Sharpest tools in your shop?

[Mike Allen1010]

In this time of quarantine my shop is cleaner and more well-organized than it's been in 20 years. I even tracked down all the templates I use for moldings, cabriolet legs, ball and claw feet etc. and organize them into nice neat stacks now hanging on the wall. In the process I realized I duplicated a couple of these because I already made templates for previous projects but couldn't find them.

I confess I'm a stickler for generally trying to keep my tools sharp as possible. That said, I have a range of standards for what I expect depending on the task. For example, my pairing chisels and finish planes usually get re-sharpened before every job. I also like to keep my joinery saws sharp and well tuned as I enjoy trying to get a good fit for M&T's, dovetails etc. off the saw.

What are the tools in your shop you place a premium on keeping particularly sharp to enhance your hand till woodworking enjoyment?

Cheers, Mike

[Frank Pratt]

Plane irons & bench chisels. I demonstrated the sharpness of a chisel to a couple of my grandkids one day by shaving a strip on my cheek. Sadly, the corners are as sharp as the edge & I gave myself a couple of nice red borders to the shaved part. Grandkids pronounced it hilarious and still remind me of it from time to time.

[Frederick Skelly]

Plane irons & bench chisels.

Me too....

[Jim Matthews]

Mortice chisels.

Not because that's my aim, it's the size and steel.

I *wish* my final smoothing plane was sharpest.

[Tim Best]

I am still trying figure out what “sharp” is, but I like to think my plane irons are “sharp.” That said, I learned how to and still shave with an old school double edge “safety” razor so I know what sharp is capable of doing and I cannot bring myself to put one of my irons to my face or arm.

[Frederick Skelly]

I am still trying figure out what “sharp” is, but I like to think my plane irons are “sharp.” That said, I learned how to and still shave with an old school double edge “safety” razor so I know what sharp is capable of doing and I cannot bring myself to put one of my irons to my face or arm.

To me, sharp is sub 2/1000th thick shavings. YMMV.

[steven c newman]

Sharpest tool in the shop? it had better be ME. All the tools are as sharp as can be....it boils down to the person USING them, and how that happens, without drawing blood, of course.

If'n they ain't sharp, it takes more effort to use them...which can lead to accidents. Keep them sharp, less effort is needed, less chance of getting sliced. Then it becomes simply "Operator Error" , so the operator also has to be "Sharp".

[Stew Denton]

I have had chisels and planes I have been restoring, and am currently flattening the backs of my chisels between other restorations. The goal is to finally get a lot of my old tools restored, sharp, and in good using condition. I have a bad habit of restoring planes but not getting around to sharpening the irons. That is slowly coming to an end.
What is the result of this bad habit? Well, the sharpest tools I have are the ones I have had for years of carpentry: years ago working for a carpenter, carpentry around the place and use to help out others. Those are my two old Stanley Handyman chisels, in 1/2" and 1&1/4", and my #5 Stanley 605 that was my dads. Others are joining those ranks, including a block plane, a #7 Stanley Bailey, 2 or 3 Stanley #60 chisels, and my grandfathers old OHIO #04 plane. The other sharp tools are probably 4 or so of my hand saws, two of which I have used for 30 years or more.

I guess using those tools and sharpening them is force of habit. I am working at restoring some of my better vintage tools, and sharpening those will be next. I have better chisels than those two old Handyman chisels, and intend to use them.

Stew

[Dave Anderson NH]

Steven makes a very good point. The operator needs to be alert and sharp. As for tools, like Mike it's my paring chisels and finishing planes. After that the spokeshaves and my LV shooting plane.

[Phil Mueller]

Same as most; plane irons, particularly my shooting plane and block planes, as well as paring chisels. However, probably the sharpest tool is my scalpel. Bought this and replaceable blades for veneer work, and trust me you really don’t want to slip with that.

On the other side of the spectrum what I need to spend more time with are my hand saws. Other than the ones you and Pete sharpened, some of my other garage sale saws need some attention...moves a little right or left, could stand to be a bit sharper, etc. Of course they get used from time to time then put back in the till. I don’t know why, but I’ll try one again just in case some gremlin fixed it in the night only to quickly find it’s the same as when I put it back in the till after the last try. Just need to set aside an afternoon, pull out the vise, files and saw set and see if I can get somewhere in the ballpark of what you can do.

[Charles Bjorgen]

I’ve been attacking my collection of kitchen knives six of which are Japanese styled and four of those are the single bevel type that require some different sharpening approaches. It’s been a new learning process that caused me to acquire some new water stones.

[roger wiegand]

Carving tools that are honed on a leather wheel are probably the sharpest, but with relatively poor control of the blade angle. Similarly for the knife I use for skiving leather. After that planes and chisels.

[Rob Luter]

My LN #4 1/2 Smoother and an old Buck Brothers paring chisel. Both are reserved for fine finishing work so they're easy to keep sharp with an occasional swipe on the strop.

[James Pallas]

The sharpest tool is the one I just sharpened. Never really gave it much thought. Is there a reason that any edge tool works better when less sharp?

[Jim Koepke]

The sharpest tool is the one I just sharpened. Never really gave it much thought. Is there a reason that any edge tool works better when less sharp?

BINGO!

That was going to be my answer, the one that was just sharpened. My tools tend to get sharpened during use.

Sometimes a tool is sharpened just before stopping for the day. This happens when the tool is being used and discovered to need honig. Then during the sharpening my stomach reminds me it is time to go in and eat dinner.

jtk