Robert Rozaieski
12-01-2006, 9:47 AM
I was going to post this under the thread on grinding methods but decided to start a new thread since it is probably a little long and really deserves it's own thread since it concerns more than just grinding.
I never thought I would be able to hone my tools without the aid of honing guides as every time I tried I inevitably dubbed the edge or rounded the primary bevel. However I recently had one of those moments we all occasionally have where you just get it and wonder what took you so long and why you couldn't get it before.
I always sharpened my tools with flat primary bevels using the original LV honing guide and angle gauge and 150 grit 3M Sandblaster glued to a granite surface plate. It worked extremely well but was kind of slow going. My honing was done on Norton waterstones 1000, 4000, 8000. I was very happy with the edges but it took a lot of time to re-grind the bevel when needed and all this microbevel stuff kept increasing the main bevel of my chisels and irons.
I have read and re-read Bob Smalser's excellent sharpening posts dozens of times as well as Joel's sharpening tutorial on the Tools for Working Wood site. Recently, I took the plunge and tried freehand honing again with some chisels, but this time I started from scratch and re-ground the bevels first using a grinder and not the flat granite, something I had not done in my previous freehand honing attempts.
This is when I had my "Ah-ha!" moment. The "secret" to honing freehand is to hone as little as possible (thanks Bob, it took reading your tutorial several times but it finally sunk in). The trick is not in honing but in establishing the primary bevel. The hollow grind left by the grinder is what really makes freehand honing, dare I say, easy!
Within 30 minutes of practice I could grind and hone all my chisles to razor sharpness, without dubbing the edge, and in less time than it took to set up the honing guide and grind a new bevel on just one chisel using sandpaper and granite/glass.
What I found is that the hollow grind is absolutely necessary for freehand honing. With the bevel hollow ground, it is actually difficult to rock the chisel and dub the edge. You really have to try and pick up the back of the chisel to round the edge over.
I made a simple adjustable tool rest that I could lay the chisel flat on to hold the bevel angle and kept the edge square by frequent checking with a small square. I used a normal speed grinder with the supplied 60 grit gray wheel, just being sure to dip the blade in water every few seconds to prevent burning. It went really fast, as in less than 5 minutes to grind the bevel (maybe 3 minutes).
After that, the chisel was extremely easy to register flat on the stone and took only 6-12 strokes on each stone (1000, 4000, 8000) to hone to a razors edge. I didn't use a microbevel as it didn't seem necessary and to me would have encouraged dubbing of the edge since I would have had to register the chisel in a manner that the bevel was not flat on the stone.
The other advantage I've seen is that I don't wait as long to touch up the edge. Since it's so easy and fast not setting up the honing guide, I find myself taking a few strokes on the 8000 stone at the first sign that the tool is not cutting as well. This means the tool stays sharper! No more long "sharpening sessions" where I spend my shop time just regrinding and re-honing my tools for another day. I keep them all sharp all the time!
I really encourage everyone to try hollow grinding and freehand honing, even if you've tried before and couldn't get it (like me). After seeing the light, I am now hollow grinding all my edge tools. It's really not that difficult to hone freehand, but the hollow grind is absolutely essential. You don't get a hollow grind with a belt sander or with coarse sandpaper on glass so freehand honing will be much more difficult. Flat bevels were what was holding me back. Believe me, if I can do this, anyone can!
Thanks Bob & Joel!
I never thought I would be able to hone my tools without the aid of honing guides as every time I tried I inevitably dubbed the edge or rounded the primary bevel. However I recently had one of those moments we all occasionally have where you just get it and wonder what took you so long and why you couldn't get it before.
I always sharpened my tools with flat primary bevels using the original LV honing guide and angle gauge and 150 grit 3M Sandblaster glued to a granite surface plate. It worked extremely well but was kind of slow going. My honing was done on Norton waterstones 1000, 4000, 8000. I was very happy with the edges but it took a lot of time to re-grind the bevel when needed and all this microbevel stuff kept increasing the main bevel of my chisels and irons.
I have read and re-read Bob Smalser's excellent sharpening posts dozens of times as well as Joel's sharpening tutorial on the Tools for Working Wood site. Recently, I took the plunge and tried freehand honing again with some chisels, but this time I started from scratch and re-ground the bevels first using a grinder and not the flat granite, something I had not done in my previous freehand honing attempts.
This is when I had my "Ah-ha!" moment. The "secret" to honing freehand is to hone as little as possible (thanks Bob, it took reading your tutorial several times but it finally sunk in). The trick is not in honing but in establishing the primary bevel. The hollow grind left by the grinder is what really makes freehand honing, dare I say, easy!
Within 30 minutes of practice I could grind and hone all my chisles to razor sharpness, without dubbing the edge, and in less time than it took to set up the honing guide and grind a new bevel on just one chisel using sandpaper and granite/glass.
What I found is that the hollow grind is absolutely necessary for freehand honing. With the bevel hollow ground, it is actually difficult to rock the chisel and dub the edge. You really have to try and pick up the back of the chisel to round the edge over.
I made a simple adjustable tool rest that I could lay the chisel flat on to hold the bevel angle and kept the edge square by frequent checking with a small square. I used a normal speed grinder with the supplied 60 grit gray wheel, just being sure to dip the blade in water every few seconds to prevent burning. It went really fast, as in less than 5 minutes to grind the bevel (maybe 3 minutes).
After that, the chisel was extremely easy to register flat on the stone and took only 6-12 strokes on each stone (1000, 4000, 8000) to hone to a razors edge. I didn't use a microbevel as it didn't seem necessary and to me would have encouraged dubbing of the edge since I would have had to register the chisel in a manner that the bevel was not flat on the stone.
The other advantage I've seen is that I don't wait as long to touch up the edge. Since it's so easy and fast not setting up the honing guide, I find myself taking a few strokes on the 8000 stone at the first sign that the tool is not cutting as well. This means the tool stays sharper! No more long "sharpening sessions" where I spend my shop time just regrinding and re-honing my tools for another day. I keep them all sharp all the time!
I really encourage everyone to try hollow grinding and freehand honing, even if you've tried before and couldn't get it (like me). After seeing the light, I am now hollow grinding all my edge tools. It's really not that difficult to hone freehand, but the hollow grind is absolutely essential. You don't get a hollow grind with a belt sander or with coarse sandpaper on glass so freehand honing will be much more difficult. Flat bevels were what was holding me back. Believe me, if I can do this, anyone can!
Thanks Bob & Joel!