Make sure your stones are flat?
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Make sure your stones are flat?
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Built Correctly & Within Budget / Within Budget & Done Quickly / Done Quickly & Built Correctly
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I would agree with what Rob Luter mentioned above-it is likely the error in the micro-bevel adjustment on the jig which Lee Valley mentions in the linked document. If you want to test this, try re-establishing the 25 degree primary bevel, leave the micro-adjust knob in the 12 o'clock position, and set a micro-bevel angle by pulling the blade back in to say 30 degrees.
Contributor
This would be a good way to isolate the issue. If you get an even microbevel this way, it tells you the cam is probably at fault.Originally Posted by J. Greg Jones
I also echo the advice given to check your stones with a straightedge for flatness.
Member
Just one problem, with a top clamping jig it is very difficult to get repeat alinements true. Once you reset the iron you wouldn't know the cause of any changes. If the difference in alinement bugs you the best answer is to change jigs or learn to freehand. It could be the jig is defective, if so changing jigs would show that. It could be technique, if it is technique the problem will follow after changing jigs.
As has been mentioned a side clamping jig (Eclipse or clone) are so cheap it's a no brainer to try one. BTW, all jigs have limitations and any one jig has types of chisels and/or cutters it will not work with. Bottom line, at some time you will need to learn to sharpen at least some of your tools freehand or limit the type of tools used.
ken
Contributor
I would be on this being the problem... If you are using waterstones, give them a good flattening before sharpening.
Member
The Veritas jig has an attachment to set the projection that has a side fence to keep things square when tightening the jig, so this shouldn't be a problem unless the sides of the chisel are not parallel. However, to eliminate as much error as possible, I was thinking that a better way to test would be to hone to 25*, micro-bevel to 30*, and if the micro-bevel is still skewed, paint the area with a Sharpie and switch it back to 25* start to test. If the grind shows that it is leveling out again, then the skew of the roller would be suspect, otherwise the blade has shifted in the jig.
In any event, this jig will have issues with any chisel narrower than around ½ inch as there is not enough contact area on the top/bottom to keep it in place. Veritas has a side-clamp jig that is used with the same roller that works well with all chisels.
Contributor
I have both attachments for my Veritas MKII Honing Guide. I found that the narrow guide head is superior for all chisels with parallel sides regardless of width. The clamp on the standard head is touchy. I improved the gripping utility by adding a thin layer of leather to the clamp bar. Adhesive backed cork works equally well.
As others have mentioned, an eclipse style guide (LN makes a really nice one) is superior with respect to holding power and accuracy. It (the LN version) is also expensive and requires that your chisel or plane iron have parallel sides.
Last edited by Rob Luter; 02-21-2019 at 12:30 PM.
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
Member
Greg,
I'm familiar with the Veritas jig and its attachment, it is one of many jigs I've used that are either gathering dust somewhere in my shop or whoever's shop I gave it to. The nature of a top mount jig makes it very difficult to repeat perfect alinement even with the attachment. BTW, I would change that to read "works with many smaller chisels".
As I have posted, there ain't a jig out there that will work well with all chisels.
Some jigs, and as I have round heels when it comes to sharpening, I've tried a fair number of 'em, have one problem or another. While I like most LV and Veritas products, this jig can be problematic holding the iron and easy to screw up.
ken
Member
This type of eclipse guide has its share of problem (esp for plane blades) which is well documented by many authors/magazines.I use this type of jig and never had the problem you describe:
There is a fix however we can all do, and this video is the best out there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBHd7x6ySSQ
The Veritas mkII jig is great for skews and back bevels, and its narrow jig is great for chisels esp the very narrow chisels (1/8" or less). Those two are fantastic companions to my free hand sharpening regime.
Simon
Member
I have one of these. They are bulletproof.
https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnp...oaAtiqEALw_wcB
Contributor
The difference in your chisel is very small. Remember your eye can see small amounts. You are registering off of the back and looking at the front. The thickness of the blade could very from one side to the other and when you change the angle that is multiplied. If you have a decent engineers square.regrind to 25* or what you are using as a base. Check the edge with your square leaving it in the jig. Reset your jig polish the edge and check it with your square again. From your picture the difference I see would take machinists equipment to measure. Put the chisel to work on wood and forget about it. You could get that with finger pressure heavier on one side than the other. That’s how we camber smoothing plane irons, just finger pressure, isn’t it?
Jim
Member
Thanks for the tip, Simon. Was not aware that those jigs would bend. Never noticed any problem with mine when I used it to sharpen plane irons. Maybe mine is already relieved, or maybe my plane iron was stiff enough not to bend, or maybe I didn't tighten it enough to strain it. I'll have to pay more attention the next time I use it.
Member
So, just for my own edification I tried an experiment this morning. I have a set of Aldi chisels that I bought last year that I hadn't touched yet, and I put the .71" one in my Veritas top-mount honing guide and set the bevel to 23*, using the Veritas registration jig. I put a strip of 120 grit paper on a granite stone to make quick work of this, and honed a new primary bevel (picture 1). I then set the honing guide's micro-bevel cam to the 6 o'clock position which I believe is a 2* change and added the secondary bevel (picture 2, blue ink). The new bevel looks to be in perfect alignment with the primary bevel.
I then reset the cam and returned the entire edge back to the primary bevel. I then removed the chisel from the guide, set the registration jig's setting to 25*, and set the chisel in the guide. I honed a new secondary bevel (picture 3, black ink) and it too looks very good. Not as nice as what I got using the micro-bevel cam, but still acceptable. So this is not a scientific test by a long stretch, but I wanted to share for the entertainment value. One more thing, notice that I used the cambered roller which I believe is recommended only for plane blades, but also worked well in this application.
Guest
Boy, you people make sharpening a real chore.
Last edited by Jessica de Boer; 02-22-2019 at 2:12 PM.
Contributor
Jessica, There are many people here who free hand sharpen as you do. You learned from your father. Some people don't have that advantage and have to sort it out for themselves. The original question concerned the use of a jig so many people tried to help with that question. Jig question not a sharpening question.
Jim
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