Reply To: Sharpening

Just to add I still own the hand crank grinder, but seldom use it since investing in an electric bench grinder during the mid 70’s. The stones I have and the mechanism are still sound, but I opted for a powered bench grinder as soon as I could afford one because I felt my energies and time were better spent crafting than cranking the wheel after a long shift involving physical work (As a professional cabinetmaker). The self same reasons were deciding factors when I opted to predominantly use diamond plates in place of my oil stones and especially so when time is money and very little/no allowance is made by employers in terms of the need to sharpen tools. We used to be paid 25p tool allowance per week when I was a kid and it didn’t even cover the cost of oil for our sharpening stones, nevermind new/replacement tools it was supposedly intended for. 😀

With almost 40 years in the trade I retired back in 2004 after the rapid onset of rheumatoid arthritis and ensuing joint damage made it impossible for me to continue my work as a cabinetmaker. My tools were oiled/greased up and packed away with little likelihood of my re-entering my specialist field due to my then condition. The long road to finding a medical counter-balance to the disease finally began slowing it’s advance and – although the joint damage to my hands, wrists and elbows is pretty severe – I can thankfully potter around with various projects when my health allows and I make hay while the sun shines. 😀