How to Sharpen Spoon Bits

Spoon bits are chair makers' tools; they use spoon bits to bore holes for chair runs and legs. The bits fit in a a traditional hand-powered bit brace. Spoon bits bore holes from the center outward; they're conical in shape. The bit produces a round-bottomed hole, ideal for building strong furniture joints. Sharpening spoon bits requires attention to detail and practice, much like sharpening any other precision cutting tool. The outside edge of the bit is sharpened and the inside is buffed to produce a sharp cutting edge.

Things You'll Need

• 800-grit wet/dry sandpaper
• Glass surface
• Buffing compound
• Buffing wheel

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Place a piece of wet/dry sandpaper on a glass surface. The glass will provide a smooth surface for sharpening the bit.

   • 2

     Hold the bit so that it is almost flat on its side. Draw it toward you and simultaneously rotate it along the cutting edge. Repeat this motion until you achieve a razor-sharp cutting edge.

   • 3

     Apply buffing compound to a buffing wheel and hold the bit so that the wheel contacts the inside surface of the bit on the back side of the cutting edge. Buff the inside surface until a highly polished surface appears.