Question about a Stanley #40 blade

[Arlin Eastman]

I have a 40 that I never used yet and I am or thing I was confused about what you gays are saying.

I first thought you guys said to make the front edge square but now thinking you make the circle and then square it up around the blade and then sharpen correct?

Also how would you blue the edge unless you left it on to long or did not put it in water to cool it off in-between grindings?

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

The process is simple but difficult to communicate. I will try again. This advice applies to O-1 tool steel. 

Whenever you change the profile of a blade or when you grind out large nicks, you should work at a ZERO degree bevel. This means that you are doing heavy grinding to the cutting end of the blade and the result is grinding exactly perpendicular to the length of the blade. You do this so you can grind thicker metal. The thicker metal is less likely to retain heat and destroy the temper of the blade. 

Once the profile is correct, you can then proceed to reestablish the bevel.

Remember that the temper of O-1 steel is affected by very low temperatures. If the steel gets too hot, it will soften. I like to grind quickly and keep the steel warm to the touch. Water boils at 212 degrees. If you quench and get steam, then you have heated the steel beyond that point and that is bad. So if the edge is too hot to hold or if it steams, then you have gone too far.

Grind, quench, grind, quench, is the technique I use. A properly dressed wheel will cut quickly and each grinding step may be less than 5 seconds.

I hope this helps.

[Arlin Eastman]

Thanks Jim