Sharpening: is it just me?

[Marc Hills]

Confession time: I actually enjoy sharpening. I can't really explain it, but there is something quietly contemplative and satisfying about sharpening a plane iron or a chisel (well, not a 1/4" chisel, or the iron on my Stanley Handyman, that's just plane frustrating).

Yes, it's annoying to interrupt a project to restore an edge, but other than that, I find the honing process oddly enjoyable. Is this some sort of bizarre side trail on the slippery slope?

FYI: I hand sharpen, don't use jigs and in addition to an AlOx coarse/dry stone, I use two whet stones of unknown composition bought at antique stores. I finish up with stropping by leather and polishing compound and then do the old "shave the hairs on your forearm" test. Incidentally, parts of my forearm are startomg to give my wife's freshly shaven legs a run for their money.

I'm still relatively new at this. Will I outgrow this phase, or is therapy in order?

[Harold Blair]

Marc: Like most folks who do a lot of woodwork with hand tools, I have tried just about all forms of sharpening (grinder, scary sharp, diamond, Arkansas stones, Japanese water stones, Tormek water grinder, etc.). About a year ago I purchased two Norton water stones (1000 and 8000). With the exception of setting the initial edge with the Tormek, I use the Norton stones exclusively. They cut extremely fast and of course the result is very, very sharp. I still do not particularly like to sharpen but the Norton stones make it much easier. Harold

[Martin Shupe]

At the Marc Adams school this past summer, they let us sharpen on Shapton waterstones. WOW! I liked them a lot; so much, in fact, that I should have a set in my mailbox any day now.

Kelly Mehler does his chisels by hand, but I cheated and used the Veritas jig from Lee Valley.

I found it very satisfying to hone my chisels to a razor sharp edge, and even more satisfying to use them in that condition on my wood.

[Paul Barnard]

Confession time: I actually enjoy sharpening.... Will I outgrow this phase, or is therapy in order?

I'm a sharpening junkie too. Been doing it for 20 years and it's still one of my favourite things. There is just something about sharp edges, I sometimes wonder if I should try therapy. I have tried most but stick to waterstones now. I'm converting to Shaptons as stones wear out.

[Todd Burch]

Mark, nice to hear that your wife shaves her legs... ;)

I do not like to sharpen, but like every woodworker, I LOVE the feel and sound of sharp knives. Just something about that slicing sound that is so relaxing. No tensing up prior to shoving a dull chisel across endgrain...

You're not normal - but I envy you! Todd.

[Marc Hills]

So the consensus regarding sharpening is: few of us like the journey, but we all love the destination. Paul is my only ally in this mad obsession, and but judging from his sharpening for "20 years" comment, there is no known cure.

Oh, and note to self: stay AWAY from Shapton waterstones lest they lock me up in the loony bin.

For those who abhor sharpening, I can offer a bit of inside intelligence on some new handtools. Sort of grist for the Saw Mill Creek Rumor Mill? I had the pleasure of taking a hand tools class this summer from Maine's own Chris Becksvoort, a professional woodworker who has been use-testing prototypes of Lie-Neilson's long-promised bench chisels.

I can confirm that these do actually exist, and will feature Maine hornbeam handles and some sort of super-duper (A2?) tool steel that is cryogenically treated. Chris B. reports that with these chisels, he has gone from sharpening daily (or more) during periods of heavy usage, to once every couple of weeks. Let me say that again: In professional, commerical usage, the edges of LN chisels require attention every couple of weeks.

And to give you an idea of how picky this guy is about his chisels: Chris Becksvoort is a huge fan of Japanese chisels. If any of you get the Japan Woodworker catalog, you know that $1300 set they sell? The set called something like "Master Class Dovetail chisels"? That is actually a one of a kind set that Chris B. commissioned, then REJECTED because the side bevels do not actually go all the way to the back of the chisel, as he had specified.

Not that side bevels on dovetail chisels really has anything to do edge retention, it just tended to give what Mr. Becksvoort said about the LN chisels additional credibility.

[Tom Scott]

Marc,
I'll back you up some. Put me in the category of actually enjoying the sharpening process. I will admit that there are times when I don't have time to do any real woodworking, so I will go out to the shop to sharpen and tune planes. It's relaxing to me. If it's a sickness, then add it to my list of them.

Tom

[Marc Hills]

there are times when I don't have time to do any real woodworking, so I will go out to the shop to sharpen and tune planes. It's relaxing to me.

That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. THANK YOU Tom.

[Alan Turner]

Mark and Tom,
I'll weigh in on your side a bit. While I don't like to interrupt an ongoing something to hone or grind, there are times, esp. when I am considering a design issue, where a bit of honing will get my thinking straightened around. A Zen thing? I am a Tormek and Shapton fellow, and these two toys make sharpening not so much of a struggle. I use the eclipse jig, when I can. Please don't tell my counselor as I told him that I have just about given it up. Alan

[Eric Sanford]

Marc,
I'll back you up some. Put me in the category of actually enjoying the sharpening process. I will admit that there are times when I don't have time to do any real woodworking, so I will go out to the shop to sharpen and tune planes. It's relaxing to me. If it's a sickness, then add it to my list of them.

Tom

I have no idea what you're talking about...nope...none.....

that's my story and I'm sticking to it :D :D

Eric

[Martin Shupe]

Sort of grist for the Saw Mill Creek Rumor Mill? I had the pleasure of taking a hand tools class this summer from Maine's own Chris Becksvoort, a professional woodworker who has been use-testing prototypes of Lie-Neilson's long-promised bench chisels.

Not that side bevels on dovetail chisels really has anything to do edge retention, it just tended to give what Mr. Becksvoort said about the LN chisels additional credibility.

OK, you are hereby penalized for a hidden gloat.

I watch CH Becksvoort's website all the time...how did you find out and sign up for a class with him???

I know he is teaching at Marc Adams in June, but I have my annual checkride that month and can't commit to anything this far in advance.

I would like to take a class with Mr. Becksvoort.

I would also like a set of L-N chisels.

I would also like a special L-N chisel for cleaning out half-blind dovetails, like the one Rob Cosman uses in his videos.

I guess I will have to be patient!

[Marc Hills]

[QUOTE=Martin Shupe]OK, you are hereby penalized for a hidden gloat.

I watch CH Becksvoort's website all the time...how did you find out and sign up for a class with him???
QUOTE]

Hi Martin:
You posted a while back about attending a class at the Marc Adams school this past summer/spring didn't you? Trust me, after that you would have been disappointed in the particular hand tools class that I attended. It was more of a survey class with absolutely no hands-on component (other than handling a Lie-Leilson smoother, which trust me, is as close as I'll ever get to owning one). Chris did a superb job of discussing all of the tools of the neander trade, but if he's teaching at the Marc Adams school, then it will certainly focus more on technique and student practice.

FYI, the class was through the Sabbaday Lake Shaker Village up here in the Pine Tree State. I confess that I didn't know who he was prior to this past spring. Dave Anderson mentioned him in a post so I did a search. One of the hits was his schedule at the Shaker Village.

If there was a gloat in my previous post, it wasn't the class itself so much as knowing that intel on the LN chisels. I had scarcely picked my jaw off the floor (after Chris B's aside about rejecting the master class dovetail chisels) when it clattered to the ground again in response to his "I need to sharpen these maybe once every two weeks" comment.