Form Tool Sharpening

Hi

I have just used a bench grinder and ground my first form tool in HSS for making some brass bits. The cutting edge is about half an inch in length.

Can anyone tell me what is the best way of smoothing out the edge and sharpening this? As its a curve its not obvious.

Thanks

Rich

A round fine stone, or a round diamond hone?

Howard

Dremel?

Howard has it, i always smooth out cutting edges on ground tools with a stone.

Ok thanks. The dremel wheels I have had in the past have always just worn themselves away more than the metal!

I will look for a rounded stone

Thanks for the advice

Rich

Bit of brass or Ali held in pillar drill chuck and run slowly with a finger full of valve grinding paste and then present the tool at a slight angle. In a couple of minutes you will have a narrow band finely ground, a quick stone on the top and the jobs done.

Once you're happy with the shape, finish and clearance angle of the curve, grind the top face to produce the edge. If you put a few degrees of side rake on it, it'll work well enough for most other common materials as well as brass.

For free form shapes I hand grind, possibly against a template, and finish with diamond hones. If the profile is important I'll machine it and finish with diamond hones.

Andrew

For a similar shape to your's Rich I grind out the bulk of the metal on the bench grinder (now I would start with the angle grinder), then get the shape near right with the Dremel, and use a slip stone to sharpen (as used to sharper wood gouges).

Ian S C

Thanks for the advice, lots of techniques here.

I like the idea of grinding paste on a spinning bar might give that a go first.

Ian what bits do you use in the dremel? The little grinding wheels that came with it just wear themselves away.

Thanks

Rich

For sharpening my HSS turning tools I use a diamond card with a little window cleaner as a lubricant, so I would go with a round diamond file and do the same Once you have it very close to shape

Its a pain but got to be done, grind the relief if your very good can double it up for cutting edge.

Rich, in the Dremel I use a stone just smaller radius than the the shape to be ground out, get as near a you can on the bench grinder first, Baz's method would then be good to finish the tool.

Ian S C

You should grind your form tools such that they have the angles required, and not "Sharpen" them afterwards.