
Thanks, Allison
Dick & Gwen Schenz on sun 14 dec 97
Hello from a lurker:
>Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 09:22:21 EST
>From: Allison Stelter
>Subject: sharpening tools
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>Does anyone have tips on how/when to sharpen trimming tools?
>
>Thanks, Allison
>
I am a very new hobby potter from Tucson, AZ. In judging when to trim, I
have had many occasions to dull tools. (5% humidity catches one now and then)
At any rate, I have a one inch belt sander that really works well in
sharpening my hardened tools. (Dolan) I don't think I would advise buying
one for that purpose, but it works for me.
Dick Schenz
Tucson, Arizona (Where it's supposed to be warm)
rschenz@primenet.com
PS How can I contact the people that sell ITC 100?
Rick Sherman on wed 17 dec 97
----------------------------Original message--------------------------
Does anyone have tips on how/when to sharpen trimming tools?
Thanks, Allison
--------------------------reply---------------------------------------
I use the small Dremel hand grinder that jewlers and lapidary artists
use. It's a nice tool to have around the shop for grinding pots and a
variety of other uses. Ask for one for Christmas.
RS
San Jose, CA
Carol Durnford on thu 18 dec 97
At 09:22 AM 12/12/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>Does anyone have tips on how/when to sharpen trimming tools?
>
>Thanks, Allison
>
>Allison: I wonder if the small "India" stones used to sharpen engraving
and wood cut tools for print making would work. The stones are fairly
expensive for their size. They are impregnated with oil and are quite
smooth. Dave Durnford
Anne Pfeiffer on wed 9 jan 08
Please excuse my naivite, but is there a good way to sharpen Kemper trimming tools? Or are there other trimming tools that lend themselves to being sharpened?
Anne
Taylor Hendrix on wed 9 jan 08
Hey Anne,
I have sharpened tools using my bench grinder, but I always have to be
careful not to hog off too much metal and not get the tool too hot. A
cup of water to dip the tool in frequently helps with that second
problem.
I usually like to sharpen my tools with a metal file. I have an okay
single cut file that will do the job pretty well and leaves a nice
smooth edge (well, smooth enough for me). For all the curves and
things on the Kempers I really have to watch the file work. I also
have some really cheap smaller flat files that are easier to use than
the large files.
If you have a belt sander with a fine grit belt, you might try using
that. You will need to secure the belt sander so you can handle the
tool you are sharpening with both hands. Be careful. I have not needed
to try this so listen up if someone else on the list thinks this is a
bad idea.
I just experienced some chatter last night with a new tool I was
testing. Not a kemper, but I sharpened it myself. Perhaps I put too
fine an edge on it. It still took a prodigious amount of clay off some
of my larger bowls, yummy. (Jon, I'm almost ready to send you a bowl.
I just need to work out a wirerabbit glaze for you, ugh)
Taylor, in Rockport TX
On Jan 9, 2008 6:18 AM, Anne Pfeiffer wrote:
> Please excuse my naivite, but is there a good way to sharpen Kemper trimming tools? Or are there other trimming tools that lend themselves to being sharpened?
>
> Anne
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on wed 9 jan 08
Hi Anne,
Use a fairly fine File...ideally, a thin one maybe 1/2 inch wide or so, with
one flat side, and the other side slightly convex for when you have
inside-curves to deal with...and, try and keep a dead 'flat' Bevel rather
than permitting the articulation of your arm to make for a 'rounded' Bevel
while fileing.
Fist, file across the whole Loop profile, across the side or wide face as it
were, so all of the cutting edges are lightly 'shining' in a tiny thin line
of their edge, showing they have been 'Jointed', which is to say, so the
edges of both sides are just slightly filed across their face...low worn
areas may require the whole to be jointed more in some places then, to reach
a uniform flatness...this reduces what had been the rounding wear on the
side of the cutting edge you are not going to sharpen, the non-bevel side as
it were, to allow a decent edge to be produced when sharpening the side or
Bevel you will be addressing.
Then, File the Bevel, making it say 45 degrees or so...to where the tiny
'flat' and reflective gleem-line of the Jointing, just disappears.
Thats the drill...
Best wishes,
Phil
l v
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Pfeiffer"
> Please excuse my naivite, but is there a good way to sharpen Kemper
> trimming tools? Or are there other trimming tools that lend themselves to
> being sharpened?
>
> Anne
vpitelka on wed 9 jan 08
Anne wrote:
"Please excuse my naivite, but is there a good way to sharpen Kemper
trimming tools? Or are there other trimming tools that lend themselves =
to
being sharpened?"
Anne -=20
That's not na=EFve, it's a perfectly sensible question. Any metal =
trimming
tool can be sharpened with an ordinary bench grinder. You can buy a =
bench
grinder for a very reasonable price at any Lowe's or Home Depot. It =
will
have a coarse stone on one end, which is great for grinding glaze drips =
off
the bottoms of pots (wear appropriate safety goggles and respirator), =
and a
fine stone on the other end that is ideal for sharpening tools. Rest =
the
tool against the built in steady-rest on the grinder and very slowly =
bring
the cutting edge up against the stone at a sharp angle, and move along =
the
edge to sharpen the whole cutting edge. Keep a small container of water
handy, and dip the end of the tool in the water if the steel starts to
change color. =20
Higher-quality tools generally use harder steel. Dolan used =
good-quality
steel, but they seem to be out of business. Too bad. Some of the
strap-style Japanese trimming tools are made from very hard steel. =20
25 years ago, when I was trimming a lot of pots, I bought the Kemper =
LT-1
loop tool. It has a square-end loop similar to the one on the =
ubiquitous
Kemper tool that comes in all their basic kits, but the cutting steel is
wider, and thus can be sharpened more times. I also like the larger =
handle.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
Lee on thu 10 jan 08
I haven't tried to sharpen a Kemper loop tool(I have one in the
studio I will try.) And I usually don't sharpen loop tools.
I use a fine metal file to sharpen my Japanese kanna. I
can do this at the wheel if I need to.
p.s. I keep getting dumped from the listserve so excuse me folks, If
I miss your response to my post. Please write privately to assure an
answer.
This has been happening for the last couple months. I am
lucky if I don't get dumped in under 36 hours.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Tochigi Japan
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water, then you make the
tea. Then you drink it properly. That is all you need to know."
--Sen No Rikyu
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi
Snail Scott on thu 10 jan 08
> Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2008 04:18:29 -0800
> From: Anne Pfeiffer
> Please excuse my naivite, but is there a good way to sharpen Kemper
> trimming tools?
Everybody should try it! I see people trying to flog a
decent trimming job out of a tool that's dull as a butter
knife, it makes me cry. It's so easy to fix. Even a crappy
tool can be less crappy than that!
A basic flat file will do the trick for any trimming tool,
Kemper or otherwise. Hold the tool firmly, and push
the file across the beveled surface of the tool, from
middle to edge. (Always push a file, never pull.)
Don't try to sharpen the flat inside, just the beveled
outside. Keep the angle of the file similar to the
original angle of the tool's edge. It will sharpen up
very quickly.
My students mostly use old Kemper tools from the
studio loaner bin, and seldom believe me when I
suggest they sharpen one for better results. (Partly
just ignorance, combined with the not-my-tool
syndrome.) I make 'em fetch the big file from the
tool crib and give it a few swipes, and they are
amazed at the improvement. Some will even go
for the file first thing when they sit down to trim, now.
(Some hide the tool that they sharpened, to save it
for next time - shame on them!.) It's also a lifestyle
thing - teach them to be proactive, instead of just
bitching about what's provided.
-Snail
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