Review: Worksharp 3000 + Henry Taylor Paring Chisels

John

Very well done. Thanks for taking the time.

John, thanks for doing this. I have a 3000 coming soon and some tools lined up to sharpen. I have to double check, I don't think the leather hone comes with the basic package. I will have to order it.

Thanks John. I learned a few things. Looking forward to getting my 3000.

Ta John. I have a WS 3000, and am facing into working up a full set of new Japanese chisels - so thanks for that. One reason I went for the WS (I also have a Tormek) was because it produces the flat bevel best used on laminated steel edges.

One thought. I've heard a few complain in the UK of a clicking sound from their WS, while others say there's is smooth running. It sounds like you may have the click.

Do you have any idea what might be causing it?

ian

I believe there's a gear reduction unit in there. It probably has some backlash in it and you're hearing the gears slapping slightly. I think this because it goes away under load. I was actually going to call WS about it in the morning as it is a little annoying. Maybe they'll just replace the unit. It's not annoying enough to take it back, though. Please understand the the mic on my laptop was NOT picking up the sounds in the room faithfully. The clicking sound and the chisel slicing through wood sound are nowhere near that loud in person. Also in person, my voice sounds just like James Earl Jones. That's just to show had bad that mic is.

John,
Great video and review. Thanks for taking the time to put them together. I tip my UPS guy because of the sunburn he gets walking from his truck to my door!

Aloha,
Jonesy

Honolulu, Hawaii

Ok, you made me giggle a couple times. Also, now I'm REALLY looking forward to my WS3000 from HD...if they ever get here.

One question: When you did the leather and felt wheels, you did the bevel from the top. Can you not do it from underside? Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I'm worried about my ability to lay the bevel flat.

Thanks for the great review. I never knew about the felt polishing wheel.

Does it really add that much to the stropping wheel's finish?

I usually use the 3000 for any major blade reshaping. Then I use the water stones. I've never been really happy with the sharpness off the final polishing sheet.

Does it use the same green "stick?"

Thanks.

re: using from the underside

They can only be used from the top

re: does the buff add that much?

I did an experiment tonight. Yes, the buff uses the same compound, and yes the buff really makes a big difference IMHO.

I've yet to try just stropping by hand. I will try that over the weekend.

Good review, enjoyable to watch--thanks for taking the time! Nice shop too.

Thanks John, it'd be interesting to hear what the response on the click is. Mine hasn't run yet so time will tell on that. I thought maybe it could even be something minimal like the abrasive sheet touching something. There's not much point raising it with suppliers over here because they won't know anyway.

You probably know about it, but there's a fixture available that sets up a flat work surface flush with the disc too for doing plane and other wider blades from the top. It'd probably be possible to do chisels using it as well.

Well done on the video, they communicate so very well. I think I'd probably fall over and die if I was told I had to make one!

Ian

Very nice John, thanks for taking the time. I really like my 3000 also. I find the stropping wheel does a great job on plane irons and chisels. Again thanks as your video was fun to watch.

John, wonderfully done, and greatly appreciated, I picked up a few pointers, mainly on the leather hone and felt wheel.

Something I'll add, I started using my WS3K on chisels, and using just the standard abrasives worked OK for me on bench chisels. Then I started acquiring bench planes, and couldn't get the irons sharp enough. So, I ordered the micro-mesh abrasives by worksharp.... Man of MAN what a difference! The micro-mesh discs bring the bevel to a mirror finish, much like I'm sure the leather hone & felt wheel method do. I have the leather hone and felt wheel, and am going to try that method for final finish, the hone & felt will easily last longer than the micro mesh discs.

Thanks!

John, thanks for the great review. Let us know how stropping by hand compares to the WS 3000.

John,

You were so persuasive, I immediately ordered the leather wheel and polishing wheel from Amazon, even though I'm still waiting on my WS3000 from HD. So now I have the two wheels from Amazon and no WorkSharp 3000. Makes sense to me, but not my wife.

Thanks for the video - it was helpful.

If I had known getting people to do my bidding was this easy, I would have been making videos all through college. LOL.

I think you'll be very happy

Double check your amazon order, though. They were running a deal a couple of days back that included the leather hone. Maybe yours will come with one already.

Nicely done! Makes me wish that I had ordered a WS on the HD deal.

so that is how you pronounce your name.

Making didactic videos is fun. Somewhere along the line there is a point where we get comfortable and start talking like Bob Ross. "and, there you go...whoop...haha, happy little shavings."

Hope I'm not too late to the party, but I watched your terrificly informative video, ordered my WS3000 plus hones, received them, worked with them, and now I have a couple of questions. I tried installing the felt wheel according to the instructions and it wouldn't fit. A quick call to WS gave me the answer - the felt wheel is supposed to go onto a glass disc - not on the slotted wheel. They suggested I use a wheel with no abrasive sheet on it. I just reviewed your video, and am I right in thinking that you installed your felt wheel on top of your leather hone? Second, you hone with the leather, and then the felt? I had thought it would be the other way around. Third, the 120 grit doesn't seem to be making any headway on my plane iron, so I went to HD to find some 80 grit discs. Can I use the Norton Stick & Sand 'paper' discs for doing the plane iron or do I need their 'cloth' discs for working on metal? Thanks for your help. Maybe now I've found a system that will work for me.