Worksharp 3000 = Yes yes yes

[John Coloccia]

...yes yes yes! I just picked one up...another one, actually. I had one and didn't like it that much. This time I tried it with the additional leather hone and buffing wheel.

WOW. Just WOW. For anyone who's tried this tool and doesn't have the leather hone or the buffing wheel, you just don't know what you're missing. I get a mirror edge off the buffing wheel and the tools are sharp. I mean SHARP.

It's awesome that I can leave the buff setup and quickly polish all of my edges to razor sharp as I'm working. It just takes a second. I find myself just leaving it running sometimes so I can take a few particularly delicate cuts, and do a quick 2 second polish on the buff without skipping a beat.

I'm a convert, but NOT without the leather hone and buffing wheel. That's the key to the system, and it should be included in the base package.

[Erik France]

I might just have to get the buffing wheel and take it for a spin. What sort of compounds are you using on it?

My 3000 came with the leather hone. While I really like having it, I'm not sure if it's worth a $40 expenditure. Mine is starting to deteriorate a little too. Getting that quick mirror polish sure is nice though. I think a shop made disc & some scrap leather would work just as well. I picked up a bag of leather scraps from a local leatherworking store for $5 for some vice liners and strops. I'm thinking of doing the same with a big scotch-brite pad instead of paying $30 for their conditioning wheel.

I've been wanting to get the belt system for it too. I have read good reviews on the knife sharpener.

[travis howe]

I love it for chisels and the like... I did obtain the belt system recently and I have to admit, I don't think I've got it figured out yet... it seems pretty basic to use and the directions seem clear...I've even watched some video's online where folks are running a typical knife through and then slicing paper (which I know isn't the end all be all to prove how sharp a knife is)...but I've not been able to get that last little edge on a quality knife to do anything close to that.

[David Weaver]

The leather is better than a hard felt (and don't get anything less hard than hard felt for anything you don't want to dub).

For anyone who has a small belt/disc sander, you can get a piece of 1/8th vegetable tanned leather on ebay and put it on your combination sander and get the same effect, albeit at a much higher disc speed and more care needed to avoid heat. If that route is taken, MUCH care needs to be made about never letting anything get toward the center of the disc - because the iron will fly far and fast, and it could easily bounce into someone's face.

The result is like what john mentions, though - it's like being able to take a couple of hundred strokes on a finish stone really quickly, the polish on the work is great.

I have also tried cork belts on the sander, but so far, the cork is roughing up the edge too much to use it. Its supposedly works down finer. but I haven't gotten there.

[John Coloccia]

I might just have to get the buffing wheel and take it for a spin. What sort of compounds are you using on it?


Green. LOL. It's just a little green bar that comes with it. It seems to turn black and get all gooey when you use it. Interesting stuff. I agree about making your own leather strop. I think it would work fine.

[John Daugherty]

I made a power strop using my lathe. I took a piece of 1" thick mdf cut an 8" circle and glued on a piece of leather. I attached it to the lathe using the face plate. I set the lathe to 500 rpm. It works great for touching up an edge.

[Victor Robinson]

Aren't you neanderthals supposed to sharpen your tools by hand too?? Sheesh. ;)

[Mike Henderson]

Aren't you neanderthals supposed to sharpen your tools by hand too?? Sheesh. ;)
And work without lights :-)

Mike

[Don Jarvie]

Someone on another site (I know Blasphemy) who built a shelf that goes to the left of the machine that is the same height as the top.

I built one myself and it works great. You can put the blade in the honing guide and use it with the worksharp. If you blades are in decent shape it only take a few minutes on each grit and the blase is nice and sharp.

I just sharpened the blades on my No 5 and MF 24 and the planes work great. I'll see if I can post a picture.

[John Coloccia]

Someone on another site (I know Blasphemy) who built a shelf that goes to the left of the machine that is the same height as the top.

I built one myself and it works great. You can put the blade in the honing guide and use it with the worksharp. If you blades are in decent shape it only take a few minutes on each grit and the blase is nice and sharp.

I just sharpened the blades on my No 5 and MF 24 and the planes work great. I'll see if I can post a picture.

OK...now THAT is a good idea. It would make it easy to camber irons too.

[Brett Robson]

WOW. Just WOW. For anyone who's tried this tool and doesn't have the leather hone or the buffing wheel, you just don't know what you're missing. I get a mirror edge off the buffing wheel and the tools are sharp. I mean SHARP.

I realize this is a pretty subjective question, but do you have a feel for how sharp of an edge you're getting? I guess what I'm asking is if you can you compare it to the edge obtained by other sharpening methods?

[John Coloccia]

It's as sharp as I've ever gotten any edge, save for a straight razor. Again, the leather strop and felt buff are key. Straight off the abrasives it's OK but unimpressive.

[Bryan Morgan]

I realize this is a pretty subjective question, but do you have a feel for how sharp of an edge you're getting? I guess what I'm asking is if you can you compare it to the edge obtained by other sharpening methods?

I also use a WS3000. If its any indication, my left hand has virtually no hair left on it. I quickly swipe the blade across the back of my hand. If the hairs come off with no tug, I'm assuming its sharp enough. :) I can get the same sharpness with water stones but it takes much longer.

[Erik France]

Someone on another site (I know Blasphemy) who built a shelf that goes to the left of the machine that is the same height as the top.

I built one myself and it works great. You can put the blade in the honing guide and use it with the worksharp. If you blades are in decent shape it only take a few minutes on each grit and the blase is nice and sharp.

I just sharpened the blades on my No 5 and MF 24 and the planes work great. I'll see if I can post a picture.There's some info on a tool holder developed for the WS2000 on the Woodworkers journal website. http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/Main/Articles/Work_Sharp_Tool_Holder_3508.aspx

I wish I would have thought about something like that before I picked up the Wide Blade kit for my 3000. Much bigger surface area than the WS kit, much cheaper too. I'll use my MK-II for my plane irons on my worksharp.

[john brenton]

- because the iron will fly far and fast, and it could easily bounce into someone's face.

Oh God, I have kids and I'm getting a total visual. Thanks David. Christ. ;)

[John Coloccia]

I also suggest if you're using this thing with Lie-Nielsen chisels, do NOT hold them by the handle...hold it by the socket. Don't ask me how I know this. One of these days I'm going to glue in those handles. Maybe even tonight, in fact. I get the point of easily being able to change handles to a "paring" handle, but the number of times I've done that (which is zero by the way) vs the number of times they've fallen off the handle (PLENTY of times) makes the whole concept seem rather silly to me. I like being able to hold a tool by the handle without the constant threat of the business end falling off!

edit: I'll also say that it's doubly baffling as I chop and pare at two completely different angles. About 20 degrees for paring, and 30 degrees for chopping (which is what my LN are set to). Does anybody actually use this "feature"?

[John Coloccia]

Just one thing I wanted to add. I just had a discussion with someone about the WS and my opinion was that depending on what you're doing, it doesn't necessarily completely replace other sharpening methods (though it may) but I see it as a fantastic addition. I didn't want anyone to think I was suggesting tossing everything away in favor of this. I also use waterstones, leather strops and a Tormek, so I'll basically use anything I can get my hands on that works :)

[Nick Laeder]

Wow, I've had a worksharp for a while, including the leather strop. I've never been fully satisfied, but I don't think I'm using the strop right. I may make that table attachment like the article and try it that way with the wedges. That looks like instant repeatablility.

[John Coloccia]

When my new paring chisels come, I think I'll make a double review. I'll make a video with the chisels new out of the package, a couple of test cuts, and then I'll go through the process on the WS, and repeat the test cuts. That'll kill two birds with one stone.

[Ed Looney]

Actually Worksharp makes a table for their machines. I have been using one for over a year now and love how it works. I use it with the corse abrasive disks and a honing guide as a really slow speed grinder. Makes reestablishing the primary cutting angle a dream. Then I switch to my Shapton stones.

Ed

[Mike Brady]

John_ I'm glad you like your Worksharp. Let's mark this date on the calendar and see if you are still using it in six months. Although it sounds like you have discovered a combination that works,
I know quite a few hand tool woodworkers and this machine has not caught on with any of them....Tormeks have their advocates; especially those that free-hand sharpen and use the hollow grind to register against. Of any of the substrates that might be good for carrying the compound, MDF would be my choice. I would really like to see someone try an MDF wheel on one of these machines. I don't have one, or I would try. Let us know how its going.

[John Coloccia]

FWIW, Mike, I collect sharpening equipment the way some people collect antique planes. I use a Tormek, DMT stones, Nortons, Shaptons, Spyderco, leather strops of various kinds, etc. As I told someone else in a PM, I'm thinking of picking up a Koch for some of my carving tools. I can see why the WS hasn't caught on with pure hand tool users. It's easier, IMHO, to camber a plane iron on stones. If you're stropping or honing by hand, having a hollow grind is a huge advantage, especially for newbies.. The WS introduces consumables that need to be replaced and a supply needs to be on hand. If you're sharpening over 2" wide, you need to use some combination of table and honing guide, either theirs or your home grown solution. If you're messing with honing guides, half the beauty of the system is gone, namely the sharpening port. Once I'm in a guide, I can just as easily hit a water stone. As it is, my plane irons go from a rough Tormek grind (I never resurface the wheels to a "fine" surface...that's too time consuming for me), to a Spyderco and then to a leather strop. I don't see any reason to change that in favor of the WS at this time.

I reserve the right to change my mind in 6 months! My wife changes her mind all the time. I should be allowed to as well :)

My main point is that it's a different animal when you add the leather and the felt buff. It went from being a clever disc sander to a really viable sharpening tool. They should simply include those in the base package as without them, the base performance of the system is rather disappointing and unremarkable.