>Mike inquires about sharpening a scorp...
>
>I received a Swiss Made scorp for my Birthday a few days ago - one of
>the one handed ones - and am trying to figure out how to sharpen it.  It
>doesn't seem to have a bevel at all that I could use as a reference for
>honing.  Does anyone know how these are supposed to be sharpened?

To which Larry replied

>If the bevel exists, it should be on the outside.  An axe sharpening
stone
>works well on scorps and adzes.  Disc shaped stones, usually one side
fine
>grit, the other rough.  You can pick one up at any reputable hardware
>store.

Disclaimer - I in no way consider myself an expert on this and am not out
to slam anyone. Having said that watch as I do a 1 1/2 back flip from the
pan into the fire......

I have to question the wisdom of sharpening one of these with the bezel
on the outside (out cannel) instead of on the inside (in cannel). While
all of the modern (i.e. factory) scorps I've seen have been done that way
(out cannel), I don't belive that is the best way. In fact I think this
is a case of the factory bean counters (and just lack of tool knowledge
at the factory) saying it's cheaper to grind the outside. The older
scorps I have (2) and the one my windsor chair teacher uses all are in
cannel. If you sharpen it with the bezel on the outside you have to hold
the scorp at a steep angle of attack to get it to cut and I find that the
handles and my hands are bumping into the work surface. If the bezel is
on the inside of the scorp you can hold it parallel to your work surface
and it's easier to rotate the blade which I find gives a better cut. 
I've tried using an out cannel scorp to shape a chair seat, for me it is
very uncomfortable. This is the same idea as with bent / cranked pattern
makers gouges. I was told they are in cannel so that you can get a good
even depth of cut. 

So how about it? Do most people on the list who use these have them
shaped with the bezel on the inside or the outside?

Esther or anyone who has taken Dunbar's class, how does he shape his
scorp?


Now grinding an inside bezel on a scorp is a pain and for this sort of
work I usually resort to using a hand held small tailed dremel err demon.
You can also use a wood form or dowel wrapped in the corse blue AZ paper.
In fact to sharpen these I use a wood dowel with wet dry paper and slip
stones.

With apologies to the list for mentioning tailed items.


Regards,
Brian Wilson
Chevy Chase, Md.
Having found some energy at last after eating too much turkey.......