Carl Bleile - sharpening with templates & pictures

[carl bleile]

This is a look at one way of sharpening tools using the Lindsay templates. I am using the deep line, banknote template. For most of my sharpening I now use an inexpensive table top drill press with mandrels (available through Lindsay Engraving Tools) to hold my grinding discs starting at 100 grit down to 2,000 depending on the tool I run these between 1200 and 2400rpm for roughing, 400to 600 for lighter grinding like faces and heels or switch to the bench hones. First I set my table so that the surface of the wheel and the table where the base of my template will set is ½ inch different in height, I use the Lindsay diamond hone as a reference as it is ½ inch.


On the first grind I remove metal on one side until the new angle is about 3/8 inch back from the tip


The second grind is made until it is even with the first as viewed from the bottom


The third grind is to remove excess metal from the top of the tool, I make this a little smaller then needed because when I put the face on it will become larger


The forth and last grind for the banknote tool is done with the larger template and the Lindsay 2,000 grit bench hone


after getting the size face needed


I rub the tool back and forth on a piece of leather to remove any wire edges.


Lastly attach the tool


and make some test cuts. In the picture with the dime I’m showing the banknote tool tip next to a human hair sometimes the tip can be larger or smaller depending on the work and type of metal to be cut.


For the Deep Line Tool I use the large template and make the face bigger


and add heels



I made the heels larger than needed to show up in the picture


For extra strength or inlaying gold I will put a radius on the bottom and face to match the work I am doing.


Hope this will help, questions welcome.
I’ll be showing the other templates soon and how all the tools cut,
Carl Bleile
Southwest, Ohio

[airamp]

Hi Carl,

Very nice tutor in grinding with your new templates.

Wow that sure is a small point. Really have to try that one out!!

AirAmp

[Roger Bleile]

Carl's training and experience as, not only an artist, but a skilled tool and die maker is what sets him apart from me and alot of other engravers. He still amazes me with some of the things he invents or modifies. When he was about 10 years old he took apart our dad's stopwatch and caught holy hell. Dad scared me out of such misadventures but it didn't stop Carl. Of course now when he takes something apart he can put it back together (usually modified to his needs).

Carl's brother

[Chris Malouf]

Fantastic Carl and very simple.

No more "rubbing" that metal away at 260 rpms on a Powerhone either.

by the way ... you did one heckuva job neatening up that corner of the shop :smile[2]:

[Herman Knives]

Carl, thanks for going to the trouble to show us making this tool. But I am confused on which part is the actual heel.
Also since some of us dont have the lindsay sharpening system, could you possibly give us the angles of each grind so we also can make your tools? That would be remarkable. I have had no luck with any of the undercutting tools for gold inlays and its making me crazy since im engraving a job with plenty of gold inlays . I spend more time trying to undercut good channels but all the pounding and the gold falls right out. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks again for putting all this time to show us how your tools are made and what uses they provide. Thank you, thank you. Tim

[Mack]

That's a great post Carl and the pictures are wonderful too.

[jlseymour]

Carl you have showed something that I have never thought of to sharpen gravers and allot of others...
Thanks, Jerry

[Chapi]

Thanks very much for the pictures of your drillpress sharpening system. I have been trying to figure that out for a while, but never thought of putting a wheel on a press "upside down" like that. It makes perfect sense now. Also, I have already incorperated the number on the sides of the bench stones for easy identification, such a great idea. If we still had a thank you button, I would have clicked it.
-Chapi

[rod]

Carl,

This is an excellent post!

Nice idea to sling the diamond laps from the drilling or vertical milling machine to do high rpm hogging of blanks. As we know, if you have a milling machine, you can wind the half inch height adjustment with ease.

Wonderfully clear pictures!

best

Rod

[Peter]

Great information and excellent pictures Carl.

Thanks for taking the time to post them.

Peter