Sharpened guide free this weekend

[Dave Houseal]

Sometime in the last few weeks, I read another sharpening thread, and somebody in the thread suggested sharpening freehand as the way to go, and said it isn't nearly as difficult as you might think.

So to whomever offered up that bit of advise, I'd like to say thank you! Going guide free was a pleasure.

Sunday afternoon I ditched my Mk II honing guide and went free hand. It actually wasn't that hard to do. It took a little getting used to but I quickly realized that you can pretty much feel when you have the right angle in the way the edge slides across the stone.

It was sooo much faster. And I feel like I may have even got a better edge than with the guide as especially in my final honing I was able to quickly go back and forth between a few light strokes on the bevel and then a few light laps for the back.

I found that the plane irons were a little more difficult then the chisels, but I started to feel more comfortable as I went.

I'll probably hold onto my guide for now as I could see it being useful to kind of reset my angles as I may drift a bit over time. However I am hoping I'll be a little quicker to touch up my edges knowing it doesn't have to be quite the production that I'm used to.

[David Weaver]

Hold on to your guide, you'll have reason to use it at some point.... guaranteed, whether it's a thin iron or something with a long handle and a thin tip, etc.

[john brenton]

Sometime in the last few weeks, I read another sharpening thread, and somebody in the thread suggested sharpening freehand as the way to go, and said it isn't nearly as difficult as you might think.

It's funny when I read these because I've gone the opposite route. I started freehand and have sharpened just about every tool I can think of to hair splitting sharpness that way...but have recently switched to using the guide and am loving it. I can't match the accuracy and quickness in establishing and honing the microbevel that you get with the guide.

[Jim Koepke]

Dave,

Hang on to the guide. I do almost all my blades free hand, but there are times when a guide is essential.

Especially if you want to use micro bevels like John suggests.

I find them essential when a blade gets nicked and I need to remove a lot of metal on a coarse grit.

jtk

[Dave Houseal]

Dave,

Hang on to the guide. I do almost all my blades free hand, but there are times when a guide is essential.

Especially if you want to use micro bevels like John suggests.

I find them essential when a blade gets nicked and I need to remove a lot of metal on a coarse grit.

jtk

I was kind of thinking the same thing that...there will definitely be times where the guide will be handy as mentioned. But it is nice to know I can very quickly dress an edge without the added fuss of messing with the guide.

[David Weaver]

The mkII guide is a little more cumbersome than the eclipse guide. Sometimes, I still sharpen my smoothers with an eclipse guide, sometimes not, but I like the accuracy afforded with it. Don't need it, but like it.

[Tony Shea]

I am also in the camp of holding onto your guide. I started freehand and continue to use freehand. But I really do like my side clamping honing guide (cheap) for re-establishing a bevel on sandpaper or coarse grit stone. Don't have to worry about creating a rounded bevel to begin with and the rest of the honing by hand is much easier with a flat bevel. And as of late I have been throwing a micro-bevel on some of my new planes i've recently purchased from LN as this 5* micro-bevel gives my iron a 30* edge. Which in turn seems to hold it's edge a bit better than its 25* bevel than comes with the iron. And is sure is quick to hone the very edge. I've always advocated no micro bevel until late. As long as you keep your setting on your honing guide all is simple.