Wow, this is wonderful! Thanks so much to Tony and Kerry - great images and explanations of a remarkable process.

I do have a question on #20: "Clean Bushing" -- when Tony "dings" the surface of the bushing, is he basically letting the bushing "free rotate" against the grinder wheel?

I'm assuming he uses the fine Scotchbrite wheel with the bushing holder held upright (maybe at just a slight angle to vertical) so the fine scratch pattern is applied almost straight across the surface of the bushing?

I'm also assuming this is to allow for lubrication to get into the bushing/blade interface and be held there? I would also think that this reduces the friction between blade and bushing by reducing the surface area of the actual metal to metal contact.

Dick Hodgson was indeed one of the most astonishing knifemakers ever -- when you can not only make a perfect mop interframe, but also make an *integral* shield within this interframe, then you're GOOD! His passing was a great loss to us all.

-- Dwight