Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst 1234
Results 46 to 60 of 60

Thread: Sharpening Questions and Waterstone Selection

  1. #46
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Texas Hill Country
    Posts
    705
    Thanks Steve and Vincent. I'll check out the info/vids you suggested. Fyi, being a newbie I figured I should try to use a honing guide to maintain the right angle when sharpening which was the reason for my question regarding trying to sharpen with a guide on a narrower stone. Not getting a clear pic in my head how that can happen unless I'm doing it freehand with the honing guide in my hand along with a plane iron. :-o

  2. Quote Originally Posted by Mark Roderick View Post
    1. A beginner should DEFINITELY start out using a honing jig. The Veritas jig is great, the Eclipse will work as well. Do NOT try to start out free-handing. You'll just get frustated. Later, free-handing will come naturally.
    My dad has never used a jig his entire life. When he taught me how to sharpen a chisel it was only natural for him to teach me free hand sharpening with zero frustration on my part. I found it easy to pick up. The use of caps doesn't make it a fact that applies to everyone.

  3. #48
    When we sharpen a plane iron we let the iron overlap the edge of the stone. Our sharpening strokes are forward and backward, but we gradually move from side to side on the stone so that the entire bevel is sharpened. It also ensures that the entire width of the stone is used for sharpening, evening out the wear on the stone. Having a wide stone and keeping the plane iron or chisel completely on the stone will cause the stone to hollow over time.

    Bob Cosman and David Charlesworth are in the business of teaching beginners; their techniques tend to reflect that.

    I was trained to sharpen freehand in 1962 and have never used a guide.

  4. #49
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Longview WA
    Posts
    27,347
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Jessica de Boer View Post
    My dad has never used a jig his entire life. When he taught me how to sharpen a chisel it was only natural for him to teach me free hand sharpening with zero frustration on my part. I found it easy to pick up. The use of caps doesn't make it a fact that applies to everyone.
    +1 on this. My sharpening has been mostly freehand. My first blade holder for sharpening was one made in shop as an experiment. For me it is easier to refresh a bevel freehand than it is to try to set up a honing jig.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  5. #50
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Calgary AB
    Posts
    179
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Manning View Post
    Thanks Steve and Vincent. I'll check out the info/vids you suggested. Fyi, being a newbie I figured I should try to use a honing guide to maintain the right angle when sharpening which was the reason for my question regarding trying to sharpen with a guide on a narrower stone. Not getting a clear pic in my head how that can happen unless I'm doing it freehand with the honing guide in my hand along with a plane iron. :-o
    Just have the blade off to one side and then the other each stroke, just a little if you need a non camber iron. The Spyderco stones are hard as can be so no odd wear tracks. If you use the eclipse there should be no lopsided wear on the roller either. Even with the MKII it should work. I've used it on my Spydercos before. Or like others here recommend; learn freehand, I got scared of freehand after trying one Guru's technique which did not go well but once I tried it I got it down pretty quick.

  6. #51
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Michiana
    Posts
    3,047
    I envy those with the confidence (and skill) to sharpen freehand. The only thing I'm comfortable doing freehand is refreshing an edge on a super fine stone or strop. I've had great success with a few strokes on a leather strop periodically. It really stretches out the intervals between visiting my sharpening station.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  7. #52
    Freehanders like me can be zealots - not because it’s superior to a jig - just because it is surprisingly easy to learn. Do it enough and you can actually feel and hear when you are just catching the edge. It is a pleasure.

  8. #53
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Shoreline, CT
    Posts
    2,923
    Like Patel says. When Maurice Fraser taught neophytes to sharpen if you start with a hollow ground bevel even folks who had NEVER even seen a chisel could come away with a shaving sharp edge and no jig used. The “secret” technique was to only apply force with a finger directly over the bevel. The rest of the hand just supports the weight.

  9. #54
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    2,151
    I do own jigs and use them at times to change a bevel angle. I free hand in the normal course of work. I can understand why people need a jig I think. When you have worked with angles a lot, woodworking, metal working, drafting etc. you have that angle built into your skills. It becomes easier to judge the angle very close.Now if you get into hairsplitting that's another thing. The 1 or 2 degree micro bevels you'll need your jig. If your a thirty degrees about and a little tip up for a micro bevel person you okay. I will hollow grind on occasion but if the edge is good I just keep touching up a flat bevel.
    No harm in jigs or hollow grind if that helps you. Just like magnetic saw guides and the like.
    Jim

  10. #55
    Most things, I prefer to freehand sharpen.

    Microchisels, and thinner small plane blades, I may use the Kell honing jig or a simple eclipse jig.
    I've found that it's hard to sharpen a 1 mm chisel when I'm tired.

  11. #56
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh, Australia
    Posts
    2,700
    On reflection and my long journey and many dollars spent I would not start with using a jig because things have changed and sharpening a flat blade is so much easier these days because of it. I would never criticise anyone for using a jig but using the hollow grind/mini bevel method I don't think it is necessary. When I was honing the whole bevel I had to use a jig but the hollow grind has made it redundant.

    Go to Derek Cohen's site and look at his hollow grind set up and method, a bench grinder with a suitable tool rest and a CBN wheel does the grunt work and the primary angle is set with that. Place the blade on the stone of choice lift slightly so the heel of the grind is clear of the stone, lock your arms and in effect start rocking back and forth with your whole body. Yes, you may stuff up the first attempts but don't get to carried away and throw the chisel at the wall because you are working such a small bevel any mistakes can be rectified very easily, five seconds on the grinder and you are back at go again. To repair a full rounded bevel caused by bad technique would take a lot longer than that.

    The aim here is to get it sharp, the slight lift and the angle that you sharpen at are not critical. You could put a magnetic digital angle indicator on it if you want to get some idea but I never have and my results chop wood nicely and cut fingers equally as well. Go to Derek's site and have a look at his set up, it works and that is all that matters and when you get the practice it is the fastest way to sharpen a blade from scratch.
    Last edited by Chris Parks; 01-15-2019 at 8:07 PM.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

  12. #57
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    New England area
    Posts
    588
    A hollow grind is a jig. You can hone on the grind, or just use it as a placeholder and do a little lift to hone at a slightly higher angle.

  13. #58
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh, Australia
    Posts
    2,700
    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Guest View Post
    A hollow grind is a jig. You can hone on the grind, or just use it as a placeholder and do a little lift to hone at a slightly higher angle.
    Not in my book, a jig is a physical attachment to the blade to ensure a set angle.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

  14. #59
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Parks View Post
    Not in my book, a jig is a physical attachment to the blade to ensure a set angle.
    I’ve Set cutting angles and hone them a long time. Honing is slightly overrated. I’m pretty confident I can grind almost any angle or radius.

    In a way, I guess I use jigs. I clamp them in a vice on a particular angle, sometimes using a sign bar, And just grind. I do do a lot of free hand touch up. I do not have one honing machine. My simple thought is sharpen and get back to work, generally using a pedestal grinder.

    I do run grinders that take years of experience. Surface, cylindrical and jig. But… In my opinion the quickest touch up A pedestal/bench grinder, with the right wheel for the job.

    If I ever need to hone something, I use Norton oil stones. I just don’t like water. Sometimes I use water soluble oil mixture. But… I do like my mineral spirits and oil for cleaning everything steel related.
    Last edited by Matt Mattingley; 01-16-2019 at 12:11 AM.

  15. #60
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    New England area
    Posts
    588
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Parks View Post
    Not in my book, a jig is a physical attachment to the blade to ensure a set angle.
    Suit yourself.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •