Scary Sharp System?

[Taliesin]

In looking for how to restore blades, I came across Bill Ellis' CD. I haven't picked it up yet, but I see he mentions the Scary Sharp system where you use progressivly fine sandpaper to sharpen. Is this a good way to go for honing? I'm thinking it would be similar to stropping with paste. To be honest, it was finding better ways to sharpen my tools that led me to become interested in razors to begin with, so advice from anyone who uses this system for any blade would be appreciated.

[joel]

I'd pass. It's a pain in the rear to use, and the guy who runs hand american is really miserable to deal with.

[Taliesin]

Never heard of Hand American before. If that's HandAmerican.com, interestingly, his address is about 2 miles from me. Pity if he's a pain to deal with, I prefer local to ordering or sending out. Anyway, I was more thinking that 3M makes sheets specifically for this system

[FriscoSoxFan]

In looking for how to restore blades, I came across Bill Ellis' CD. I haven't picked it up yet, but I see he mentions the Scary Sharp system where you use progressivly fine sandpaper to sharpen. Is this a good way to go for honing? I'm thinking it would be similar to stropping with paste. To be honest, it was finding better ways to sharpen my tools that led me to become interested in razors to begin with, so advice from anyone who uses this system for any blade would be appreciated.

Dunno about shaving blades, but I can testify that the Scary Sharp system works incredible for chisels and block plane blades.

[jlander]

Dunno about shaving blades, but I can testify that the Scary Sharp system works incredible for chisels and block plane blades.

I prefer my Tormek T-7.

[FriscoSoxFan]

I prefer my Tormek T-7.

Scary sharp:

$10 for a couple of marble 12x12 tiles at home depot.
$20 or so for serveral sheets of adhesive sandpaper in progressively finer grits.
$10 for parts to make a basic jig for sharpening (optional)

That leaves me $450 to buy extra tools, or even hire someone to be my personal sharpening guy.

$500 for a chisel sharpener (t-7)?

While you're at it, why not just buy a CNC router to make a pinewood derby car?

[jlander]

Scary sharp:

$10 for a couple of marble 12x12 tiles at home depot.
$20 or so for serveral sheets of adhesive sandpaper in progressively finer grits.
$10 for parts to make a basic jig for sharpening (optional)

That leaves me $450 to buy extra tools, or even hire someone to be my personal sharpening guy.

$500 for a chisel sharpener (t-7)?

While you're at it, why not just buy a CNC router to make a pinewood derby car?

Well, I don't use it to just build pinewood cars. :biggrin:

[BillEllis]

I really like the system... a lot. I especially like using the different treated leather overlays that are magnetized to rest on the corian base plate. The glass plate for the sandpaper works extremely well for taking an extremely dull razor to a proper bevel in about 2 minutes. It is, agreed, a pain to change the sandpaper with the psa backings, but I have circumvented that by using regular sheets of sandpaper that I cut myself in the grits I like to use and I attach them to the glass plate by using spray adhesive. Doing it this way does not completely trash the sheet if it is removed to be used again. Using the psa sheets, ya gotta wear the paper out or waste some of the remaing workable grit if it is removed because it ain't going back on that base plate again.

I use a 320 grit wet/dry, then a 600 wet/dry, and a 1,200 wet/dry paper before going to my next step which is a 4,000 grit water stone. Trying to purchase the system and receive it right away, I understand, has been problematic at times. I don't know what to say about that part of it.

[rickw]

If you are that close, I'd walk in and try to buy it there. The alternative is to go to a glass shop and get a piece of 1/4 inch plate glass and some 3M spray adhesive. Corian, marble, and granite will also work.

[asbjorn]

If you stick an sandpaper to glass, what is the idea of using that, instead of hones? if you have an 320 grit sandpaper, and an 325 DMT D8C, is the sandpaper so much better than the stone?, or am I missing something fundamentally here? (remember, I'm an newbie here..)

I have bought an stack of sandpaper, primarily for sanding/polising an bad plate.

And what is the scary sharp system really?, I don't have the Bill Ellis cd yet (But I am going to buy it soon, is there an 2008 version? :D) so I'm not sure about what it is?

[asbjorn]

If you are that close, I'd walk in and try to buy it there. The alternative is to go to a glass shop and get a piece of 1/4 inch plate glass and some 3M spray adhesive. Corian, marble, and granite will also work.

1/4 inch, we are talking about 6mm glass plate, how big in size are recomended for this?, about 8"x3"?, or bigger?, smaller?

[Taliesin]

What about for removing nicks? I've got one blade with a slight nick that already needs a regrind because of hone wear, but I went to a mom & pop hunting store of all places and they had one with almost no hone wear, but there was a slight nick on the blade. I'm not scared of doing long careful work, if it was an axe blade, a plane, or a knife, I wouldn't even hesitate. At the same time, I've never restored anything this delicate before.

Also, If anyone also fiddles with DE blades, the guy at the hunting store I went to also had just picked up an auto-stropper for them. Basically, you put the blade in and move the handle back and forth and it strops and flips the blade. It was pretty neat to watch.

[rickw]

1/4 inch, we are talking about 6mm glass plate, how big in size are recomended for this?, about 8"x3"?, or bigger?, smaller?

It is early here but I think that sandpaper is 9 X 11 inches. So you would want the width to be 3" or 4.5". Mine is something like 12 X 24 so that I can place multipule grits and I use a 4.5" width.

[ScottS]

Doing it this way does not completely trash the sheet if it is removed to be used again. Using the psa sheets, ya gotta wear the paper out or waste some of the remaing workable grit if it is removed because it ain't going back on that base plate again.


You could just get a couple of extra glass plates. The sandpaper, though, is a good solution.

[FriscoSoxFan]

If you stick an sandpaper to glass, what is the idea of using that, instead of hones? if you have an 320 grit sandpaper, and an 325 DMT D8C, is the sandpaper so much better than the stone?, or am I missing something fundamentally here? (remember, I'm an newbie here..)

I have bought an stack of sandpaper, primarily for sanding/polising an bad plate.

And what is the scary sharp system really?, I don't have the Bill Ellis cd yet (But I am going to buy it soon, is there an 2008 version? :D) so I'm not sure about what it is?

The advantage of glass, marble, corian, etc are that they are flat to engineering tolerances.

Scary sharp is nothing more than using sandpaper on a flattened surface. Cheap and easy for anyone to do, really. It is as KISS as possible.

[asbjorn]

Thanks, clever idea to glue paper to glass, I think I'm going to an "glassmeister"? to buy some anyway I guess. Thank god it wasn't yet anoter clever way of feeding my AD, some glass I can get away with :)

[ATLpr8head]

I'm not the CEO of B&B, but I play one on TV.

[R-James]

Keep out of this site if you are going to make accusations without proof. I would not believe that joel would falsely claim something in order to receive products

[drumana]

Where did that come from? :eek: A wee bit random and off topic, no? :001_huh:

[Austin]

Where's your proof? You actually sound like a troll.

[johnniegold]

Actually. I am the CEO of this website.

[neverwhere]

I didn't get my notification for stock options. As a potential stakeholder I find this to be highly unfair and of dubious nature for a business to operate in this fashion. I demand action!

[AACJ]

No, I am the CEO of this site!

[neverwhere]

Well now I'm just confused.:001_huh:

[kongjie]

I've only joined recently but that's because, as CEO, I was very busy.

[htownmmm]

Did anyone know that Joel is telling shave soap makers that he is the CEO of this website? Wow soliciting folks for free soap by claiming something you are not..Balls buddy!!!!!!!

Actually, I'm the CEO of this website!


marty

[Suzuki]

Actually, if you read the fine print, I'M the CEO of the site...

[kongjie]

Actually, not to highjack the already highjacked thread, but I've been meaning to post about the misuse and overuse of "actually" in the US.

Listen carefully to things like reality TV and even your coworkers and you'll actually hear the word again and again. It's getting to be like "like."

Merriam-Webster lists one use as "in point of fact —used to suggest something unexpected," but when you listen to people use it you'll note that actually what they're saying isn't unexpected at all.

People seem to use it to mean, "check this out, I have something notable to say."

[joel]

Did anyone know that Joel is telling shave soap makers that he is the CEO of this website? Wow soliciting folks for free soap by claiming something you are not..Balls buddy!!!!!!!

Uhhh.... actually - B&B is a registered corporation in the state of California (for Nick and I's protection against personal assets) and in the registration papers, I am listed as the "C.E.O." as it is required by law to have specific officers and the like. I think I'm listed as the secretary as well. This is public information that can be looked up, it's nothing nefarious.

As for soliciting folks or soap makers for anything free - that's total bull. I readily admit, I solicit soap makers, and other shaving/mens care related companies to participate in our sample kits, and things of that nature - however I make it vividly clear in the email we do, and are willing to pay for the samples (and nearly all of the companies charge us for them). Nick and I front the money out of our pockets (which is thousands of dollars, and for instance in the case of the Le Grelot is 5 figures without shipping) and often lose money on these endeavors, as they're designed for the benefit of the forum, and it's members. If it were for any other reason - you'd see us actually having things for sale, and on a regular basis, but frankly, we don't.

Putting forth a Herculean effort to round up a whole array of vendors to offer comprehensive sample kits (or decants) that can't be had anywhere and are a massive pain in the ass to put together and ship, working extensively (and in some cases over a year) with manufacturers to come up with a custom and special product(s) for our members, and often fronting quite a bit of money out of our pockets (In one case nearly $20K) only to be screwed if something doesn't go as planned, and often taking one on the chin (when a product isn't as required and has to be re-done, like in the case of 2 brushes - it's done out of our pocket, and we eat the cost of the test brushes).

Frankly, when fellas like yourself pop up, with 1 post to your name - which means you're obviously hiding behind a shield, and you don't have the berries to come out and say these bullshit claims behind your true identity, blatantly lying and being a general dolt, it really makes me question why we're even doing this at all.

For awhile, I haven't posted much, as I had been getting to many of well.... you, and honestly, it just wasn't worth putting all the time, effort and $ into, only to have little weenies like yourself pop up, lie, and whine incessantly. Fortunately, and strangely enough - your stupid little outbreak really changed it for me, and gave me a reality check.

B&B is here to educate, relax, enjoy and above all have fun. Please, no mods ban this little weenie - as weenie aside, I invite him to stick around have fun, not be a dick, and learn something. ATLpr8head whoever you are, I appreciate you, and your little outburst as it's put the fire back in my gut. I'm back baby!

Stay tuned for a kick ass post sometime today one some neat Belgian Coticules, you might like it :wink:

[johnniegold]

Actually, I used it in the right context. :rolleyes:

[johnniegold]

Uhhh.... actually - I am listed as the "C.E.O."

OK... so I'm not the CEO of the website. :rolleyes:

[Doc4]

I'm not the CEO of B&B, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[Doc4]

P.S. ... yay Joel! :biggrin:

[Austin]

The others may be CEO's but I'm the Emperor of this site. :wink:

[jlander]

Looking forward to the report.

[ouch]

I think I'm listed as the secretary as well.

How convenient that you mention this just days before National Secretary's Day (okay, Administrative Professionals Day, formerly known as Secretary's Day), Wed, April 23rd. :lol:

As for the rest of your response........

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

[TstebinsB]

Is the Scary Sharp System still offered? I had to look at the cached page to see it. Look here (http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:QlUa9R3qMYMJ:www.handamerican.com/system.html+site:handamerican.com+handamerican&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us).

[bjrn]

I think it's only being sold through this site (http://www.japaneseknifesharpening.com/products.html) now (at least it is according to the Hand American website).

[ouch]

I think it's only being sold through this site (http://www.japaneseknifesharpening.com/products.html) now (at least it is according to the Hand American website).

Dave is great.

The only HA product I've really enjoyed is the rock hard felt pad for deburring.