How To Sharpen Linoleum Carving Tools
Although these cutters will work on traditional harder linoleum if you mostly carve the softer linoleum the Speedball lino cutters work great.
How to sharpen linoleum carving tools. To sharpen the tools pull the inside of the tool down the slipstrop not into the cutting edge until you feel a burr a small buildup of thin metal on the outside of the tool. With one end of the leather clamped or held down draw the blade its edge pointing away from you towards you at the angle of the blade making sure you catch up some of the honing paste. My next invaluable tool is probably the 95 a large U gouge used for really shifting larger areas of non-printing lino once the accurate work has been done.
The most significant techniques to sharpen wood carving tools may include. Being frugal I began with Speedball lino cutters. Look down at the cutting edge.
After that you should push the tool away from you. As with any U gouge it can also be used to create textural marks by just skimming the surface of the lino and subsequently controlling the printing of those marks through a balance of inking packing and pressure. I use a range of U and V gouges as well as a small straight chisel for woodcuts and skew knife.
These are a step up in quality over the Speedball Linoleum Cutter and must be sharpened with a water stone honing block and honing compound like all the other tools mentioned below. This video tutorial will teach you how to safely and successfully carve linoleum for printmaking or for bas-relief painting. In especially dry areas you may need to do this more frequently.
Turn the knife up so the blade is directly under a source of light. Tip the knife one way or the other side to side and as you do look for a white glint on the edge of the knife. Then pull the outside of the tool down a flat strop again not into the cutting edge until the burr is gone.
Lay the blade of the tool close to flat on the other hand at a slight angle on the stone. Power Grip Carving Tools. You will start to notice the handles lighten and drying out.
