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Jerry Thompson
12-30-2011, 4:32 PM
It seemed high time for me learn to do free hand sharpening. I did an extremly good job with my #18 Miller Falls. It cuts great to anyone's judgement. I then hauled out my smoother. I thought I would take it back down to 25d and put a micro bevel on it with my 8000 water stone. It sure did cut fast on my sand paper I was using. Something in the back of my mind told something was amiss.
I took a break and came bach to finish it up and to a test run. I looked at the blade. It was the chip breaker!! I did not get angery. I reflected for a bit and had a good laugh at myself. I will give it another go tomorrow with the blade and have learned once again I cannot do things well when I am tired.
The best time of day is when I take a shower and nothing falls off.
Jerry

ray hampton
12-30-2011, 9:17 PM
it sound like a good day

Stewie Simpson
12-31-2011, 2:17 AM
You will not regret moving to free hand sharpening Jerry. Once you have the blade you have much better control in the direction of pressure placed upon the stone. This will deliver you a much keener edge upon sharpness. Stewie

Rick Fisher
12-31-2011, 5:09 AM
I have tried and tried.. I have no luck keeping the same angle with my hands .. I want to attend the next LN event for the sole purpose of having someone show me ..

Jerry Thompson
12-31-2011, 8:57 AM
I have found that in hand sharping, for me, that I can maintain a consistant bevel that is unique to me. That is it might not be right at 25d but it is close. The same with the microbevel. The proof is in the preformance. I oft times use a jig to rehab a plane iron but once I get the secondary bevel I do it all free hand and have very good results.
This is not to portend that I am a sharpening guru. It is to show others that it can be done and with a positive attitude and about two hours of wearing out old blades I am happy with my hand skills in this area.

Jessica Pierce-LaRose
12-31-2011, 9:50 AM
Rick - is your problem keeping the same bevel angle throughout the sharpening process, or from one session to the next?

I find I do okay, unless I start adding a microbevel - that will often get steeper and steeper on me. I like using a hollow grind before freehand honing, both because if sometimes makes it easier to feel the bevel, but also because it means removing less metal if I don't do a microbevel.

The trick for me for keeping it consistent throughout of the session is get the stones placed at a good working height, and then to lock my hands and arms in place - focus on using keeping the blade at an angle, and then use my legs to the movement over the stone. If you use your arms, and to a lesser extent, your back, to move the blade, you tend to lose the angle during the stroke. I'm probably not explaining it well, but Robert Lang describes this method in the August Pop. Woodworking magazine, as well, (I believe) in the second Exercises in Woodworking video...

Rick Fisher
12-31-2011, 2:57 PM
Joshua.. you actually explained that perfectly.. It makes sense.. I move my arms.. gotta keep them locked and move another way .. Also believe I make too many passes..

Jim Neeley
12-31-2011, 6:28 PM
Rick,

If/when that knowledge is sufficient for you to "get there" on freehand sharpening, good for you!

If you find yourself struggling, I have found Rob Cosman's handtoolworkshop (dot) com membership very helpful in that it is all filmed in real time and he typically sharpens one or more times in each 30 minute session. Especially in the early sessions he talks in detail on sharpening bench height, hand and arm position, etc. to isolate the motion and to sharpen with about 15 seconds per stone once the stone is initially prepared.

He covers initial preparation too.

Just my $0.02.. YMMV.

Jim

Jim Matthews
12-31-2011, 9:57 PM
The only reliable way to do this freehand is to touch the sharpening surface with a fingertip or knuckle to "register" the position.
It can be done more easily side to side (laterally) along the length of the stone.
The downsides are wearing a track in the stone and polishing off your knuckles.

It's also possible to build up a platform around the stone to act as a touchpoint for the finger or knuckle.

I use this method mainly with sandpaper and a granite base to keep chisels sharp between honing sessions.

Jerry Thompson
01-01-2012, 8:52 AM
For me it was just jumping in and going freehand. Once the "muscle memory" if embeded it becomes similar to riding a bicycle. Get an old beater of a blade and have at it. Using a new Ron Hock blade is intimindating. Use one you don't give a hoot about. I am not mechanically inclined in the least and I can get a blade exptreemly sharp. I am also a quick study, I can now tell the difference between the chip breaker and the plane iron.

Bill White
01-01-2012, 11:18 AM
Hey Jerry, ya may have started something. Hmmmm? A micro beveled 8000 grit polished chip breaker? Let me see. I'll go get my 4C.
Bill