Thank you IDK why I didn't think of it My Pops taught me as a kid about Hollow Grinding my knives He was a butcher I can get all my Straight blades razor sharp literally but was having a hard time with my curved blades for carving thank you very much for bringing it to my attention
This really helped me learn how to sharpen my hook knife and now I am a little more efficient with it because I can keep a decent edge on it. Thank you
I found some good hook knives from North Bay Forge on Waldron Island in the San Juans. They have stayed very sharp for me making spoons. Thanks for the dowel and wet/dry sandpaper trick. I’m gonna use it.
Hey Anne, " gonna be a hoot " , I love it ! Looking forward to more, I'm sure I'll learn a bunch ! Really like that little set of drawers over your right shoulder.
That's really useful, as I have a Mora that is blunt enough to be dangerous, i.e. not sharp enough to be safe. Thanks. I'd love to see more related videos.
Great video Anne, inspired me to start spoon caving. I'm starting to get my tools in and excited about getting into it. Keep the videos coming I love your channel. :)
Thanks for the information, Anne. The "paddle thingee" is a good tool$ I have a strop with leather that is similar however didn't think to use with sandpaper. Nice tip.
I would live to see more detailed video on your mora modifications. Also, what is your preferred spoon gouge size. I know it all depends on the job at hand but if i only had one in my kit....
Hi , regards the first spoon carver with the hollow well . What brand is it and where could I buy one ? If they are not available any more , could one sharpen a regular spoon scoop in the same way?
I use those paddle strops, but covered with leather. Mine are about 3 feet long, so that the handle end rests right under my arm, it keeps the angle far more regular for straight knives. Curved knives I use a 3 foot length of broom handle with leather glued on, and aluminium oxide metal polish. I put one end on the bench or most usually my chair, and hold the other secure (in either right or left hand) so it stays rigid without wavering about, then move the knife down the strop, right handed, then left handed....Its great for all my bent knives except the baby one which has its own smaller strop instead. I use diamond to keep the backs flat (north west coast style blades) BTW mora knives are superb. Why on earth they have a "naff" reputation among carvers is a mystery. A lot of people are seduced by the idea that you have to go custom hand made to get a knife that works. But I would say spend the time to learn how to grind, hone, strop etc....it not only keeps you a sharp set of edges, it also develops carving skills (muscle memory, awareness of angles and form etc)
Great idea on the longer strops, since I made this video I've adopted longer strops as well. The thing I don't like about the mora hook knives is the way they are ground. If you know how to regrind them so you can cut using the bevel of the tool to support your cut, they are fantastic, but most people (even some professional knifemakers I've taught spoon carving to) can't get the re-grind right without toasting the edge.
Great video! Anne- when grinding down a Mora, what do you do to protect the temper of the metal? I understood that you had to keep the metal cool, and that using a grinder heats them up. Do you just go slow and allow the metal to cool? Thanks!!! Love the videos and IG!
When touching up an edge every 15 mins, what grit do you start with? My mora hook knife is dull and was always hard to use so ive gone back to gouges untill I bother to sharpen the mora. Looks like ive got some quality time with my hook knife a file and stones ahead of me to get the bevels as they should be.
When you touch up every 15 mins, you only need to use a strop. I have a round dowel charged with the same abrasive chalk I use on my strop, and that takes care of the inside, and the strop takes care of the outside. Unless you drop your knife or chip the blade trying to use the knife to pry rather than cut, that should be all you ever have to do. My spooncarving teacher (who carves several spoons a day) has knives he hasn't "sharpened" in 15 years.
Okay, so now the important questions... where did you get said spoon knife that you love (asked the owner of some Mora knives and are equally frustrated with those parts of it) and/or when will yours be for sale (asked the Canadian who has a tiny basement workshop)?
Depends on how bad they are. If I’m just touching up I’ll use a strop. If they need a proper sharpen, 1000 then 8000, if there’s a nick, as low as I need to go to remove it.
Barn the spoon has a video on his instagram / Green Wood Guild about putting a slight curve in moras. Don't try make a straight blade into a very bent blade though. Just get a decent quality spoon knife.
xoney Apologies. I've never heard of anyone lessening the bend on a mora 162/164 hook. It's a common mod to file the sharp tip though. I got my first hook knife from Ben Orford. I'd highly recommend it for the price, no modification necessary :)
Now if only they'd let me around sharp objects - ahh, just kidding. They let me use plastic spoons and knives (with melted edges), all the time. 'Caus --- 'cause I can be really careful and safe ------ sometimes --- well, occasionally -- or ----- more than never -- maybe! But at least Anne gets to play with sharp things - great video, Anne. ;^)
This is helpful, but I found your comments on modifying the Mora knife frustrating, because they weren't clear to me. Just how you see the modifications remains mysterious. Instead of just repeating "modify the blade" doesn't explain what modification you intend. Perhaps a drawing of a stock blade next to one of a modified blade would clarify this?
Hi Anne, I'd like to start touching up every 15min moving forward but first I need to fully sharpen and it'll be my first time. What grits do I use? Thx :)
mlr2727 depends on how bad it is to start, you can start as low as you want and just work your way up through the grits. Sometimes blades are so bad I’ve had to start at like 220
Great , now can you make a couple more video ... " How to apply a band-aid ... one-handed " , and " Laundry tips ... removing blood stains " :-) :-) :-)
This one is the same way. Is it ground with a ridge on the back of the bevel or is it ground back smooth? Is it a Mora or a Beavercraft or some similar knife or was it made by a blacksmith?
This is now one of my favorite channels on TH-cam. Please don't go anywhere.
yes! I always feel that the steep bevels are useless! thank you for confirming and explaining!
Gardening and woodworking? You are living 66% of my dream
What’s the other 34%?
I enjoyed your look at sharpening tools. I found your tip about the sharpie to be very effective.
Thank you
IDK why I didn't think of it
My Pops taught me as a kid about Hollow Grinding my knives
He was a butcher
I can get all my Straight blades razor sharp literally but was having a hard time with my curved blades for carving thank you very much for bringing it to my attention
Great lecture answered all my questions glad your out there helping.
Glad to hear it!
This really helped me learn how to sharpen my hook knife and now I am a little more efficient with it because I can keep a decent edge on it. Thank you
I LOVE YOU. So glad you're on TH-cam now!!
Great information. Thanks for sharing Anne!
I found some good hook knives from North Bay Forge on Waldron Island in the San Juans. They have stayed very sharp for me making spoons. Thanks for the dowel and wet/dry sandpaper trick. I’m gonna use it.
Hey Anne, " gonna be a hoot " , I love it ! Looking forward to more, I'm sure I'll learn a bunch ! Really like that little set of drawers over your right shoulder.
Great explanation! I have been trying to sharpen my hook knife for two years!
I'm loving all the spoon carving videos Anne! Keep them coming!
Thank you! Will do!
Thanks for sharing. Free hand sharpening has always been difficult for me
That's really useful, as I have a Mora that is blunt enough to be dangerous, i.e. not sharp enough to be safe. Thanks. I'd love to see more related videos.
Thanks for this! I struggled with sharpening my hook knife. And I have the same sweatshirt 😉
Great video Anne, inspired me to start spoon caving. I'm starting to get my tools in and excited about getting into it. Keep the videos coming I love your channel. :)
That makes me so happy to hear!!
Keep 'me coming! Really looking forward to watching your channel grow and develop, you clearly have a ton of knowledge and insight to share. Thanks!
Thanks for the information, Anne. The "paddle thingee" is a good tool$ I have a strop with leather that is similar however didn't think to use with sandpaper. Nice tip.
I love it, i asked this a week ago! And heres the video!
Great video! Thank you for helping demystify some of the sharpening tips!
Excellent information. Great presentation of the information as well.
I would live to see more detailed video on your mora modifications. Also, what is your preferred spoon gouge size. I know it all depends on the job at hand but if i only had one in my kit....
Check out my video on spoon carving. I only have one spoon gouge and there is a link to it on that video.
Thank you, Anne! This solves a mystery for me. :)
3:38 does the sharpie trick work with stropping carving knives or would the sharpie just get rubbed off quickly?
It does get rubbed off fairly quickly but it’s worth it when practicing to reapply often so you don’t get in bad habits with your body movements :)
Very well explained. Thank you. What about carving gouges? Do you have a video on sharpening them or V-tools?
Very helpful and well explained, Thank you Anne!
Hi Anne. Do you have a video on making your own hook knives? Love your videos. I saw you on April’s channel. Great personality. Thanks
Thanks Anne!
Cant wait for more videos
Great Video!
Hi , regards the first spoon carver with the hollow well .
What brand is it and where could I buy one ? If they are not available any more , could one sharpen a regular spoon scoop in the same way?
Thanks for the info Anne! 👍👊
I use those paddle strops, but covered with leather. Mine are about 3 feet long, so that the handle end rests right under my arm, it keeps the angle far more regular for straight knives.
Curved knives I use a 3 foot length of broom handle with leather glued on, and aluminium oxide metal polish. I put one end on the bench or most usually my chair, and hold the other secure (in either right or left hand) so it stays rigid without wavering about, then move the knife down the strop, right handed, then left handed....Its great for all my bent knives except the baby one which has its own smaller strop instead. I use diamond to keep the backs flat (north west coast style blades)
BTW mora knives are superb. Why on earth they have a "naff" reputation among carvers is a mystery. A lot of people are seduced by the idea that you have to go custom hand made to get a knife that works. But I would say spend the time to learn how to grind, hone, strop etc....it not only keeps you a sharp set of edges, it also develops carving skills (muscle memory, awareness of angles and form etc)
Great idea on the longer strops, since I made this video I've adopted longer strops as well. The thing I don't like about the mora hook knives is the way they are ground. If you know how to regrind them so you can cut using the bevel of the tool to support your cut, they are fantastic, but most people (even some professional knifemakers I've taught spoon carving to) can't get the re-grind right without toasting the edge.
Thanks much for sharing🤗
I sub’d. I smashed the bell. I AM HAPPY. 👍🏽 great Channel.
Thank you!
👍👍 really looking forward to tool making!
Great video! Anne- when grinding down a Mora, what do you do to protect the temper of the metal? I understood that you had to keep the metal cool, and that using a grinder heats them up. Do you just go slow and allow the metal to cool? Thanks!!! Love the videos and IG!
Adam Stevens yep exactly, go slow and keep it cool. It’s easy to ruin them with heat if you’re not careful.
When touching up an edge every 15 mins, what grit do you start with? My mora hook knife is dull and was always hard to use so ive gone back to gouges untill I bother to sharpen the mora. Looks like ive got some quality time with my hook knife a file and stones ahead of me to get the bevels as they should be.
When you touch up every 15 mins, you only need to use a strop. I have a round dowel charged with the same abrasive chalk I use on my strop, and that takes care of the inside, and the strop takes care of the outside. Unless you drop your knife or chip the blade trying to use the knife to pry rather than cut, that should be all you ever have to do. My spooncarving teacher (who carves several spoons a day) has knives he hasn't "sharpened" in 15 years.
Great stuff!
Okay, so now the important questions... where did you get said spoon knife that you love (asked the owner of some Mora knives and are equally frustrated with those parts of it) and/or when will yours be for sale (asked the Canadian who has a tiny basement workshop)?
Check out Reid Schwartz! I won’t be selling them but if you were reallllllllllyyyyyy hard up I might be able to be convinced 😉
An email may be on it's way soon... ;)
(Because I'm pretty hard up hahaha)
Nice job but you need more light on your work for your camera to capture your subject. Keep them coming.
What grid sand paper do you use?
Do you do the same with a curved blade, not a spoon gouge/gouge?
What grit do you start with when sharpening your spoon knives?
Depends on how bad they are. If I’m just touching up I’ll use a strop. If they need a proper sharpen, 1000 then 8000, if there’s a nick, as low as I need to go to remove it.
Love ur videos. Is that a lumberjack barbie in the background ?
hahaha it sure is
Can those mora knives be bent, or will it just snap?
xoney they would likely snap. It’s fairly easy to make your own knives, I’ve got a video on that topic coming very soon ;)
Barn the spoon has a video on his instagram / Green Wood Guild about putting a slight curve in moras. Don't try make a straight blade into a very bent blade though. Just get a decent quality spoon knife.
Can the mora crook knife be slightly unbent? Is what I meant to ask. And, do you do anything with that sharp tip?
xoney Apologies. I've never heard of anyone lessening the bend on a mora 162/164 hook. It's a common mod to file the sharp tip though. I got my first hook knife from Ben Orford. I'd highly recommend it for the price, no modification necessary :)
Now if only they'd let me around sharp objects - ahh, just kidding. They let me use plastic spoons and knives (with melted edges), all the time. 'Caus --- 'cause I can be really careful and safe ------ sometimes --- well, occasionally -- or ----- more than never -- maybe!
But at least Anne gets to play with sharp things - great video, Anne. ;^)
nice....very nice!
This is helpful, but I found your comments on modifying the Mora knife frustrating, because they weren't clear to me. Just how you see the modifications remains mysterious. Instead of just repeating "modify the blade" doesn't explain what modification you intend. Perhaps a drawing of a stock blade next to one of a modified blade would clarify this?
Hi Anne, I'd like to start touching up every 15min moving forward but first I need to fully sharpen and it'll be my first time. What grits do I use? Thx :)
Also I have that exact striaght blade you have at the end of the video. How do you sharpen that? Thx for any help!
mlr2727 depends on how bad it is to start, you can start as low as you want and just work your way up through the grits. Sometimes blades are so bad I’ve had to start at like 220
mlr2727 I sharpen straight blades on a stone just like any kitchen knife
Great , now can you make a couple more video ... " How to apply a band-aid ... one-handed " , and " Laundry tips ... removing blood stains " :-) :-) :-)
hahaha! I'll work on those ;)
Ok, that's a good one, renoguy25, indeed! ;^)
My bevel is on the outside of the curve. How does that work?
This one is the same way. Is it ground with a ridge on the back of the bevel or is it ground back smooth? Is it a Mora or a Beavercraft or some similar knife or was it made by a blacksmith?
Thanks, I'm Karna's husband GOD Bless you.
I’d like my girls to grow up to be like you.