I had been working with increasingly duller and duller chisels because I dreaded pulling out the Tormek. Yes I have already donned my fireproof suit. The whole process to touchup an edge was just to much. I sold it and got the Work Sharp.
I read just about all there was on the interweb and put together what I found that has worked for me. Thought I would share.
1.JPG This is how I have it setup. A piece of ¼" ply with a stop on the back clamped to the bench keeps it from sliding around. Quick, easy, temporary and takes up no room in the tool box.
2.jpg I never used any of the supplied abrasives. I used diamond plates from the beginning. 80, 150, 400, 1000 grits. Amazon search: 6-inch Diamond Coated Flat Lap. $10 each. After that I switch to leather wheels with honing compound. Amazon search: Enkay 150 Polishing Compound. Four different sticks $11. I use the black, brown, and white.
The honing disc are made from ½" ply. I used a shopmade circle jig on the plunge. Make the disc 5-⅞" not 6", you'll thank me. If anyone is interested I can post about the circle jig, or how to easily resize disc that are too big.
I sourced the leather from Crazy Crow Trading Post. Search: Leather Craft Discs - 6"
The diamond lap disc need to be backed with the glass disc. When in use, the retaining knob self tightens and I always needed pliers to loosen it. So I made an oversized knob. Also oversized is the part that contacts the disc. This larger surface is needed when against the leather side.
4.jpg
The Work Sharp comes with a tool rest. The only use I found for it is to use the chamfered end to help center the diamond lap disc on the glass plate.
3.jpg
There are post on the web about using adhesive backed magnetic sheets on the glass plate to hold the lap disc. I ordered some but came to my senses before the order shipped. First the screw clamp holds every thing down just fine, secondly think of the mess when all the sharpening grindings are attracted to the magnetic sheet.
6.jpg This it a closeup of a honing disc. Mark the color of the compound on the disc because they all turn black once they get used.
7.jpg When flattening or honing on the top, angle the blade slightly upward, gently lower the blade onto the edge of the disc then lay it down flat. Hold the edge of the blade perpendicular to the rotation of the disc.
8.jpg This chisel had a huge ding out of the edge when I got it. I was profiling it to 25°. Even with the 80 grit it was taking foooorever to grind past the damage. Then I had the idea of a "macro" bevel. I raised the angle to 20° and ground the top part of the bevel off. Then finished it off at 25°. That went so much faster.
9.jpgThis was the result of my sharpening marathon, 16 chisels and 3 plane blades.
Reply With Quote