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Sharpening Bedan and Parting Tools

Joined
Jan 21, 2020
Messages
76
Likes
8
Location
Carlsbad, California
I've watched some You Tube videos abt sharpening these tools, mostly done on CBN wheels, but I've noticed all the tools come off the wheel concaved, if there is such a word, and not straight like they come when you buy them. Does this concave profile affect the way they work? Should it be avoided? Can they be effectively sharpened with a flat diamond credit card hone? Just got my first Bedan tool and don't want to use it for fear of not knowing how to properly sharpen it. Can anyone tell me how they sharpen them, including parting tools, and if the concave matters? Thank you
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
655
Likes
554
Location
Hampton Roads Virginia
I would say no, the concave does not matter and here's why. The Bedan, like a skew is used razor sharp, so the edge from the wheel is honed/sharpened back by hand. Another reason is the tool is used bevel up. I took a class with Jean-François Escoulen, a master of the Bedan, the first thing he thought us was a few words in French that should not be uttered in polite company. As we used the bedan, we came up with a few of our own, I had a head start being prior Navy.
The bottom edge that comes in contact with the tool rest has to have a slight radius, small, small small, as in just taking your hone and running it over the sharp edge is enough, the tool has to be able to slide on the rest and a new tool has edges that are too sharp. The two leading corners are kept sharp because after the bevel is honed, the bottom is also honed but the tool is lifted off the hone by half a degree give or take. After honing the main bevel a few times, the bevel gets long, (the hollow gets short) and then I go back to the grinder and sharpen, but not all the way to the cutting edge, short by a 64th or so, then start again with just honing.
 
Joined
Jan 21, 2020
Messages
76
Likes
8
Location
Carlsbad, California
I would say no, the concave does not matter and here's why. The Bedan, like a skew is used razor sharp, so the edge from the wheel is honed/sharpened back by hand. Another reason is the tool is used bevel up. I took a class with Jean-François Escoulen, a master of the Bedan, the first thing he thought us was a few words in French that should not be uttered in polite company. As we used the bedan, we came up with a few of our own, I had a head start being prior Navy.
The bottom edge that comes in contact with the tool rest has to have a slight radius, small, small small, as in just taking your hone and running it over the sharp edge is enough, the tool has to be able to slide on the rest and a new tool has edges that are too sharp. The two leading corners are kept sharp because after the bevel is honed, the bottom is also honed but the tool is lifted off the hone by half a degree give or take. After honing the main bevel a few times, the bevel gets long, (the hollow gets short) and then I go back to the grinder and sharpen, but not all the way to the cutting edge, short by a 64th or so, then start again with just honing.
Thank you. Will try what you said
 

john lucas

AAW Forum Expert
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
8,321
Likes
3,576
Location
Cookeville, TN
No concave doesnt matter unless it's extremely concave like maybe a 2" wheel. As a joke I took a worn out white wheel that came off my 6" grinder and mounted it on one of those antique hand crank grinders. The wheel was probably 4" or so. I used it to sharpen my tools and turned demos on my mini lathe all weekend. No problem.
 
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