Bought 1st plane - What to buy to sharpen?

[Lyndon Graham]

I recently bouight my 1st plane ever (and I have never used a plane). I purchased a Lie-Nielson Low angle block plane from Woodcrafters.

The guy also sold me a Veritas MK II Honing guide as well as a Norton 1000/4000 combibation water stone.

I still have the receipts and nothing has been opened, so this stuff can go back if need be.

My question is what do I need to get to sharpen the blades? You should know that I am the WORST knife sharpener in the world :(. It is just a tament I do not seem to have. So if there is some gizmo or black box that will remove all possibilities of human error and bad judgement when it comes to sharpening these things, I will consider making another purchase. Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Excellent plane.

I use the water stones to keep my plane irons sharp. The 1000/4000 you have is a start, but you need a finer stone to finish as well as well as polish. Mine is an 8000. You also need something to keep your stones flat...I use a special stone for that purpose.

Outside of that you do not need any fancy gizmos. You just need patience and time.

[Mark Roderick]

You're off to an excellent start. That's a great first plane - it was mine also.

You just need a couple of more things:

Buy a piece of glass at a locall glass store, about a foot long by four inches wide (not exact).

Buy some sandpaper, at about 320 grit and 600 grit.

Buy some spray adhesive.

Buy an 8,000 grit water stone.

Now:

1. Using the spray adhesive, stick a piece of 320 grit sandpaper on one side of the glass and a piece of 600 grit sandpaper on the other side.

2. "Lap" the BACK of the plane blade on the 320 grit sandpaper until you get an even scratch pattern. You only need to lap the first inch or so of the blade behind the bevel, not the whole back.

3. Now continue up the grits - the 600 grit sandpaper, the 1,000 grit waterstone, the 4,000 grit waterstone, and the 8,000 grit waterstone. You shouldn't have to spend much time on each, just enough to erase the scratches from the previous grit. When you're done, the inch or so you've lapped should be nice and shiny. From now on, you will never touch the back of the blade with anything but the 8,000 grit waterstone.

4. Now use the honing guide to do the same thing on the bevel. This will go really fast.

That's it! You'll be a sharpening expert and have a fantastic tool. Both the tool and the skills will last the rest of your life.

[Mark Roderick]

One more thing.

You have to keep the waterstones flat. To do this, buy another piece of glass and some 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Lay the sandpaper on the glass, lubricate liberally with water, and rub the waterstone on the sandpaper. You should flatten the waterstones each time you use them - it just takes a few minutes.

[John Dykes]

Good plane - and I think you're off to a good start. Not only that, you're focusing on the right thing - Sharpening. Take out the blade, and put the plane away in a drawer for a day or two. Learn to sharpen, learn to sharpen, learn to sharpen... I say this because my first plane was a LN #4 - but I owned no sharpening gear... My first hand plane experience was a dismal failure - that lasted, literally, for years.

Learn to sharpen.

Secondly, my first sharpening was using sandpaper and the "scary sharp" method. For me, it was barely... ok. Smarter folks than I are very, very good at it. Thankfully, I finally stumbled David Charlesworth's method - and have never looked back.

To set you up for this:
Take back the MK2 - and get Eclipse Honing jig (http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=03A21&FamilyID=3114).
Take back the 1000/4000 - and get the Norton 1000\8000 (http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=830575&FamilyID=4486).
Most importantly buy the David Charlesworth Sharpening Video (http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=828157&FamilyID=5974)!

As one has said, you need a way to keep the stones flat. I have a granite plate I bought from Woodcraft. Others have tile, float glass, tablesaw surface.... Cheapest way is to use some sandpaper on a flat surface. Over time you can upgrade.

The good thing is, it comes out financially to be a wash. Some may poo-poo David Charlesworth as he is very slow, methodical, and focuses on the finest detail of each concept while teaching someone to sharpen. "Good!!," says I! I'm such a rock, having him patiently go through step by step, and the reasons for each step, was a wonderful boon! Yes, you can trim your time as you get better... He says he can sharpen a blade (including clean up) in about 4 minutes.

Watch the whole thing through, a time or two. Then set it up next to the sink. Watch a step, do a step. Watch a step, do a step. Watch a step, do a step. Next time you need to sharpen - setup the DVD player and do it again. After a while it sinks in. And truth be told, after a year or two - I can get a right fine edge on a blade.

Watching someone DO it and EXPLAIN it is more valuable than I can express. For the first time sharpener, I earnestly implore you to trust me on this.

YMWNV - "Your mileage will not vary..."

Post with questions \ concerns.

[Jeff Craven]

So if there is some gizmo or black box that will remove all possibilities of human error and bad judgement when it comes to sharpening these things, I will consider making another purchase.
A gizmo that removes all possibilities of human error! :p

Maybe you should find a class that teaches how to sharpen, or at least get a book about it, like 'Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Sharpening.' I found that book at my local library when I was first getting started with chisels and planes. But ideally having someone demonstrate it for you will be more beneficial then buying more gadgets.

[Lyndon Graham]

A gizmo that removes all possibilities of human error! :p

Maybe you should find a class that teaches how to sharpen, or at least get a book about it, like 'Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Sharpening.' I found that book at my local library when I was first getting started with chisels and planes. But ideally having someone demonstrate it for you will be more beneficial then buying more gadgets.

Woodcrafters is offfering a class in Jan. They want $50 and it is a demo only (meaning I touch nothing). Ouch!

[Danny Thompson]

Great choice for a 1st plane! Learn to sharpen it and you will love it!

Just to round out the opinions:

1) Keep the MK. II honing guide. It is a GREAT honing guide, will help you keep a consistent bevel angle, and includes a guide to help you set the tool for the right angle (The Charlesworth's plan I have seen has you eyeball it against a hand-made notecard guide).
2) Take back the waterstone (I started with waterstones and have switched to Scary Sharp. The waterstones cup easily, make a huge mess, require 20 minutes or so of prep, and I would contend any newbie will have trouble knowing whether the stone is flat enough or not).
3) Instead, buy either a) two 12" granite tiles (roughly $5 ea) to provide a flat surface or b) a granite tile and a granite surface plate (Woodcraft carries these), or c) a granite offcut from a granite dealer.
4) Then buy a set of self-adhesive microabrasive sheets (15, 5, and .3 micron) from ToosforWorkingWood: (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=ST-MAF.XX&Category_Code=THS)
5) Unless you have superb vision, buy a 10x or greater loop, magnifying glass, or microscope to examine your work.
6) Optional: Buy some 150 grit wet-dry sandpaper from any hardware or automotive supply store for general flattening (although any new Lie-Nielsen blade should be plenty flat).

Technique:
1) Carefully smooth the 15 micron sheet to one of the granite tiles.
2) Cut the 5 and .3 micron sheets length-wise and smooth them, side-by-side onto the other.
3) Shine the last 1/2" or so of the back of the blade rubbing it flat against first the 15 micron sheet, then the 5 and .3. The point is to use the 15 to remove any scratches from the milling process, then the 5 to remove the scratches from the 15, and the .3 from the 5. The result should be a near-mirror finish.
4) Follow the MK.II instructions to register your blade in the tool for a 25º angle, remove the angle guage.
5) New LN blades are typically in very good shape from the get-go. I recommend you go straight to the microbevel/secondary bevel. So, turn the microbevel dial to 6-o'clock (2º microbevel).
6) Squirt some water on the 15 micron sheet, set the bevel side down against the paper and roll forward and back, slight pressure against the tip of the blade. Every few strokes examine the edge under magnification. Very quickly (5-10 strokes) you should see a small shiny microbevel appear on the tip of the blade. If it is tapered (thin on one end, wide on another) then your blade is not square in the jig. Use the angle guide to re-register the blade and try again. If the bevel remains skewed, then you will need to square up the primary bevel by following this step with the micro-bevel dial at 12 o'clock (0º). If, however, the microbevel looks smooth and consistent, you are ready to move forward. Try to remember what the scratches on the microbevel look like.
7) Take 4-5 more PULL strokes with heavy pressure on one corner of the blade, then 4-5 more with heavy pressure on the other corner. (Push strokes here will tear the sheets). This will take the sharp corner off of the blade and, therefore, reduce plane-tracks in your work.
8) Repeat steps 6 & 7 on the 5 micron sheet. This time work until the 15 micron scratches have all been replace by 5 micron scratches.
9) Repeat steps 6 & 7 with the .3 micron sheet working until the 5 micron scratches have been replaced by .3 micron scratches.
10) Remove the blade from the honing guide.
11) Repeat 2-3 strokes of step 3 to remove any burr/wire edge that may have formed on the back of your blade.

You are set and Scary Sharp.

[Matt Z Wilson]

Lyndon, you have no idea what you just started! ha ha ha

[dan grant]

if you are like me and going into this as a complete novice buy the worksharp 3000, it will give you scary sharp within a day or you could be like me and buy all the stones jigs guides waterpond etc that sit on the shelf because now i use the WS 3000 of course you will miss out on all the fun of learning how to sharpen with stone glass leather etc. and the mess that goes with it, not saying it is the answer to everything but it sure helps a novice to know what sharp is my 2 cents dan

[Lyndon Graham]

It is a lot of $$, but what do ya'll think of this?

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48435&cat=1,43072

[Jeff Craven]

I think that the sharpening demo might show you that you don't need the fanciest sharpening system to get a good sharp tool.

[Lyndon Graham]

Technique:
1) Carefully smooth the 15 micron sheet to one of the granite tiles.
2) Cut the 5 and .3 micron sheets length-wise and smooth them, side-by-side onto the other....
You are set and Scary Sharp.


I am a metallurgist by degree. This brings back a Lot of memories (1000's of hours polishing samples from 15 to 0.3 um for microscopy).

Thanks

[Lyndon Graham]

I think that the sharpening demo might show you that you don't need the fanciest sharpening system to get a good sharp tool.


Good point.

[Jim Koepke]

It would be easy to say all the above is spot on.
It would also be easy to say all the above is off a bit.

The first thing one may need to do before taking on the sharpening of their tools is to give up the, "I can't sharpen anything anyway" idea and trade it in for, "I can learn to sharpen any tool in my shop."

"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right" -Henry Ford

Then also understand that what you think is sharp today, you will likely consider dull in a few months to a year depending on how much you have honed your skills.

I gave up on oil stones because they "never seemed to work for me." Lately, the skills learned over the past few years have made the oil stones magically start working.

Oil stones
Water stones
Scary sharp
Diamond plates
Power sharpening systems

All of these are valid systems and all have their good points and all have a few technicalities that can lead to problems.

Oil and water stones can be messy. Water stones wear fast. This can cause difficulty for someone trying to learn the art of sharpening.

Scary sharp can cause problems if the wasted metal is not constantly cleaned off or if the paper bubbles in front of the blade.

Diamond plates can cost a lot and may not get as fine as other systems.

Power sharpening systems can over heat a blade and ruin it. Another disadvantage is the cost. Mine is a very nice system, but it can ruin a blade if one is not careful. The finest grit paper available from the maker is about 9 micron. So even though the blade is sharp enough to shave hair, it can be made sharper by following the power sharpening with a few strokes on my 4000 and 8000 water stones.

One thing you may want to try is searching the internet for everything you can find about sharpening. Sometimes, there are articles that seem to be the same as others, but there may be one little item that was not seen before to help all the other stuff fall into place.

One place is right here at Sawmill Creek. I am not sure if non-contributors can search past articles, but you can try. I know this subject has come up a lot. Search terms one at a time and try all you can think of like novaculite or oil stones. A quick search on novaculite came up with 61 hits here.

Even if your sharpening set up is a pack it up when done set up, have a good light source. You want to be able to check the edge as you work. If you can see a thin line of light along the edge, it is not sharp yet.
When starting to learn, check the edge and around it often. This will help to understand what is taking place.

Finally, if you find this pool of information worth while, you may want to become a contributor or at least let us know what city you are in. There may be a fellow Creeker in the area who is willing to help you learn the skills of sharpening and even other things.

I have found great information and help here. Some of the members here have done a lot over the internet and through the mail to make this a wonderful support group for my learning and woodworking experience.

I live in a remote area, but someday I will emerge from my hermitage and go to a wood show and hopefully meet a few fellow Creekers.

Good luck,

jim

[Casey Gooding]

Lots of information, isn't it??
You're basically set up. I would add an 8000 waterstone to your set. Personally, I like King brand. I find the Norton stones to be very "sticky".
As far as the power sharpeners are concerned, I think they're great if you're doing coarse work like grinding. I've had pretty good results with honing on the Worksharp, but only fair results polishing backs of irons and chisels. It's a machine, and machines are imperfect.
I personally found I prefer to flatten and polish the backs of my chisels and irons on sandpaper (with final polishing on an 8000 waterstone) then hone and polish the bevel on waterstones.
You've had a lot of good advice. You'll figure it out in due time.
Good luck!!

[Dave Verstraete]

Lyndon
Like you, I recently bought my first plane. I found an article on FWW site about sharpening with sandpaper (Scary Sharp method) It taught me enough to sharpen my first blade. It is a great starting point.

[Johnny Kleso]

The salesman did you right.....

Down the road it would help to have a WC Low speed grinder but not right away..

You may want a granite floor tile and some coarse grit sand paper to rough your primary bevel back after a year of sharpening the secondary bevel (cutting edge angle)..

[Walt Beattie]

Hi Lyndon,
As a kid, my Dad tried to teach me with oil stones. Since then, I have gotten some mechanical gizmos with stones, etc. to get a "better" edge. I find now that I use the mechanical tools if a blade or knife is in really, really bad shape just to grind it to where it needs to be to take the big stuff off. I also have a two wheel set of large cardboard like disks - one with grit, the other rouge. it is fast. I use these for starting, and usually get an acceptable edge. If I want a really nice edge, then I pull out my grandfathers old oil stones, and finish with a piece of leather. They are hard as kryptonite, smooth as glass, and 100 years old. They will probably be around for another 100 years, and I find a hand job does great. It's also a lot cheaper than all the mechanical gizmos I bought.
Enjoy,
Walt

[James G. Jones]

Much great advice here for you. I would just like to say this: lift your feet, say "whee" and enjoy the slide.:D

James

[Jim Koepke]

It is a lot of $$, but what do ya'll think of this?

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48435&cat=1,43072

This is the system I use. My reason for buying it was it was ranked best in a FWW test of sharpening systems. Yes, it is pricey, but for me it is worth every penny. There are a lot of blades in my shop, and there is likely to be a lot more before getting to the bottom of the slope.

If you buy this system, I would recommend getting extra abrasive disks and about 5 tool holders. It has been my experience that the heat on one blade takes about 4 more being worked to cool. I do not have a spare belt, but next time an order is put in with L-V, one will be ordered just in case.

Even when a blade is still cutting in a plane, it may be dull. If it goes too long, there is a lot of work by hand to get a keen edge. So, a few swipes with the power and then a few strokes on the stones will bring it into shape.

If you buy planes off of Upay, then this will come in handy. Same if you buy extra blades. They can come in handy at times when you want to keep working and not have to stop to take time to go to sharpening. My shop is getting set up now to have a permanent spot for sharpening. Not sure if it will stay as is, but it is a lot easier if it can stay out and not get put away all the time. Just have to make sure the stones are dry in case of a freeze. You do not want your water stones to freeze.

jim

[Brian Sullivan]

I use basically the same as what you have. As others have said you'll need to find a way to flatten your coarse stone, sandpaper on glass is fine, so is diamond stone but more $$. Flatten your 4000 stone on your coarse stone. 4000 grit is okay, but 8000 is much nicer. I like the DVD "Sharpening Woodworking Tools" from Lee Valley.

[David Keller NC]

Lyndon - Some advice designed to minimize spending any more than you already have. What you've already bought will work just fine. And as you get better at this (sharpening) and amass more hand tools, I promise you will run into several blades/edges that a pricey power sharpening system will not handle. That doesn't mean it's not useful to have a power system, especially for re-grinding an edge that's chipped (though you can easily do this on a 220 grit stone or sandpaper manually), but it is definitely not necessary, particularly at first.

What you have now:
A good combo 1000/4000 waterstone, and a superb jig to help you hold a consistent angle while running it across the stone (this, by the way, is the most critical thing to learn to do by hand/eye - otherwise you round the bevel, which is not good).

What you need to work with what you have now:

1) You must have a way to flatten your honing stones - this applies whether they're waterstones or oilstones, it's just that the oilstones need it a lot less frequently than the waterstones. My choice was a very inexpensive granite surface plate from Woodcraft and some 220 grit silicon carbide wet/dry sandpaper, but you can also use a piece of "float glass" (Lee valley sells these), or a piece of polished granite countertop.

2) You need a way to polish the honed bevel you'll make with the 4000 grit side of your stone. There's lots of ways to accomplish this, including an 8000 grit waterstone. However, you can do a superb job of getting that honed edge to way beyond razor sharp with a leather strop and some honing compound. Not only is this method extremely cheap, it's also the fastest way to return an edge to very, very sharp - there's good reason that this is the method most used by carvers, who've many, many blades and must use the fastest way available to get the edges back in shape.

To make a strop, get a piece of thick, oil-tanned leather about 2" wide by about 15" long (you can get scraps at the local Tandy leather store, Tools for Working Wood sells pre-made strops, you can usethe back of an old, wide belt from the goodwill store, and there's probably more ways to get a good piece of leather that I haven't thought of or listed.

Glue this piece of leather down to a scrap piece of flat hardwood. You can also use MDF, but I'm old-school and don't like the look of the stuff (to each his own...). Get a block of honing compound - Woodcraft will have it, as well as all of the stores I've previously mentioned in this thread. Don't spend much money on this - it should cost less than $10, and will last forever.

"Butter in" some of the honing compound into the leather, and polish the bevel on your plane blade that you've just honed on the 4000 grit side of your stone by pulling it back toward you while holding a consistent bevel angle - it's a good way to teach you to hold a consistent angle, and it's not as critical for results on the soft leather as it is on the honing stone. About 5 strokes should do it - you should be able to cut a piece of printer paper with just the weight of the blade after this, with no tearing.

Finally - you will have to round the corners of your plane blade slightly, or "camber" the bevel of the blade (that is, sharpen it into a slight curve). If you want to do the simplest thing, take a smooth file (a lady's nail file will work for this - just don't tell your wife you used it!) and lightly round over the extreme outside corners of the blade - doing so will prevent making "tracks" when you attempt to plane a board's face smooth.

[Greg Hines, MD]

Chris Schwartz comments often that it really does not matter what method you use to sharpen your tools, but to get good at whatever method you choose.

I use water stones too, and think that the mess is acceptable. You do need to have some way to keep your stones flat, but if you are diligent about it, it does not take much to maintain them. I use a flattening stone for mine, but a diamond stone, sandpaper on glass, etc, will work fine.

You should get a standard honing guide, in addition to your Mk. II. It will handle blades that the Mk. II cannot. Stubby blade chisels, or tapered blade chisels, are hard to keep in a Mk. II, since it grips the blade top-to-bottom. A side-to-side gripping guide will hold these better.

The suggestion above about making a strop for honing is a good one. I usually strop my chisels and plane irons after using an 8000 grit stone, so you might want to get one of those, though your 4000 grit stone will give a good edge, and after you are comfortable with it, then you may want to invest in another stone. One thing to consider, the higher grit stones will wear a bit faster, so you might want to get an 8000/4000 combo stone, but most people say that with normal use, you would be hard pressed to wear one out.

Doc

[Roger Bell]

I think you have just what you need for the moment. A guide and a stone. Add nothing.

If there is one aspect of WW that has been over-discussed, anal-ized and marketed to death, it is sharpening. Your edges need to be sharp enough to do the job and no more. It's that simple. It really is. The best craftsmen who have ever lived managed without most of it...........somehow. Imagine that.

Beyond sharp-enough, it's simply a case of diminishing returns and marketing. A lot of work and a lot of money for small increments of improvement which may or may not be necessary to achieve the task at hand. Most work simply doesn't require the kind of fastidiousness that some would lead to you believe is absolutely critical. And you can spend thousands chasing the pied pipers of promise. Now if you are well-to-do, then have at it and buy it all off the internet right now today and discard what you don't like after trying it all. There is nothing wrong with that....seriously. If not, then do not succumb to any of this until you are familiar with and gained competence with what you have. You may well be surprised with what you can do merely with a guide and a two grit stone.

There are not no magic bullets, (other than superb skill...you can't buy your way to skill, but only work you way towards it)......... but you can add higher degrees of refinement to your edge and motorized speed to the process when and if you think your work or your time constraints demand it. Let your work and your available time and your materials and your budget dictate where you need to go, not the catalogs, not the internet and not the pied pipers.

[Chuck Tringo]

My plane and chisel blades come out more than sharp enough on my worksharp 3000. I don't have a ton of time in the shop so I try to find the most time and cost effective ways of doing non project stuff...I dont love making jigs nor do I love sharpening and maintenance. Being said, my WS 3K can make my plane blades sharp enough to shave arm hair with the included 3600 grit honing paper. I do plan on getting the leather hone, but that will likely wait until I recover from the holidays, 3 kids can cut into a hobby budget real quick :D

[Eric Brown]

Personally I enjoy the peace and quiet of planing by hand. Sawing by hand. Etc.
I considered a powered sharpener, but then I realized that regardless of brand, they all make noise and create more of a airborn mess. Sandpaper also can create dust but it typically stays closer to the bench.
Oil and water stones have a liquid mess.
Diamond stones can be used dry, but usually do not get fine enough for the final honing.
The new ceramic stones though look interesting as they can be used dry. (Check out L-N)

Finally, consider long term costs. Supplies can add up quickly for the powered systems. I would rather buy another tool instead.

Perhaps there is a reason the KISS technique is the one that always survives, because it works.

[Steve Harker]

Folks:

First off, this is my fist day on here, and I'm browsing topics... So Hello and God bless!

As to this line of discussion, I must respectfully agree with Dan. I enjoy woodworking, NOT hours that take me away from woodworking like sharpening metal. Is it exciting to hone a blade to unheardof sharpness, or is it the thrill of using that blade and feeling it slice through endgrain like nothing? The WorkSharp is on eBay for as low as $179 and considering all the stuff manual sharpeners must buy, it's very reasonable - arguably cheaper. Also, I can have a chisel or handplane blade cutting sharp from a dull butter knife in 8 minutes. Give me another 10 minutes, and you can see the plaque in your teeth in the reflection! Personally, I'd take back the $$$ stones and order a WorkSharp. Fianally, with an already sharp blade that's showing signs of wear, 15 seconds on the WorkSharp, and I'm shaving hair off my arms (and skin if I'm not careful) again... Just one man's opinion!



if you are like me and going into this as a complete novice buy the worksharp 3000, it will give you scary sharp within a day or you could be like me and buy all the stones jigs guides waterpond etc that sit on the shelf because now i use the WS 3000 of course you will miss out on all the fun of learning how to sharpen with stone glass leather etc. and the mess that goes with it, not saying it is the answer to everything but it sure helps a novice to know what sharp is my 2 cents dan

[Ken Garlock]

Hello Lyndon.

First off, Lie-Nielsen planes are ready to use right out of the box. I read that on the LN website several weeks ago, but I can't find it today.:o

The list of supplies you purchased will do you well when sharpening. However, do go to the Lie Nielsen website and order the DVD Hand Planing and Sharpening by Rob Cosman. Rob will walk you through the process of sharpening a blade. While you are there, look at the rest of the Cosman DVDs, and also those by David Charlesworth. David also has a sharpening DVD....

Enjoy your new toy.:)

[Alan DuBoff]

I have a LapSharp system, but only use it when I first get a blade conditioned. After that I use water stones to sharpen with a cheap jig. LN sells them for $14, and if you look around you can find them for $10, try Garrett Wade. I also use an Arkansas stone with oil quite often.

(linky pic to the LN site)

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/images/jig_sm.jpg (http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1310)

[whit richardson]

Taste great... Less filling.... Vote for Change... Vote for more Change... Vote and I'll change... Chocolate vs. Vanilla ... Rap or Hip Hop.... Starve a cold ... feed a fever or feed a fever...starve a rat? Jane you have it wrong again! Dick you are so %%$%$!!! Scary sharp... sharpening machine.. water stones... oil stones... the Temple of Zues or Dr. Suess?

I did notice that Shapton stones don't need all the bathing that waterstones do but work just as well or better. And remember all of you, you band of Brothers that sharpen with me on this St. Crispin's Day will forever be remembered in years to come....

[mike johnston]

I was all set to make the 120 mile trip to the Woodsmith store, gift cards in hand. Was gonna buy a couple planes, and sharpening goodies to go with. Screw it now, I'm buying clamps, blades, and sandpaper.

Mike

[Larry Edgerton]

Flatten your 4000 stone on your coarse stone. .


This is incorrect! DO NOT contaminate your japanese water stone with grit from a coarse stone. Do not even use the same water. It is imperitive to keep the stones seperate as grit from one will embed in the other.

I use a diamond plate to flatten my waterstones. The diamond plate holds on to its grit and has worked for 15 years and counting. There is a stone made for this purpose but I had the diamond and it was useles for sharpening steel anyway.

[Daniel Berlin]

My plane and chisel blades come out more than sharp enough on my worksharp 3000. I don't have a ton of time in the shop so I try to find the most time and cost effective ways of doing non project stuff...I dont love making jigs nor do I love sharpening and maintenance. Being said, my WS 3K can make my plane blades sharp enough to shave arm hair with the included 3600 grit honing paper. I do plan on getting the leather hone, but that will likely wait until I recover from the holidays, 3 kids can cut into a hobby budget real quick :D

If you were really so bored that you want to hone the heck out of your blades, you can get up to 100,000 (.25 micron) mesh 6" diamond discs that will work in the worksharp.

They'll outlive your children, are 30 bucks a disc, and will get it sharper than chromium oxide powder (the green stuff they give you with a leather honing disc).
If you want to match the grit of the chromium oxide, get a 50,000 grit (.5 micron) disc.

You can get them from arrowhead lapidary supply, in the "Diamond & Silicon Carbide Discs & Belts" section.
Look for 6" psa diamond discs.

The only downside is that you have to wet them, so make sure to move the non-micromesh discs away (the 3600/6000 micromesh stuff is waterproof, the other grits are not).

Of course, at .5 or .25 microns, you are probably well under the arbor runout on the worksharp, so i'm not sure how much it matters :).

[dan grant]

this sharpening thing is rediculous i have no hair on my left forearm and have resorted to the inside calf on my left leg man does that look funny in the shower:)

[Jim Koepke]

this sharpening thing is rediculous i have no hair on my left forearm and have resorted to the inside calf on my left leg man does that look funny in the shower:)

You need to do like me, learn to use your tools right & left handed. Then you can shave hair off the right arm to match the left.

After that, only shave in the shop on sharpening day.

jim