Anne Wellings on mon 16 apr 01
It makes a big difference whether you trim softer or harder clay. If you
wait even a little too long to trim, the tools will wear out much faster. (I
do
not use an especially coarse or groggy clay.)
I use Kemper tools because they are readily available, and I replace them
often. I have found that the stainless steel ones are hardly worth buying
because they get dull so fast. I use the ones made of the black steel, which
come with a shorter handle. They stay sharp longer, but they also wear down
faster. I like the way they cut until the shape of the cutting edge starts
changing from wear. I buy them in multiples of 4. I have also tried Dolan
tools,
which are also made of a black steel. They do last much longer than the
Kemper
ones, but for me, they do wear out eventually in the same way. They
are much more expensive, which pays for the amount of extra time that they
last,
so I figure it comes out about the same price-wise.
---Anne Wellings
---anwell@earthlink.net
Clive Tucker on mon 16 apr 01
Al Williams metal shaft trimming tools work really well
and they're cheap $3.00 each or less
and if you screw up the sharpening ( easy with a dremel, although I getting
the hang of it now)
just buy more.
Clive Tucker, Vancouver
----- Original Message -----
From: steve dalton
To:
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2001 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: Dull tools
> Yes, they do get dull. Try either a dremel tool or a bench grinder.
Bench
> grinder works better, though.
> Steve Dalton
> sdpotter@gte.net
> Clear Creek Pottery
> Snohomish, WA
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Saralyn Lindsey on mon 16 apr 01
Hi,
Just a quick question about tools. I have been using
my trimming tools for a few years now, and think they
may be dull from use. Is there any way to sharpen
them, or do you have to just buy new ones? Actually,
are they really dull or do these tools last forever?
Thank you, Sandy Lindsey in Mystic, CT
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
Bruce Girrell on mon 16 apr 01
Sandy Lindsey wrote:
> Just a quick question about tools. I have been using
> my trimming tools for a few years now, and think they
> may be dull from use. Is there any way to sharpen
> them, or do you have to just buy new ones? Actually,
> are they really dull or do these tools last forever?
Well, you hit a nerve here. I just recently had a major snit about dull
trimming tools. The Kemper ones are pure junk in my humble opinion. They =
are
dull when you get them and they are made of cheap steel. They dull very
quickly even after sharpening.
Dolan tools are made of a much tougher steel and are sharp when you recei=
ve
them.
I do not have any experience with other brands, but I am about to buy som=
e
of the Bison carbide tools. These tools are reportedly expensive and
fragile, but hold an edge for a very long time.
I had to laugh when I first read your post*. You're unsure if your tools =
are
dull after using them for _years_? I've had to resharpen some of my Kempe=
r
tools after mere _minutes_ of use - and that's with porcelain, not even
nasty, gritty, grog-filled raku clay. Maybe I'm just spoiled by woodworki=
ng
tools, but I expect a tool to cut cleanly and effortlessly.
I sharpen my trimming tools using a 1" wide benchtop sanding belt. Typica=
lly
you will find these machines sold with a 1" x 30" (or so) belt sander on =
one
side and a 5" or 6" disk sander on the other side.
Hold the tool at a constant angle relative to the belt to form the cuttin=
g
edge and use light pressure. Note the angle of the original bevel that wa=
s
on the tool. Try to maintain that same angle as you grind. Don't allow th=
e
tool to get too hot or else it will lose strength. If you examine the
cutting edge of the tool under a bright light, you will see a reflection =
off
the edge when the tool is dull. As you grind, examine the tool from time =
to
time. As soon as you no longer see a reflection on any part of the edge, =
the
tool is sharp.
Use a good grade of aluminum oxide for a sanding grit. A cheap sanding be=
lt
won't last long and will overheat your tool quickly. Right now I'm trying=
to
locate a supplier for high quality sanding belts designed specifically fo=
r
sanding metal. When I locate a good supplier, I'll post to the list.
Bruce "this grinds my butt" Girrell
*Please - I'm not laughing at you; I was thinking about what my tools wou=
ld
look like if I didn't sharpen them for that period of time
steve dalton on mon 16 apr 01
Yes, they do get dull. Try either a dremel tool or a bench grinder. Ben=
ch
grinder works better, though.
Steve Dalton
sdpotter@gte.net
Clear Creek Pottery
Snohomish, WA
Marcia Selsor on mon 16 apr 01
I sharpen mine on a grinding wheel. They don't last forever. I like to
keep them sharp.
Marcia in Montana
Saralyn Lindsey wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Just a quick question about tools. I have been using
> my trimming tools for a few years now, and think they
> may be dull from use. Is there any way to sharpen
> them, or do you have to just buy new ones? Actually,
> are they really dull or do these tools last forever?
> Thank you, Sandy Lindsey in Mystic, CT
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
> http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
>
> _______________________________________________________________________=
_______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pcl=
ink.com.
--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/Tuscany2001.html
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/Gallery.html
Richard Mahaffey on tue 17 apr 01
Hello all,
I bought a "Green Wheel" to grind pots at school. It does a great job,
finer than a carborundum wheel. The "Green wheel" is for sharpening
carbide tools. As such it is an excellent choice for Dolan and other
tools. Someone said to make a light quick pass so as not to build up
too much heat in the metal. This is correct, too much heat will cause
the metal to loose it's temper and dull very quickly when used to trim
clay. you should have a can of water to cool the tool as you grind it.
alternating between grinding LIGHTLY and dipping in the water to keep
the temperature down. If you see the metal change color it is getting
way too hot.
Anyway try the "Green Wheel" it is bit more expensive but it lasts much
longer and produces a smoother cutting edge and has the bonus of being
very good at grinding glaze drips as well. We have been using the same
wheel for about 4 years now.
Rick Mahaffey
Tacoma Community College where our Art building remodel and new gallery
construction project goes to bid tomorrow, hooray!!!
Tacoma, WA 98466
Lee Love on tue 17 apr 01
We sharpen our kana (trimming tools) with an ordinary metal
file. They are very sharp. When Fukiyan (the retired
Foreman) is scraping zogan with kana, he usually has 6 to a dozen different
ones of several shapes laid out in front of his work
place, so that he can use the right shape on the right surface and also so
he doesn't have to get up to sharpen often. When I am
trimming, I will sharpen my kana maybe 6 times a day. Trimming yunomi, I
use two different kana that have two trimming ends on each
tool. I use a broad, flat edge to start the trim and on base of the main
body, one sharpened on three sides to trim the inside
of the foot and a rounded one to trim the curve between the base of the foot
and the body. I use a stirrup shaped tool to start
the flat of larger platters, etc.
Most of our kana are made out of blued strapping type metal, except
the metal is a little bit thicker. Mitsuyan, the head
thrower & current Foreman, uses a thicker, harder metal. We make them
ourselves, drawing the outline with a pencil on the metal
and then using an angle grinder to cut it out & pliers to bend the heads at
right angles. You can use tin snips too, if you don't
have an angle grinder.
The sharpened edge of our kana are on the inside, facing the user.
This is the opposite of most Western trimming tools. We
set the kana upside down on the top of a metal shelf and slant it at a
proper angle and file away.
These Japanese kana took a while to get used to. At first, with
the sharpened inside edge, you want to let them bite in
too much. But now I like them for most things. I do use dull tools
that are better when you are trimming really soft. I
trim chawan (teabowls) soft to get the proper gesture in them. In Japan,
they sometimes use a knife made of bamboo to trim soft
teabowls with. I have a metal tool with a wooden handle, made by Jerry
Horning in Omaha, that I used to trim all my tea type
stuff with.
--
Lee Love
Mashiko JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Interested in Folkcraft? Signup:
Subscribe: mingei-subscribe@egroups.com
Or: http://www.egroups.com/group/mingei
Help ET phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Joyce Lee on tue 17 apr 01
Bruce said:
> I do not have any experience with other brands, but I am about to buy some
> of the Bison carbide tools. These tools are reportedly expensive and
> fragile, but hold an edge for a very long time.
>
The Bison tools are expensive and fragile..... however, if you're buying
as many of the other brands as I was prior to adding the Bisons to my
toolbox, they're still a buy ... and they do, indeed, even trim
bisque... not, of course, as easily nor with the detail that they trim
the stages prior to bisquing... wouldn't purchase them for such a
purpose. No, I don't form and fire with the intention of trimming the
bisqued pot, but the need has arisen and my Bisons were up to it. As
for their fragility, I learned my lesson when I carelessly handled my
first Bison with the predictable results that it broke apart.. I'm much
more careful now ... no more breakage. As I recall, I had to learn the
same lesson with greenware and even bisqued pots ...
Joyce
In the Mojave where it's warming up ... hot won't be far behind ...
and the baby starlings are peeping peeping PEEPING right outside the
bedroom window ... wildflowers are everywhere ... mallows are
gorgeous!... and the creosote is beginning to get its yellow blooms,
which it will retain for a long time..... for the moment the undergrowth
is GREEN ..... green desert ...... whatta concept ... and the lupine are
budding..... in town, rosesrosesroses everywhere..... the latest Planet
of the Apes shoot closed down the sets out at the Pinnacles ... and town
is emptier for it..... we miss the movie folk when they leave.....
LeesStudio@AOL.COM on tue 17 apr 01
In my tool box (which in it's original life was a tackle box) there is a
small fish hook sharpener. Great for on the job sharpening. Occasionally,
tools are handed to my supportive husband who will do a more professional
job.
Mary Lee
Mostly a lurker. Retired and starting taking pottery classes 4 years ago.
Now it's a passion, not a hobby. Still have trouble with the wheel but some
of my hand built pots are on my son's web site: www.waterfrontartists.com
Christena Schafale on tue 17 apr 01
Hi Joyce,
A question -- I recall that you had problems with chattering when you first
got your Bison tools. I'm having the same problem now and wondered if you
had figured it out. Any ideas?
Chris
At 08:05 AM 4/17/01 -0700, you wrote:
>Bruce said:
>
> > I do not have any experience with other brands, but I am about to buy
some
> > of the Bison carbide tools. These tools are reportedly expensive and
> > fragile, but hold an edge for a very long time.
> >
>
>The Bison tools are expensive and fragile..... however, if you're buying
>as many of the other brands as I was prior to adding the Bisons to my
>toolbox, they're still a buy ... and they do, indeed, even trim
>bisque... not, of course, as easily nor with the detail that they trim
>the stages prior to bisquing... wouldn't purchase them for such a
>purpose. No, I don't form and fire with the intention of trimming the
>bisqued pot, but the need has arisen and my Bisons were up to it. As
>for their fragility, I learned my lesson when I carelessly handled my
>first Bison with the predictable results that it broke apart.. I'm much
>more careful now ... no more breakage. As I recall, I had to learn the
>same lesson with greenware and even bisqued pots ...
>
>Joyce
>In the Mojave where it's warming up ... hot won't be far behind ...
>and the baby starlings are peeping peeping PEEPING right outside the
>bedroom window ... wildflowers are everywhere ... mallows are
>gorgeous!... and the creosote is beginning to get its yellow blooms,
>which it will retain for a long time..... for the moment the undergrowth
>is GREEN ..... green desert ...... whatta concept ... and the lupine are
>budding..... in town, rosesrosesroses everywhere..... the latest Planet
>of the Apes shoot closed down the sets out at the Pinnacles ... and town
>is emptier for it..... we miss the movie folk when they leave.....
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
Consultation and Referral Specialist
Resources for Seniors
christenas@rfsnc.org
www.resourcesforseniors.com
Phone: (919) 713-1537
FAX: (919) 872-9574
1110 Navaho Dr, Suite 400
Raleigh, NC 27609
| |
|
