Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Bat Making => Topic started by: SillyShilly on April 26, 2010, 09:45:04 AM
-
Just a quick question to the batmakers on the forum (or carpenters, or any other random bloke who likes sharpening metal tools)
Can you get blades sharpened professionally and where is best - is it worth it and will they do a better job than me labouring away on a grindstone for hours on end? I'm guessing the answer is yes to all of the above:)
I only ask as i purchased a nice old 7" drawknife yesterday and just toying with the idea of getting it done professionally - cheers!!!
-
Get a whetstone and learn to do it yourself, you seem to have plenty of time on your hands.....
-
quick search to give you an idea maybe able to find them cheaper
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/hand-tools/sharpening/stones---diamond/86M/8%22-x-3%22-diamond-stones (http://www.rutlands.co.uk/hand-tools/sharpening/stones---diamond/86M/8%22-x-3%22-diamond-stones)
edit: To answer your question - people that sharpen Garden blades may able to help
-
Little bit pricey - i'm sure the diamond stone would be best, but the old man has plenty of whet stones around the garage and a decent grinder. Out of interest, would you sharpen an old and slightly wonky blade by hand or would you send it off to get sharpened professionally and then maintain the blade yourself after this? This is my predicament, i think i should be able to restore the blade and get a nice bevel on it, but it might be best to get it done by the pro's first then try my best to keep it sharp using the stones and grinders?
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/hand-tools/planing/spoke-shaves/P5001/pullshave
I like this, looks like a scoop makers dream ;)
-
Pullshave aren't really usable because of the grain orientation of the clefts :(
Wonky as in not flat or wonky on the cutting edge?
-
wonky cutting edge, not a wonky blade :) Had the blade itself been wonky i wouldnt have bought, it's just the edge of the blade that needs the work on.
The more you say wonky the stupider it sounds.
Bad news on the pull shave - i was hoping it would be the next stage on from the travishers!!!
-
Pop in and see me one day for the best tool for concaving [well I think]. Wonky cutting edge, if it is alot then it will involve a fair ammount of grinding / filing to straighten it enough. So best to get someone to straighten it and then you finish the edge of it if isnt sharpe enough
-
Axminster do diamond stones that are cheap and do a great job of sharpening blades. I have a pullshave and I agree with SAF, very awkward tool to use. G and M tools have travishers but I have no idea what the radii on them are?
-
Right got a couple of clefts on the way and am hoping for some very kind sole on here to be willing to lend me a travisher :) got the rest of the tools required i think in terms of spokeshaves, rask, drawknife etc but nothing to concave the back of the bats with :(
Anybody willing to loan out theirs in return for much merryment in return ;) i promise to look after it and will return it to them afterwards....
-
get hold of Sillyshilly for a short term loan if he isn't working on one of his masterpieces at the moment
-
Cheers Andy.....will have a word as maybe around Zzzzomerset tomorrow debt collecting, what would you recommend to use given that its my 1st outting?
-
An artist never ceases to work andy :D
No problem, i'd go with the 4 if i was you - the 5 tends to take a lot of wood out and quickly
-
cool thanks dom....Matt at H4L has very kindly offered to loan me one if your still using Andy's...lets hope i dont bodge everything up too quickly!
-
good stuff.... Sillyshilly can make some classic shaped bats in the short term :D
-
cool thanks dom....Matt at H4L has very kindly offered to loan me one if your still using Andy's...lets hope i dont bodge everything up too quickly!
Pray to the great god of willow and then approach the willow from down wind. Attack with drawknife and plane then the travisher, if you need Oscar let me know
-
decision such as profile now fall upon me....what would you say is the easiest starting shape to form as don't wanna run before i can walk as such!
Got 2 clefts so can try two different ones out of will be resulting to a middling bat if all goes bobbies up and a stick for dexter dog to chase (all be it an expensive one) in which case oscar may be required too!
-
go for it tom, i wont be using it for a while - plus, as andy has so kindly pointed out, concaving is for women, real men make classic bats :D
Tom - send me through your address and i'll post it up tomorrow for you. Maybe find a bat shape you like, draw a template and cut it out of carboard and then stencil it onto the edges, that should give you a good place to start from. Also, it's very easy to get carried away with the draw knife and whittle a mighty cleft into a meesley twiglet - just take loads of time on it, no rush.
-
Sharpen tools, sharpen pencil then go to the local to ask for advice, you'll get lots of it as you'll find that most people in pubs are experts, always look interested and stay for one extra drink as you are now a bat maker and don't want to let the side down. Go home place cleft on kitchen table and draw the edge it, admire and leave it..... Place an earser by the side of the cleft for rubbing out in the morning! Redraw edge on the bat [both sides is preferable] get draw knife, if hungover after lastnights market research do this carefully. Place Cleft in vice tighten, then retighted turn on the Radio, Radio 4 or Radio 2 nothing to exciting. If your favourite song comes on the radio quell the need to sing you should be concentrating on shaping the bat.
You'll find the difficult stuff is getting use to the drawknife and other tools [if you haven't use them for a while] cursing rip out and getting the weight down whilst keeping it looking acceptable. Recommend a classic shaped back to start with as you can always concave it after [if you drew a fairly big edge on it]
Once complete place a 50p [or 5p / 10p / 20p] on the edge take a picture and admire. If posting on forum take 2 or 3oz out of the actual finished weight when stating the weight :D
-
lol top quality Mr SAF will stick to these rules militantly! im just off to the local to check opening hours for later on in the week as its only 2min walk down the hill....could struggle with the walk back tho!
yeh had the thought of tracing the profile of an existing bat onto either side of the cleft to ensure you dont whittle down too much on either side. guessing the key is to get the rough profile/shape and then tidy everything up with a sander etc to get a finish of the bat prior to any buffing etc....
Other tools required???
ruler
digital scales
beer
plasters ( on standby)
-
Also stick a number on the front of the bat so it looks like you have sold a lot
-
cant imagine anyone wanting to buy something iv made mate!
-
jump to conclusions or use it as an invoice reference number
-
Good thinking although i doubt ill get above 2 in that case:(