What do you guys use for honing your turning tools?

[Jack Gaskins]

Im getting close to getting the CBN wheel and would also like to get a honing plate. What brand do you guys use?

Jack

[Jerry Marcantel]

I'll jump in first. How about Novaculite stone, aka Arkansas Hard Stone.. www.danswhetstone.com/products.htm . They do it all from mining the rock to cutting it into the stones you find at most sporting goods, woodworking sites and such........ Jerry (in Tucson)

[John Keeton]

Jack, why not just buy the CBN hone from Dave when you get the CBN? http://www.d-waytools.com/tools-diamond-grinding-wheels.html

[Jeffrey J Smith]

+1 on the D-Way CBN hone. They're two sided - 600 one side, 320 on the other. It's generously sized, and works great.

[Harry Robinette]

++1 for CBN I haven't got mine yet but will have one soon. I'm using a 600 grit Diamond for now.

[Thom Sturgill]

I honed to get a serviceable edge on my PM tools before I bought the CBN wheel, so I had a set of the DMT paddles and the DMT dia-sharp 6" bench hone. whenever I need to replace them, it will probably be the D-Way CBN hone or equal.

[robert baccus]

A Cnb would be nice but I'm using a blue 8" for shaping and a 1200 grit back to back with a 180 grit diamond disc--lapidary from E_Bay-- for honing. I am very happy with these.

[Jack Gaskins]

I will have to keep the Dway hone in mind when I order my wheel.

[Bernie Weishapl]

CBN hone works nicely.

[Brian Kent]

Could someone direct me to information on how one hones lathe tools. I hone my plane blades and chisels so it is the shape variation that I am curious about.

[Jack Gaskins]

Brian, I think Allen Lacer shows how in his videos.

[Jack Gaskins]

What do you guys use or do you even hone the flute side of the gouge?

[Alan Zenreich]

I use a Lacer diamond hone. The one he sells has nicely curved edges that do well for honing inside the flute.
When I get a new tool, I like to polish the first few inches of the flute. I generally do this using 3M radial abrasive brushes (usually mounted on a JoolTool)

[Michael Kellough]

I use a Lacer diamond hone. The one he sells has nicely curved edges that do well for honing inside the flute.
When I get a new tool, I like to polish the first few inches of the flute. I generally do this using 3M radial abrasive brushes (usually mounted on a JoolTool)

Which style and grit? There is a big selection here. (http://www.zorotools.com/g/Radial%20Bristle%20Brushes%20with%20Adapters/00052294/)

[Prashun Patel]

I've honed the flute with 1000g sandpaper and really can't tell the diff in the cut. I'm always fascinated by those who hone and am curious what I'm missing. I'm sure it's me.

[Jack Gaskins]

I've honed the flute with 1000g sandpaper and really can't tell the diff in the cut. I'm always fascinated by those who hone and am curious what I'm missing. I'm sure it's me.

I've read where the manufacture of the flute leaves tiny ridges inside the flute and as the flute is refreshed on the grinder those ridges are exposed so that you do not get a true smooth arc along the edge. I dont know. Just what I have read and is taught by Stuart Batty in one of his videos I ran across a ways back. ??

[Alan Zenreich]

Michael,

The starting radial brush will depend on the condition of the flute... typically at 120 grit. I usually polish to 400 grit or finer... depends on if I'm just having fun with the polishing.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Lacer's teardrop diamond hone has been out of stock for months...... I use a Norton teardrop hone (regular stone) to get the inside of the gouges. I've been wanting a Lacer teardrop hone for a long time. Don't know when he'll restock. Very pricey at 95 bucks though.

[Philip Duffy]

I am with Prashun on this one; Why bother? Not cut warrents spending time doing the honing when there is wood sitting there waiting to become beautiful! Philip

[Thom Sturgill]

I am with Prashun on this one; Why bother? Not cut warrents spending time doing the honing when there is wood sitting there waiting to become beautiful! Philip

For me, the why bother seems to have a lot to do with the whole CBN/Powder Metal thing. That, and a study I saw years ago on plane blades and the fact that if *really* sharp, they held that sharpness for quite a while. Dulling is not a linear function but more like an asymptotic curve ( that is one that goes nearly level then rapidly shifts to nearly straight up). The further out the horizontal leg you start, the longer you stay in a usable zone. If you go straight from the grinder because 'turning dulls the steal too fast anyway' then you are re-enforcing that belief.

Besides, we are only talking seconds of time with a hone that is kept ready at hand while turning versus the time to mount a jig and sharpen. I would hone two or three times before I reground. With Cindy Drozda's claim that the stone was not cutting the carbides in the newer steels, but the CBN or diamond wheel (or hone) does, that made sense of what I was seeing when I got the CBN wheel. For me it was a trade off between honing and sanding as to where I spent my time.

[Prashun Patel]

Tom,
I believe that too. However, when I hone on the gouge, I don't notice an improvement in edge longevity - even on the finishing cuts. I have chalked it up to the fact that a lathe tool takes way more abuse than a chisel or plane blade, and hence any increase in longevity from honing might be marginal at best. My limited attempts at honing seem to corroborate that. However, you guys are way more experienced than i, so how do you do it?
- pp

[Richard Jones]

I hone gouges and skew. Gouges get honed with a big diamond plate, flutes with an Alan Lacer plate. Skews get honed with a smaller diamond paddle. I've tried honing finer than 600, but can't see any difference. Actually, anything finer than 600 doesn't seem to work at all................ Some gouges get the sandpaper-on-the-dowel trick, like Mr. Raffan writes of.

I hone simply because it's faster for me. I can hone 2-3 times before the tool has to go back on the grinder. In my experience, the honed edge, while sharp, doesn't seem to last nearly as long as a ground edge. That seems counter-intuitive to me......................

I tried slip stones but didn't like them as they tended to load up too quickly, which required more time to clean.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I hone the inside of the gouge to make them smoother, and also to get the pith that gets stuck in there. Not necessarily to "sharpen" it, although I think it does a little sharpening. The theory (not my theory) is the wood can flow off faster and clog less. Can I tell the difference? No. But I think it must make a difference, so I keep doing it.

I also hone to sharpen the outsides between sharpenings. Saves a trip to the grinder. I also agree that honing does produce an edge that dulls quicker and is not quite as sharp. But it is quick. Just my $0.02

[Vince Welch]

Im getting close to getting the CBN wheel and would also like to get a honing plate. What brand do you guys use?

Jack

Hi Jack,
I use the DMT Diamond honing tools. I have two I use regularly. I use the double sided 600/1200 mesh stone when I am using my skews. I also use a great product called "The Wave" sharpener to hone my gouges. I can sharpen from 1/8" to 1" gouge with this tool. I think this tool is a little secret that really never got out. I keep one or the other on the bed ways on a piece of plexiglass with a non skid mat. Making short passes with the tool while honing (about 1") is key and also using a bit of water helps alot as well. There is a link on my website in which I provide more info about how I like to hone. Hope that helps.
Vince