Frustrated With Sharpening A Round Edger

[tanda4]

The edger is a #2 Jeremiah White edger should be a quality tool, so it must be me.

I cannot seem to get this sharp. I watched videos. I tried all sorts of sandpaper (600, 800, 1000, 2000) around a perfectly fit rod. And at all different angles. Stropping with with white jewelers rouge. NOTHING!

[mlapaglia]

How about a picture of your edger please?

[bruce johnson]

Are you not able to get it sharp to begin with, or is it just not staying sharp? Are you getting to where you are raising a bur? It can be tough to get that top side stropped off. I use a piece of firm skirting cut edge-wise at an angle. I tighten it in a vise and then use that to strop into the corners on top. Have you looked at it under magnification to see what the edge is looking like, any grit pattern, etc? Sorry for all the questions but that will help lead me toward an answer. .

[silverwingit]

Here are two more ideas to help sharpen round edgers.

One is the Weaver Strop Board:

http://www.weaverleathersupply.com/Mobile/Catalog/ItemContent.aspx?ItemNumber=8708

This is basically what Bruce described except it has two sets of leather and aplastic divider set into a wooden board. One set of leather strips is used for sharpening with included glue and a powdered grit. The other is used for polishing with included jeweler's rouge. One member of each set of leather strips is narrower than the other, intended for smaller diameter edgers. I find it very convenient and easy to use. You just drag your edge along the corner of the appropriate size leather strip on the grit side to sharpen and then on the rouge side to strop.

Another idea is to use small diameter rods and increasingly higher grits of emery paper. You wrap the emery paper around the rod, pinching the rod in a loop of paper and drag the edger along it. You can experiment with something as simple as a coat hanger or try various size drill bits, depending on the size of the edger. Once your edger is sharp, you can use the same size rod with a piece of regular paper onto which buffing compound has been rubbed.

Michelle

[bruce johnson]

_{This is all assuming we are talking about a round bottom edger. Not exactly what I am talking about but similar. On the round bottom edgers you need to strop off the bur on top. the top side is convex and the Weaver board is convex,. You need something to get down into the corners of the edges next to the rails. A skived edge of hard leather with some compound on it will do that. You can also use a soft buffing wheel with your compound of choice on it.}