QotW: Do you sharpen, if so how, or do you toss when your trimming tools need sharpening?

[Pres]

HI folks, I have been in the shop recently trimming patens(communion plates) and find that it is time to sharpen or replace my tools. Personally, as long as the metal is good, I prefer to sharpen. Yet, I do remember a teacher from a few years back that didn't bother. . . he just threw the old tools out and bought new ones! I have often wondered how others would sharpen their tools. I use a dremel mostly and then finish with a wet stone. I put the tool into a vise, and sharpen using a cone shaped grinding bit. I mostly like the L shaped over the the hoop tools as they are easier for me to sharpen. Over the years I have used and owned cheap tools and very high end tools. I prefer the high end as they do hold up well both is the overall and sharpness of them.

QotW: Do you sharpen, if so how, or do you toss when your trimming tools need sharpening?

best,

Pres

[Kelly in AK]

I have one expensive trimming tool, Dolan, carbon steel. That thing is as sharp today as it ever was, no fuss, amazing. The rest, the ones I actually use most of the time, I made from various steel strips: wiper blade inserts, rake tines, street sweeper bristles. Those tools I sharpen regularly. I use a file. I just feel the edge, if it needs it, I sharpen. They often need it. Takes about thirty seconds. I throw them out when the blade is too thin to work (I make a new blade, keep the handle).

The Dolan never needs it. In fact, the only time I remember cutting myself with a trimming tool was with that one. 

[Denice]

Pres what color of stone do you use on your Dremel for sharpening.   I haven't tried sharpening a trimming tool,  I have a bunch of old ones in a bin.    Now  and then I will have someone show a interest in working with clay and want me to give them lessons.    I will give them a few basic tools (old ones)  and a bag of clay,   after teaching them a few basic hand building techniques I tell them to make a pot and bring it back to me.  I have never had anyone return with a pot for me to fire.  I fell in love with clay when I was 12 and my art teacher gave us a ball of clay.  She  said we could make anything we wanted with it.  I squished and rolled the clay around and discovered it was magic,  I could make anything.    Denice

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I sharpen my trimming tools with a chainsaw file, and I do them when they feel like they’re starting to drag or I have to push too hard, similar to my kitchen knives. 

I use a Do All for most things, and I find they last about 18 months-2 years before the square edge is too worn to keep an edge. They’re about $20 Canadian, so I figure that’s pretty good value. Dolan doesn’t ship internationally.

[Hulk]

Files touch* my trimming tools, so I file them.
It doesn't take long to bring a sufficient edge back, and hence, it doesn't take long to dull them either**.
We have some knives (and other tools, e.g. twist drills) in the house that files don't touch, and hence, we turn to the array of specialized sharpening tools...

Heat generated by grinding can alter the alter (ruin) the tool's hardness, depending on the material, and how (or if) it was tempered.
 

*where "touch" means they cut chips, or "pull" chips.
Files are hard, however, even a sharp/new file won't cut material that is almost as hard (or harder) very well.

**trade-offs:
  cheap  -  expensive
  wears quickly  -  wears slowly
  sharpens easily  -  more difficult to sharpen
  flexible/tough  -  brittle

[Pres]

For sharpening, I use the blue green (silicone carbide) bits for grinding, and i have a very light touch. I do not grind hard, and always touch up with a wet stone well oiled. Some of the tools I really like are bent in a question mark shape on one end with a square spade on the other. These are hardened, but thin and when sharpening you have to be very careful with them.  One big things to realize is angle. You have to be particular about the angle you grind to as a poor angle does not do the job as well.

 

best,

Pres

[LeeU]

I'm going "ditto" to Kelly--my carbon Dolan's have been with me "forever" and are as sharp as ever (given, tho, I took a lengthy career detour and don't crank out what you guys do in terms of production or repetitive forms, and now, I'm not even throwing/precision trimming. The less expensive, lower quality tools I just replace-it's usually the handles, not the blades that begin to go.

[Denice]

Thank you for the information,  I will probably try the file and dremel,  I have a lot of tools to practice on.    Denice

[Mark C.]

I used to burn thru Kemper R6 trim tools by the gross .(I bought them by the gross at 40% discount) . Then I wised up, I had Bison tools make me some 6 inch double enders like the R6 out of carbide. That was over 20 years ago. I wore one out and sent it back for a new tip. Carbide will break if dropped so it lives ina plastic tube hooked to the wall next to trimming wheel .These tools are costly and I do not recomend them if you are a hobbist.  I have never bought a trimming tool since. I do have many other styles in carbon steel but rarely use them.They hang next to wheel hanging in rotating tie rack

 

Back when I started in clay there where very few tool manufactures-Kemper was King. Dial,Dirty girls ,Mud tools,XIEM. and all the others all where not yet to be.

My brother brought back from Japan some pottery tools to me in the 70's as well a show poster from Hamadas life retropective show he went to. I still have those tools-simple and wooden . nowdays you have so many choices in tools. Carbide still is a game changer for us production folks. I do have a fe carbide from XIEM but they are not as comforatable as Bisons tools he made for me.

Edited June 18, 2023 by Mark C.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

The Kemper ones are great for pumpkins. But not so much for clay.