[Jewelry making - Article 00159] - Re: [Orchid] Sharpening disc cutters

[James Binnion]

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>     I have sharpened my circle punch on my Genie diamond wheel. From
>     the above post, I am sure I can put the punch in the block and push
>     on the punch with the block on a sheet of sand paper using the
>     block to keep the bottom of the punch parallel to the sandpaper and
>     sharpen it. 

    The problem with paper or plastic or any other kind of sheet
    abrasive is that it is compliant, it will deform slightly with the
    pressure you will apply and round the punch edges and you will tend
    to dome the punch slightly even when held in the die block. As you
    push down on the punch you compress the backing material of the
    abrasive and this grinds a rounded edge rather than a flat one. Your
    diamond wheel is a different story in that it is not compliant but
    without a mechanical aid to hold and rotate the punch you will end up
    putting a convex face on the punch which will probably be sharper
    than the face you will get from the abrasive paper or film but will
    still distort the disc to some degree when it cuts it out. To get as
    flat and bur free a disc as possible you really need a mechanical
    grinding tool with a means of holding the punch square to the
    grinding surface. 

    It is certainly possible to grind on the face of a punch and drive
    it through your sheet stock but for clean flat discs just take it to
    a machine shop and pay for a quick sharpening, they will work much
    better. 

James Binnion
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
James Binnion Metal Arts
http://www.mokume-gane.com
360-756-6550
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