[TheForge] Knife sharpening

[jerry Frost]

Been skimming along, glad I did. :)

I can't say anything about sharpening sythes though I recall seeing shorts
on video over the years. Interesting info.

Can't say anything about sharpening plow shears either, never seen it done
either though an Uncle told me once my Father discouraged me from
blacksmithing largely because he had to sharpen plow shears for a penny each
during the depression. 

The research I did said the 50lb. Little Giant was designed for sharpening
plow shears and that's why it's such a challenge to forge a strait piece
with stock dies. Recently I changed the dies on mine after making dove tails
threaded receiver plates. It's much easier for me to make new bottom or top
dies on a matching plate and bolt them down. I'm not good enough to forge my
own dove tails since the accident.

Oh yeah about asking two blacksmiths a question and getting at least three
answers. That's typical of any craft that is more an art than job. If you'd
sat in when the spinners in Dad's shop were talking you'd feel right at
home. Probably not have a clue what they were talking about but at least two
opinions from each one. 

Frosty

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Charles
Sent: Thursday, July 6, 2017 7:22 AM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Knife sharpening

The internet has not changed the behavior of real blacksmiths.  What you get
now is one opinion based on experience dressed up by ten other keyboard
commandos as their own.

Charles

>> 
>> I found an interesting ad in a 1911 publication.  They would sharpen 
>> 10-14" shares for 35 cents each...... Putting this in perspective, 
>> they had an ad for a 25x40, 2 story, powered shop with all tooling, 2 
>> forges, hydraulic tire setter, line shafts, 8hp engine and a good 
>> connecting house for $2,000.
>> 
>> 
>>> On 7/5/2017 4:26 PM, Mike Spencer wrote:
>>> 
>>> Walter <wmullett22 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Has anyone seen a plowshare sharpened on a little giant power hammer?
>>>> 
>>> At the 1976 ABANA conference in Carbondate, an elderly [1] black man 
>>> from somewhere in the southern US demonstrated doing that.  It 
>>> looked awkward but he got it done in short order.  When the applause 
>>> was over, he whipped out a Bible and began to preach us an evangelical
sermon.
>>> 
>>> I understand there was some sort of tooling used for this but I have
>>>> never seen anything on it.
>>>> 
>>> He didn't have any special tooling that I remember.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> [1] Elderly: Probably about the same age as I am now. But he *looked*
>>>     older than I do. ;-)
>>> 
>>> 
>>