So I have a stainless steel SP-2 bar that doesn’t get played much due to lack of a sharp leading edge. But there are other things I still like about it.
Would like to sharpen that edge for pull-offs. Have attached photo for reference…SP2 vs Scheerhorn bar. Hoping to shape the SP2 to something in the 15-20 degree neighborhood, doesn’t need to be precise. (I only care about the leading edge for pull-offs, not the cut-aways/curves of the face…)
I have a bastard cut mill file (flat), metal needle file set, diamond grit file set, and assorted sandpaper sheets between 120 and 3000 grit.
Attack this just like my intuition tells me? Ie, start w/ rough shaping mill file, fine tune from there with needle/diamond files, finish w sandpaper…
Any tips appreciated. It’s not like it’s an expensive bar, but I’d rather not mess it up…
Thanks in advance.
.....grinder....
Sure. You can do anything with a file. But it might make more sense to sell or donate that bar and buy one that's already the shape you want. Take it from a pro with a lifetime of experience in f*cking things up. Badger's First Law of Modification applies here. Every project takes twice as long, costs twice as much, and turns out half as nice as expected.
Edited by - badger on 05/12/2025 07:08:07
quote:
Originally posted by badgerSure. You can do anything with a file. But it might make more sense to sell or donate that bar and buy one that's already the shape you want. Take it from a pro with a lifetime of experience in f*cking things up. Badger's First Law of Modification applies here. Every project takes twice as long, costs twice as much, and turns out half as nice as expected.
Lol :) thanks for the morning chuckle! Very relatable.
Can't help myself, gonna give this a whirl. I have a couple SP2 bars. I like the shape, tone, etc...just not the edge. One of them will be a guinea pig...haha.
Have fun! As Docslyd said above, access to a bench grinder will make your life a lot easier. Stainless is pretty tough. We expect pictures of the finished project...
Well it does work...kinda. About 20-mins of file work produced this ("after" photo). I will do some finishing work to pretty it up, as it looks a bit ugly where the nose curve meets my newly created straight spot.
The edge is sharper and provides a crisper pull-off. But not as big a benefit as I expected. Reason (upon closer inspection) is the underside of the bar...where it contacts the strings... sorta "lips up" (curves) into the front edge. So I'd need to file back a bit more material to eliminate that miniscule lip.
So project perhaps not finished, but decent improvement with not too much effort.
P.S. I cushioned the vice, but still but a few small "teeth" marks in the side. Oops.
Edited by - JC Dobro on 05/12/2025 11:30:23
JC:
You're a brave soul. I have an old EG Smith toothed bar as my pocket bar. I don't know if the new ones are this way, but the old ones were slightly concave on the bottom. Great for pull offs, not as good for straight bar position. I figured I could bring the bottom flat by lining a sectioned piece of 1" PVC pipe with varying grits of emery cloth. After about three hours (at my salary at the time I could've bought TWO new bars), I had a nice, flat, polished bar. And a hand cramp that took a week to go away. Still have that bar - too much effort to not keep it!
PS: Those vice marks are a "feature". They will help with bar grip...
If you really look closely at the line angles of the Scheerhorn bar, especially approaching the tip and appreciate how straight and unform they are. Now look at the SP2 bar...you should be able to appreciate the difference and, really, how much grinding/dressing would be required to make the SP2 "right" from the perspective of pull-offs and other techniques. To each their happy bar, but there's more difference than a little dressing can correct. When my pockets were tighter, I did the same thing to a Stevens bar, and ground it to a similar profile as the sharp bars like the Scheerhorn. It was a little better but the top profile was still unimproved....it only would have sufficed if I was on stranded on a deserted island.
quote:
Originally posted by docslydIf you really look closely at the line angles of the Scheerhorn bar, especially approaching the tip and appreciate how straight and unform they are. Now look at the SP2 bar...you should be able to appreciate the difference and, really, how much grinding/dressing would be required to make the SP2 "right" from the perspective of pull-offs and other techniques. To each their happy bar, but there's more difference than a little dressing can correct. When my pockets were tighter, I did the same thing to a Stevens bar, and ground it to a similar profile as the sharp bars like the Scheerhorn. It was a little better but the top profile was still unimproved....it only would have sufficed if I was on stranded on a deserted island.
Yeah, for the most part, I agree. Although I do think filing/ grinding the tip back another 1mm (to completely eliminate the curve under the tip) would improve things quite a bit as far as sharpness. (No, I'm not gonna do any more work on the SP2...)
I actually like the top profile and beefiness of the SP-2. This is the Pete Grant model and I originally learned on one (given to me by who else but Pete Grant)...so it's kind of a natural feel for me.
I've since moved on to the "Ferrari"-type sharp edge bars...Beard 20/20, Scheerhorn, and now Tipton...but wanted to see if I could mod an SP-2 back into usage.
I'd grade this project a B-minus. I do have a marginally improved bar with 20 minutes of sweat equity.
Edited by - JC Dobro on 05/12/2025 18:47:53
quote:
Originally posted by daverJC:
You're a brave soul. I have an old EG Smith toothed bar as my pocket bar. I don't know if the new ones are this way, but the old ones were slightly concave on the bottom. Great for pull offs, not as good for straight bar position. I figured I could bring the bottom flat by lining a sectioned piece of 1" PVC pipe with varying grits of emery cloth. After about three hours (at my salary at the time I could've bought TWO new bars), I had a nice, flat, polished bar. And a hand cramp that took a week to go away. Still have that bar - too much effort to not keep it!
PS: Those vice marks are a "feature". They will help with bar grip...
Lol good story on the EG Smith bar. I wouldn't part with that bar either if I were you :). Yep those vice teeth are sharp!
