A Few Questions About Tools

[lazybum]

Hi I have a few questions about tools

1. Can a self healing cutting mat be used as a surface when punching holes with a drive punch?

2. I understand that to sharpen an edge beveller, you place a piece of sandpaper over a metal rod and run the beveller over the rod am i right? Is it necessary to do some smoothing for the other side of the blade also? Won't a burr form or something?

3. How sharp is a diamond awl supposed to be? Im having difficulties piercing through 6oz veg tanned leather and thicker without placing the leather on a rubber surface and stabbing it with much force. Ive seen how people use their awls as they saddle stitch. Is that only possible for thinner leathers?

[jmorton]

Hi I have a few questions about tools

1. Can a self healing cutting mat be used as a surface when punching holes with a drive punch?

2. I understand that to sharpen an edge beveller, you place a piece of sandpaper over a metal rod and run the beveller over the rod am i right? Is it necessary to do some smoothing for the other side of the blade also? Won't a burr form or something?

3. How sharp is a diamond awl supposed to be? Im having difficulties piercing through 6oz veg tanned leather and thicker without placing the leather on a rubber surface and stabbing it with much force. Ive seen how people use their awls as they saddle stitch. Is that only possible for thinner leathers?

I am not an expert, but hopefully this thread will take off when more knowlegeable folks set us BOTH straight.

(1.) A little, tiny accident involving a large drive punch and a dining room table convinced me that a slab of granite beneath the largest, thickest white cutting board I could find was a viable way to best back up for punching. The juice groove on the cutting board is also a good place to lay your punch.

(2.) Sand paper is too coarse, I have better luck with crocus paper and emery cloth. Any good hardware store has these in the sand paper rack. Get the finest they carry. An 8X10 sheet of each will go a long way.

(3.) As sharp as you can get them. After sharpening them, use the above papers to polish them. Please be careful! I understand that Braile was invented due to an accident with an awl.

Hope this helps,

John Morton

[lazybum]

thanks for the reply John!

A kitchen board should actually do as a punching surface right? Im a bit short of cash which is why im trying to use whatever I can and put off buying new stuff.

For (2), what grit do you think I should use? The hardware shop that ive been to only stocks emery cloth up to around 400 if i remember correctly. On the other hand, they have sandpaper up to 1500.

Actually I kinda found the answer in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuSuFZz9b40. Looks like a tapered file can be used too.

But im still a bit confused when it comes to sharpening, and I hope somebody might be able to enlighten me a little. When you sharpen a tool, it seems like you can either draw the blade away from the stone or push the blade into the stone as if you were going to slice it. My question is how do you known when to adopt which action?

[stanly]

thanks for the reply John!

A kitchen board should actually do as a punching surface right? Im a bit short of cash which is why im trying to use whatever I can and put off buying new stuff.

For (2), what grit do you think I should use? The hardware shop that ive been to only stocks emery cloth up to around 400 if i remember correctly. On the other hand, they have sandpaper up to 1500.

Actually I kinda found the answer in this vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuSuFZz9b40.

Looks like a tapered file can be used too.

But im still a bit confused when it comes to sharpening, and I hope somebody might be able to enlighten me a little. When you sharpen a tool, it seems like you can either draw the blade away from the stone or push the blade into the stone as if you were going to slice it. My question is how do you known when to adopt which action?

I'm guessing you're talking about wet or dry paper (black color)?

it should be fine

I'm in 5:30 min on vid and havent seen him draw blade away to sharpen yet.

You understand that when u draw blade away to sharpen it will form a wire edge on the top side? (this is a BAD thing - will have to be removed)