I took a look at your website and I was amazed at how beautiful your work is!!!! I aspire to be a workcarver and might end up becomeing a pretty good craftsman someday but you are an ARTIST!!!
Thank you for this video! I'm very new to woodcarving and have been afraid to touch my gouges without understanding how to sharpen them. Your method is brilliant and very clearly explained, even for a novice like me. I have alot of work ahead of me to get the hang of that grinding rythym, hopefully I won't ruin too many gouges in the process. Thanks again.
I'm actually from the Northwest and the person filming is from Texas. The carvings that you saw in the video were for the pipe organ for St. Philip's Presbyterian Church in Houston. If you want to see examples of my work, google Jude Fritts and you’ll find my website. You might also be interested in my brother’s website, who is the pipe organ builder. Look up Paul Fritts & Co. Thanks for your interest.
That accent makes me think your from the good ol iron range u sound just like my aunt! On another note I really like your setup how often do u do intricate patterns like that?
Thanks for your comment, Phil. If you learn to sharpen by hand well, it doesn't take much time. I sharpen six tools in about a half an hour and that lasts several full days of carving -- with about three touch ups on the buffing wheel between each sharpening. If I didn't touch up on the buffing wheel, I'd be sharpening on the stones a lot more. That's the trick.
THE TORMEK IS NOT THAT GOOD FOR WOODCARVING TOOLS SINCE IT WILL GIVE YOU A CONVEX BEVEL I HAD A TORMEK AND I END UP SELLING IT AND MAKING MY OWN SHARPENING MACHINE .TAKE A LOOK AT MRDAVINCICODE ON YOUTUBE
Awesome video...thank you. Could you recommend for someone who is just starting out and does not have the great sharpening setup you do, how I could get my tools sharpen? I've looked locally (NC), but have not found anyone who sharpens wood carving tools.
Does keeping the stones in the same tub of water contaminate each other? I feel like the coarse grit stone's slurry gets onto the fine polishing stones and makes them less fine. What do you think?
That is a very good question. You could keep the stones in separate containers of water. But this is what I do. I keep all the stones in one container of water. Each time I use one, I rinse all the slurry and debris off of it and put it back in the same tub. Clean stones can hang out together without any problem. Just make sure you wash them off when you're finished sharpening.
THERE IS NOT A GOOD SHARPENING SISTEM OUTTHERE FOR WOODCARVING TOOLS ,WHAT THEY SELL OUTTHERE IS ALL JUNK THAT DONT WORK GOOD ON WOODCARVING TOOLS THE BEST WAY IS MAKING YOUR OWN TAKE A LOOKON YOUTUBE AT: MRDAVINCICODE . I design a sharpening sistem that works perfect for woodcarving tools
What do you carve Jude?Maybe you could show some of what you do.Also I noticed you have your grinder running towards you.I have set mine up to run away from me.I just turned the base around to do this.You seem to have the touch for sharpening.
Having a grinder spin downward as shown in my video is much safer. I hold my chisel with the handle up and the blade down against the wheel. The turning motion keeps the sharp end downward, so it will not fly up into your face. As far as I know -- and I have some grinders that are 50 years old -- grinders have always been manufactured to spin in this direction because of safety.
One of the cotton buffing wheels on my grinder is firm and the other, soft. Buffing compounds are graded in either numbers or letters, depending on the brand. For the firm buffing wheel, you'll want to get hard compound -- black for heavy duty cleaning. After I sharpen on my water stones, I use this to start. Always wipe it off before you go to the softer compound for use on the soft wheel. This is white rouge for shining to a high gloss finish on hard metals. Hardware stores carry these.
What type of buffing compound are you using? I see that you are using two different ones. Does your bench grinder move clockwise or counter clockwise. I am a wood carver that has always had trouble sharpening tools, and it is time I learn.
Eureka! Someone showing how to sharpen those goofy-shaped gouges! They're driving me nuts keeping the geometry of the edge right. I could make one out of a piece of steel easier than I can get the damned things sharpened correctly..lol Hey, do a video on sharpening the V-tool...it has me pulling my hair out.
I took a look at your website and I was amazed at how beautiful your work is!!!! I aspire to be a workcarver and might end up becomeing a pretty good craftsman someday but you are an ARTIST!!!
toddly29 2 months ago
You make it look easy, but working the angle on stones at that speed takes a whole hell of a lot of practice. Lady you got skills!
strawalker 2 months ago
Thank you for this video! I'm very new to woodcarving and have been afraid to touch my gouges without understanding how to sharpen them. Your method is brilliant and very clearly explained, even for a novice like me. I have alot of work ahead of me to get the hang of that grinding rythym, hopefully I won't ruin too many gouges in the process. Thanks again.
Wrecktapus 6 months ago
I'm actually from the Northwest and the person filming is from Texas. The carvings that you saw in the video were for the pipe organ for St. Philip's Presbyterian Church in Houston. If you want to see examples of my work, google Jude Fritts and you’ll find my website. You might also be interested in my brother’s website, who is the pipe organ builder. Look up Paul Fritts & Co. Thanks for your interest.
jdfritts 8 months ago
That accent makes me think your from the good ol iron range u sound just like my aunt! On another note I really like your setup how often do u do intricate patterns like that?
nosloppyagape 8 months ago
Thanks for your comment, Phil. If you learn to sharpen by hand well, it doesn't take much time. I sharpen six tools in about a half an hour and that lasts several full days of carving -- with about three touch ups on the buffing wheel between each sharpening. If I didn't touch up on the buffing wheel, I'd be sharpening on the stones a lot more. That's the trick.
jdfritts 9 months ago
You should try a Tormek it will give you more time to carve
Phil
Philmarcelis 9 months ago
THE TORMEK IS NOT THAT GOOD FOR WOODCARVING TOOLS SINCE IT WILL GIVE YOU A CONVEX BEVEL I HAD A TORMEK AND I END UP SELLING IT AND MAKING MY OWN SHARPENING MACHINE .TAKE A LOOK AT MRDAVINCICODE ON YOUTUBE
tallandomadera 8 months ago
agreed, been messing up my gouges for weeks... worked like a charm
chrisagans 9 months ago
Thank you for posting an easy to understand video about sharpening.
Please could you post about sharpening the other chisel and gouge profiles.
Catherine
TheFlowerchimp 10 months ago
Finally! What a terrific explanation. I now have a very sharp u gouge ready to carve my linoleum. Thank you!
BloomingtonFPV 10 months ago
Awesome video...thank you. Could you recommend for someone who is just starting out and does not have the great sharpening setup you do, how I could get my tools sharpen? I've looked locally (NC), but have not found anyone who sharpens wood carving tools.
saggioculo 10 months ago
Does keeping the stones in the same tub of water contaminate each other? I feel like the coarse grit stone's slurry gets onto the fine polishing stones and makes them less fine. What do you think?
DeltaKino 11 months ago
@DeltaKino
That is a very good question. You could keep the stones in separate containers of water. But this is what I do. I keep all the stones in one container of water. Each time I use one, I rinse all the slurry and debris off of it and put it back in the same tub. Clean stones can hang out together without any problem. Just make sure you wash them off when you're finished sharpening.
Thank you for your question.
jdfritts 11 months ago
Hay ,Thats a nice sharpening system you have there .
selfreliantboy 11 months ago
THERE IS NOT A GOOD SHARPENING SISTEM OUTTHERE FOR WOODCARVING TOOLS ,WHAT THEY SELL OUTTHERE IS ALL JUNK THAT DONT WORK GOOD ON WOODCARVING TOOLS THE BEST WAY IS MAKING YOUR OWN TAKE A LOOKON YOUTUBE AT: MRDAVINCICODE . I design a sharpening sistem that works perfect for woodcarving tools
tallandomadera 8 months ago
What do you carve Jude?Maybe you could show some of what you do.Also I noticed you have your grinder running towards you.I have set mine up to run away from me.I just turned the base around to do this.You seem to have the touch for sharpening.
romeillinois 1 year ago
Having a grinder spin downward as shown in my video is much safer. I hold my chisel with the handle up and the blade down against the wheel. The turning motion keeps the sharp end downward, so it will not fly up into your face. As far as I know -- and I have some grinders that are 50 years old -- grinders have always been manufactured to spin in this direction because of safety.
jdfritts 1 year ago
Thanks for your comments. For examples of my work, visit my website. (Search on "jude fritts" in Google.)
jdfritts 1 year ago
@jdfritts Wow!Your work is great.O.K. so I will sit back and watch!
romeillinois 1 year ago
One of the cotton buffing wheels on my grinder is firm and the other, soft. Buffing compounds are graded in either numbers or letters, depending on the brand. For the firm buffing wheel, you'll want to get hard compound -- black for heavy duty cleaning. After I sharpen on my water stones, I use this to start. Always wipe it off before you go to the softer compound for use on the soft wheel. This is white rouge for shining to a high gloss finish on hard metals. Hardware stores carry these.
jdfritts 1 year ago
What type of buffing compound are you using? I see that you are using two different ones. Does your bench grinder move clockwise or counter clockwise. I am a wood carver that has always had trouble sharpening tools, and it is time I learn.
TheKayakerFSM 1 year ago
If I would do it with same spped I'll probably cut my finger off... Really good video, I've learned a lot. Best regards from POland, Greg
gswiaczny 1 year ago
I have to agree that was by far the best demo I have seen yet. And Please add me to the v gouge list.
moffit366 1 year ago
Eureka! Someone showing how to sharpen those goofy-shaped gouges! They're driving me nuts keeping the geometry of the edge right. I could make one out of a piece of steel easier than I can get the damned things sharpened correctly..lol Hey, do a video on sharpening the V-tool...it has me pulling my hair out.
ThePhantomBlacksmith 1 year ago
how do you sharpen a small v gouge
awhite181 1 year ago