Mike Darlow's sharpening DVD's??

[Jamie Straw]

I have a pretty big gift certificate to Amazon.com, and would like opinions on a few things I'm considering, mostly tools, dedicating the certificate to woodturning, want to use it wisely. The first is this DVD set (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097523921X)on sharpening lathe tools. Is there anyone out there who has it or has seen it, and can offer opinion on how useful it is??

PS: Or there's this single disk (http://www.amazon.com/Sharpening-Demystified-Kirk-DeHeer-DVD/dp/B002ZAQOUI/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1261799682&sr=8-22)by Kirk DeHeer. The review on this one sounds like it was written by a PR department.

I have Raffan's run-down on sharpening, but he focuses on his own grind for gouges, I need an approach more appropriate for a beginner turner.

[Gordon Seto]

The contents may be good, I don't know. I borrowed this DVD from our Club library. I couldn't finish watching it within a month with multiple good effort attempts. Too much technical details, lecture setting, his monotone voice put me to sleep within minutes. I couldn't finish his 7 hour DVD set on turning either. I have no problem watching other turning DVD.

Even you may not own the Tormek, unless you sharpen your tools free hand, I would suggest you try the free DVD from Tormek that was bundled in the UK Woodturning Magazine last year (or earlier this year).

There are not too many DVD on the subject of sharpening alone, except the one from AAW. But there are a lot of turning DVD that include detail discussion on tool sharpening. IMO, sharpening and tool grind has to go hand in hand with how the edge is presented. Ellsworth grind is not going to work well with Stuart Batty way of push cut turning.

[Jamie Straw]

There are not too many DVD on the subject of sharpening alone, except the one from AAW.

I suspect I should just sit down and order that DVD (have to join up first -- I'm so bad at snail mail!). Bonnie Klein told us it's a great sharpening video.

[David Walser]

Jamie,

I've not seen the two DVD's you linked to at Amazon. I have and recommend the sharpening DVD from AAW. AAW gave 4 or 5 experienced turners the chance to show you how to sharpen your tools. Each does a good job. One thing you'll notice is they contradict each other. From this, I infer there's more than one way to sharpen!

As for the video by Kirk DeHeer, I suspect it's very good. I took a class at Craft Supplies USA a few years ago from Dale Nish. Kirk was Dale's assistant for the class. It was his job to sharpen the tools at each student's lathe at the beginning of each class. That was six sets of lathe tools x the number of classes CSUSA puts on each year. With that much practice, he became very good at getting a consistent shape and edge on each student's tools! He had access to all the sharpening systems CSUSA sold. He demonstrated them to us as part of teaching the class how to sharpen. Given this background, I know Kirk has the knowledge to do a good sharpening video. Whether or not the camera was able to capture and transmit his skill is another question.

[Jim Silva]

The Darlow DVD's are extremely detailed and great not only for the "how" to sharpen but the cutting theory as well. There's a great little booklet in the back with templates and designs for sharpening angle jigs which I use and found invaluable.

However... As knowledgeable as Darlow is, he's about as compelling a speaker as a brick. A really, really dull brick. I found sleep came upon me within 15 mins of each watching of the DVD's.

I'd still recommend his videos though as they contain a wealth of information as well as the afore mentioned templates and I did learn a lot. It's great stuff to watch in short segments and fortunately, the DVD's are divided into many chapters letting you skip to the sections you're really interested in at that time.
And as an added side bonus, I was able to stop counting sheep and learned to envision Darlows jumping over a sharpener whenever insomnia came upon me. Works every time.:D

[Gordon Seto]

I took a class at Craft Supplies USA a few years ago from Dale Nish. Kirk was Dale's assistant for the class. It was his job to sharpen the tools at each student's lathe at the beginning of each class. That was six sets of lathe tools x the number of classes CSUSA puts on each year.

I believe at CSUSA, they weld their jig fixed and supply the turning tools. I think that would save them a lot of steel disallowing students to change the grinds of the work shop tools. I don't buy the magic 23 degree jig angle setting. I have made castings of the the flute of different brands of bowl gouges. They vary a lot; you can't obtain the same grind with identical sharpening jig setting on different flute shapes. If you lock down the jig leg angle settling, you can only get one row across from chart below.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/gbseto/TormekSVD-185copy.jpg
The key part is not stop at sharpening tools, but learn how to use them and practice. With a week long class format at CSUSA, there is plenty of practice.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have the AAW DVD and would highly recommend it.

[Dave Rudy]

The best sharpening video I have seen yet is Cindy Drozda's newest video, Finial Star.

It is only a segment, not that long, but she goes into detail on how to sharpen on the platform and on the Wolverine. It is excellent. The cinematography and sound are high quality.

She also teaches the basic spindle cuts and then demonstrates use of them in different applications.

The AAW sharpening video is good as well.

The thing is, with woodturners, everyone has a different spin on most things. (pardon the pun). So to me the key with sharpening is more about mastering one approach than flopping around with different approaches and becoming confused as to everything from what angle to whether to use a jig or not. For a beginner, the AAW video may produce some confusion as well as assistance from this perspective.

Still say there is no substitute for hands-on instruction, but the Drozda video is the best I've seen.

[JerHall]

Here are some notes for a sharpening workshop we use in our club: http://docs.google.com/View?docID=0AS5G6HMVJZ3hYWR2OGY0a3Zxam5xXzEzNWRtZG diNGZ3&revision=_latest The two on-line videos referenced at the bottom are all you need, and are superb. And free. But you will need a high speed internet connection. I really think this is all you need.

[Ryan Baker]

I have the Darlow sharpening DVD. It is the worst turning-related DVD I have ever seen. Trying to stay awake through it is grueling. Darlow has the worst delivery I have ever seen. The material is very technical, to the point of being riduculous. If you are looking for practical information for sharpening tools in the real world, that isn't it. I wish I had my money back on that purchase, and I will never buy another Darlow DVD.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I read and worried and played with grind angles and Irish grinds...the wings....

In the end, the important thing that worked for me was to get a consistant sharp grind. I found I can adapt to the grind on the gouge and if I can get the same grind time after time...my turning goes better.

And what works for me may not work for anybody else.

[Jamie Straw]

I have the Darlow sharpening DVD. It is the worst turning-related DVD I have ever seen. Trying to stay awake through it is grueling. Darlow has the worst delivery I have ever seen. The material is very technical, to the point of being riduculous. If you are looking for practical information for sharpening tools in the real world, that isn't it. I wish I had my money back on that purchase, and I will never buy another Darlow DVD.

Thanks, Ryan, for the heads-up!! I wonder if he wrote one of the books I checked out from the library -- it fits the same description! Definitely not on my "buy" list.:p

[Richard Madison]

Would it be a rule violation for someone to just loan Jamie the AAW disc on sharpening? It's not rocket surgery.

+1 what Ken said. Get a consistent, repeatable sharpening procedure and learn to use the resulting tool(s). With experience will come the insight to modify the grind in small increments which may be more to your liking.

[Jamie Straw]

Would it be a rule violation for someone to just loan Jamie the AAW disc on sharpening? It's not rocket surgery.

+1 what Ken said. Get a consistent, repeatable sharpening procedure and learn to use the resulting tool(s). With experience will come the insight to modify the grind in small increments which may be more to your liking.

That's OK Richard, I just need to sit down and sign up. I want to be a member, and will watch the DVD many times, I'm sure, so will get it done tomorrow morning and probably have the DVD by the end of the week (and get out of you hair. :D )

My skew sharpening is getting better. Spindle gouge still lacks a "mental picture" of what I want, but it's useable.