What Sharpening System Do You Use

[Jim Koepke]

It has been awhile since I have composed a poll.

Hopefully next time "Other" is remembered.

This is just a crude way to learn how many folks may not have a power sharpening system. It also breaks down the power systems into grinders for hollow grinding and flat bevel systems like the Worksharp or Veritas Mk II Power Sharpening System®.

Thank you for participating.

Grinder

Multiple Systems w/ Grinder

Multiple Systems w/o Grinder

Worksharp, Veritas or Disk system

Belt Sanding System

All Done By Hand with/without Guides

jtk

[Shawn Pixley]

Mixed methods. All flat simple bever. Worksharp from a platform on top with a guide. Then I go to water stones. Strop while working.

[Jim Neeley]

Jim,

Where's the appropriate vote for all freehand honing (Secondary / tertiary) on stones w/grinder for primary bevel?

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,

Where's the appropriate vote for all freehand honing (Secondary / tertiary) on stones w/grinder for primary bevel?

My interests come from another thread that got me wondering what percentage of people have a grinder compared to how many had power systems that are not grinders. Finally for clarification there is a category for those who do not have a powered system.

There is a lot to be said for a hollow grind when one freehand sharpens. There will be a grinder in my future, it is just that it will most likely be foot powered.

My guess is most folks have some other honing set up beyond any power system they have. Any of the systems in the poll will work with the use of secondary/tertiary bevels.

My power set up currently is the Veritas MK II power sharpening system. It is actually set up to produce a secondary bevel. I have learned to defeat that feature.

jtk

[Charles Bjorgen]

I have both an older Tormek and a Baldor 7-inch 1800 rpm grinder, the latter for Woodturning tools. I've tried many systems but have settled on using the Tormek for creating the hollow grind and Stu's Sigma three stone progression for finishing freehand. It's been a costly journey but I'm pretty happy with the results I get now.

[Jim Stewart]

What Charles said!

[Chris Griggs]

Jim, just to clarify? You are asking how we regrind/reset bevels/repair bevels...you're not asking about our honing system, correct?

Anyway, that's how I answered the question so I just put just grinder.

I guess I could have put multiple since if the bevels on my Japanese chisel need resetting, I will chuck them in a guide grind them on a coarse waterstone or sandpaper, but everything else is a 6" grinder

Aside from establishing/maintaining a bevel I freehand everything else.

[Clint Baxter]

Another user of what Charles said. Older Tormek, 1700 rpm Baldor 8" and then the planes and chisels get the water stone treatment.

Clint

[glenn bradley]

Multiple Systems w/o Grinder here. In the very rare event that I completely change the geometry of a tool I will borrow dad's grinder during a visit. For the most part the Worksharp 3000 can take care of things like nicks all the way through 3600 grit (I also have a leather hone plate for it that I come back to). After that, stones and/or a 'scary sharp' setup meet my needs.

[Edward Mitton]

I use an old restored hand crank grinder fitted with a 6" gray wheel for removing edge nicks and setting primary bevels, then switch to scary sharp up to 2000 grit for honing. I do use a honing jig for plane blades, but it is nothing more than a block of maple, a #10 screw and a fender washer. IMO, it works just as good as a fancy-schmancy honing jig that costs big bucks. Chisels ar all honed by hand. I consistently get good, flat mirror-finish backs and sharp micro-bevels on all my tools. The bare patch on my right arm can attest to all of this!

[Judson Green]

All by hand no guides, for better or worse, but if an edge is really messed up (like chipped, rounded or worse- many of my tools have had previous relationships and some didn't look like they were treated very well) then I use a powered grinding. And this is only to get the edge straightened out after that its all hand. I've been looking, not whole heartily, for a hand crank grinder.

So I answered by hand no guides.

[Mike Holbrook]

Yes, I do use most of those systems on occasion. Where is David I think he has the most sharpening gear. I bought a Tormek a decade or two ago, never have been able to get the results I was looking for, too slow. I have a belt sander, with Trizact, Gator & leather belts that I use when I want to remove metal fast from larger tools/blades. I actually prefer the control of hand sharpening so I just bought a DMT Dia-Flat lapping/grinding plate. I have a selection of Sigma Select II stones from Stu that I am about to update. I have the Veritas jig and one or two older sharpening jigs. IMHO the Syderco triangular ceramic & diamond sharpening system is the easiest and fastest system for most knives, including serrated. There is no check box for peening (striking the edge of a blade against a small anvil to strengthen and thin the edge). Scythe blades are peened to get the very thin sharp edge necessary to cut grass & brush. I don't see a box to check for yes +, so I am abstaining.

I probably should mention that I maintain 12 acres of woods and fields. I sharpen Sythes, Brush Axes, Hoes, mower/bushhog blades, shovels & trowels, swing blades, a variety of pocket and sheath knives, Kukri, splitting mauls, axes, froes, wedges....Everything from the softer metal in mauls to the very hard 'modern" powdered metals. Ohh, yes I sharpen wood working tools too.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, just to clarify? You are asking how we regrind/reset bevels/repair bevels...you're not asking about our honing system, correct?

Anyway, that's how I answered the question so I just put just grinder.

Yes, that is correct. My main intent was to learn how many use a standard wheel type grinder hand or powered compared to all the other powered systems or by hand only.


There is no check box for peening (striking the edge of a blade against a small anvil to strengthen and thin the edge).

Peening didn't even cross my mind, but that would go into the "by hand only" category if you do not use any power sharpening systems.

Most of my honing is done by hand but since I do use a powered system other than a grinder I checked off the Worksharp, Veritas or other Disk System.

This was set up out of my curiosity being piqued by another member mentioning how easy it is to regrind a blade and use micro bevels to change the angle on a BU plane.

We often share our methods and practices without realizing that what seems natural for ourself may be out of the ordinary for others.

Often I feel if I can do it so can anyone else. Over the years here I have learned from my errors. We are all individuals with our own abilities and shops that are different from everyone else's.

Anyway, I would like to thank everyone for participating. I set this poll to not expire. So if you are reading this at some later date, go ahead and answer the poll to best match how you maintain you edges.

Currently it appears about 50-50 on folks who have vs do not have a grinder.

jtk

[steven c newman]

IF the edge is so bad, then a grinder is used

If not bad enough for the grinder, then a ride on the beltsander, using the Veritas MkI guide.

Then without removing the guide, a trip on a dual grit oilstone

Then sandpaper on a flat surface (kitchen counter top in my case) up to 2K grit

Then a few swipes on a leather belt, chatged up with some green paste

Same routine, whether it is a chisel, or an iron from a plane.

[Ryan Mooney]

I put all by hand, no guides as that is how I sharpen 99% of the time.

I do have a high speed grinder but only use it pretty much to do initial shaping of a really messed up piece of steel (like an old plane blade that had been used for chipping rocks or something - some of them I don't even know...).

I also have a slow speed friable wheel grinder I use pretty much exclusively for turning tools.. although I hone my skews by hand primarily there as well.

I also have one of the lee valley chisel/plane honing guide but mostly haven't used it in a few years. Occasionally I'll break it out to cross check my angles while honing but mostly just spot check against an angle gauge nowadays.

[Mike Holbrook]

I think I am a belt sander and hand sharpening guy without a box to check. It is pretty hard to list all the possible combinations. Is a hand powered "grinder" a grinder in the parlance of this survey? I won a bid on a hand powered grinder but, so far I have not been able to remove the old wheel. I like Jim's idea of a foot powered grinder, run the stone through a water bath and you might have something. Maybe we can talk Derek into building the prototype, then all we have to do is talk Rob into making them.

[Kees Heiden]

Really surprising, so many people don't use a grinder at all!

Me, a grinder, almost all the time. I grind almost to a wireedge, and then raise a wireedge on the 1000 stone in 10 to 20 strokes. Polish from there. So,mixed system for me.

[paul cottingham]

I use a veritas power sharpener to establish bevels and microbevels. I polish on an 8000 grit stone, and often strop on a leather belt on a viel grinder. I am using the viel more and more for basic grinding. I have to admit that I often wish I hadn't bought the veritas power sharpener. My hands are so bad I need some form of power for basic grinding and honing, but I am using the viel more for that.

[Jim Koepke]

Is a hand powered "grinder" a grinder in the parlance of this survey?

Yes.

My mail intent was to learn how many have a typical grinder compared to some other powered method or only work with hand sharpening.

jtk

[David Weaver]

Regular high speed grinder and mostly freehand. I've been through about everything. I do like to use a guide for premium A2 and tougher irons on a smoother (only) - an eclipse style to do the hone exactly as charlesworth described in his first video. They wear long enough to make that worthwhile even though it takes a little bit longer than freehand.

I'm smitten with old irons right now, though, and a freehand microbevel hone (long primary, reflexive secondary - whatever feels natural so the same thing happens every time) is my favorite way to go. It's easy and quick as long as the stones are fairly slow so that they don't rip off a bunch of steel.

Tried the tormek, inexpensive bench top belt sander, belt grinder...everything pretty much except a worksharp. They all work, but at different speeds. Didn't necessarily try them because I wanted to use them for sharpening, but rather because they were already there and then worth trying because of it (except the tormek - that was bought solely for sharpening).

Love the dry grinder, though, would never give it up. It allows such a fast but still precise edge.

[Kim Malmberg]

My methods are as unorganized as most other things I do. I own a grinder and like some others in this thread I use it only when I can't be arsed to hand grind an uneven, slanted or otherwise poor bevel. But even in this case I sometimes straighten out bevels with the use of fine files. Not sure if this is deemed as sacrilege, but since I am a firm believer in hand-eye coordination rather than controlling a quickly rotating grinding wheel against a piece of steel and since jigs and guides make me feel sick, I feel whatever I do by hand is something I can control. Otherwise I mix things up pretty badly. I use sandpaper and glass, diamond stones, Japanese waterstones and a natural stone for polishing. You will not find me putting micro bevels on stuff. Not saying it isn't useful, but I just can't be bothered.

[Kees Heiden]

A question for them who don't use a grinder. Do you ever restore vintage irons? And does it take a long time to regrind a bevel? And does it take a long time to raise a wire edge when you are grinding a thick iron? In other words, how the heck do you get along without a grinder? :eek:

[Steve Friedman]

A question for them who don't use a grinder. Do you ever restore vintage irons? And does it take a long time to regrind a bevel? And does it take a long time to raise a wire edge when you are grinding a thick iron? In other words, how the heck do you get along without a grinder? :eek:
Time and sweat.

Steve

[Bill White]

Grinder, Makita water stone system, water stones, Eclipse guide, and leather strop. Does all I need.
Bill

[Jim Koepke]

A question for them who don't use a grinder. Do you ever restore vintage irons? And does it take a long time to regrind a bevel? And does it take a long time to raise a wire edge when you are grinding a thick iron? In other words, how the heck do you get along without a grinder? :eek:

A few years ago a 4' hunk of granite was purchased for use in my shop. With adhesive backed rolls of sanding media it can take a bad blade down pretty fast.

I have always wondered how someone flattens the back of a blade with a grinder. The Veritas Mk II Power Sharpening System has worked well for me at that.

The biggest advantage I see to a grinder is the hollow grind makes hand sharpening a lot easier.

jtk

[bob blakeborough]

All by hand with stones with/without a jig depending on blade, touch ups etc...

[Jeff Duncan]

I'm in the grinder camp as well. I use an inexpensive grinder with 8" wheels to get my edge then finish up with a couple passes over 1200 then 6000 grit water stones....very quick and easy for me:D

To go a bit deeper I use a machinists granite slab with sandpaper to flatten backs. It's kinda time consuming and a real PITA but since you only usually have to do it once....;)

JeffD

[Bruce Mack]

All done by hand, without guides. Currently waterstones 220 (rarely)- 1000-5000, final strop with chromium oxide. I am no longer reluctant to resharpen, finding hand method less fussy than guides.

[Juan Hovey]

I use sandpaper to 3000 grit on granite to flatten the backs and to sharpen the business side of the iron. I don't own a grinder, so if necessary, I get the iron re-ground by a machine shop.

[Roy Lindberry]

Well, I have a high speed, six inch grinder, but I only use that for major repair of an edge.

Generally speaking, I hone freehand on diamond stones followed by a strop charged with chromium oxide.

[Tom Garry]

I take the iron to be sharpened and drag it on the concrete driveway as I roll down on an old skateboard. (Well, I DID a very long time ago and got in trouble for it too)

Today I use a granite surface plate with 15, 5 and 0.5 micron papers using a guide. Works great.