How to sharpen an engineer’s scriber made of hardened steel or tool steel

Shop for Engineer’s Scribers

Other equipment you will need:

Aluminium oxide oilstone or whetstone

The course grit side is used for quick initial sharpening, then the fine grit side is used to produce a fine sharp point.

Cutting fluid

Use a specialist honing oil with an oil stone. Water should be used with a whetstone.

Sharpening the scriber

Step 1 – Moisten sharpening stone

Moisten the surface of your sharpening stone with the appropriate cutting fluid.

If you are using a whetstone it should be soaked in water for about 10 minutes so it becomes saturated.

Step 2 – Position scriber at correct angle

Beginning on the course grit side of the sharpening stone, hold the scriber in your dominant hand as you would a pen at an angle of between 30 – 60 degrees, the closer to 30 degrees you hold the scriber tip, the finer the point you sharpen on it will be.

Step 3 – Move scriber back and forth

Rub the scriber tip lengthways across the surface of the sharpening stone, twisting it between your forefinger and thumb as you go. To avoid leaving grooves in your stone, even out the wear by continually moving the tip onto another area of the stones face.

Do not sharpen the scriber tip at a right angle to the sharpening stone, if you do this the sharpening lines on the tip will run in the wrong direction making the tip more likely to break during use.

Step 4 – Repeat on other side of stone

Repeat step 3 on the fine side of the sharpening stone.