Its Just Cool: Custom Knife Sharpener
Toolmongers are always improvising. If they have a job that needs to get done, they get it done, regardless of whether the proper tools are readily available. A prime example, this gentleman from Mexico needed to sharpen his tools but had no sharpener — so in true Toolmonger fashion, he made his own.
Very nice. Ohh… and that’s a big freaking knife.
About fifteen years ago I started learning how to carve, and learned how to sharpen using japanese wetstones (expensive!)
Then about ten years ago I watched my mexican carpenter sharpen chisels using sandpaper.
Then about five years ago, on assignment in India I had a carpenter who built me an office desk out of teak. I watched him sharpen his chisels one day – basically what he would do is look around in the dirt for some quartz-ish like sand, distribute it on a textured piece of wood that would hold the sand, and go at it. Seemed to produce a fairly good finish (not polished, but sharp)…
Since then, I have a hard time justifying $50 diamond whetstones!
After watching that