I've been having some difficulty using the "scary sharp"
system to sharpen with sandpaper on glass. Specifically,
I find that plane blades and worse yet chisels tend
to catch and tear the sandpaper, even though I am using
a Veritas jig. I think I am using a reasonable amount
of pressure, much less than I do on a stone. I have
had some luck trying to sharpen on the pull stroke,
rather than the push stroke, but this does not seem
optimal. Any suggestions on how to avoid this
problem? Thanks, Mike Lacy, Ft Collins CO 80523
Clean out the 'junk' to email me.


I do it, donwanna pay a mountain for good stones myself and this
method seems to make much more common sense to me because
of the great area to work on and for the cost of paper from time to
time.

My glass is 3/4" thick float glass. This is expensive to buy new
unless you have a local junk shop that has a conscientious owner
who knows what to stock, so I paid $10, 18"x18". It is very very
FLAT! I just wish it didn't have 1/16" beveled edges.

I use Norton and generic aluminum oxide papers and 3M super 77,
slightly sparingly so there are no rises in the surface or weakening
wetness, it dries quickly. When I lay it down, I do it so that it is
entirely and evenly flat but the most important part of that is first
(as well, after use) I use cheap paint thinner ($2.97/gal @HD)
and paper towels to clean the glass thoroughly of previous dried
super 77 which would otherwise cause lumps.

With all that, I never tear into the paper, maybe I have about twice
the whole time I've been doing it but every little common detail
adds-up to it. And I'm not so supremely light on the touch either, I
do some hard grinding when needed.

--
Alex
cravdraa_at-yahoo_dot-com
not my site: http://www.e-sword.net/