I am looking for recomendations and the why for them. In the past when a wood chisel got beat up I replaced it. The same applies to other tools in my shop. I am looking for something to save money and keep some really good tools in great working order. I have read some posts about "scary sharp" and that is what I am looking for. SO any and all information will be greatly appreciated and all opinions will be taken into deep consideration. For some reason I can not help but think there are many out there like me looking for this answer but affraid or ashamed to ask. So please be honest and as acurate as possible. Greatly Appreciated

Wayne

 

Hey Wayne, jest to get you started with a great discussion we had with Dan Shuflin on the same subject, here is the link to that discussion

Sharpening Question

I can relate to your past experiences with wood chisels, when I used them up, I'd just chuck em if they go really bad. Mostly old stanleys and bucks. But now that my woodworking has, uh, matured, so has my taste in tools I guess. I have really nice boxed set of bevel edge chisels from Highland Woodworking, they were moderately priced at around 150 bucks for a set of 6, and I don't intend on throwing those away when they get beat up, so sharpening is a must these days.

I use a combination of scary sharp and stones. I use the scary sharp to bring the edge into compliance, you know 90 to the sides, take the nicks out, etc, then onto my combination water stone, a 4000/8000 stone, with this I do the final honing and polishing and this method seems to work very well for my chisels and plane irons. I go through the grits of paper from 80 for serious removal if needed, then on to 180, 220, 400, 800 and then on to my water stone. I have gotten pretty good at it, I can bring a nicked up chisel back from the dead in about 10 minutes or so, and it's relaxing too. for some quick tune ups, I'll run it across the 220 and up to the water stone.

Hope this helps

hey Wayne, what I do to sharpen chisels and planer blades is simple and cheap. I mount a fine sanding disc in my rotary sander to get the basic blade back to the right angle and close to where I want it to be. I dip the blade in cutting fluid and gently place it against the sanding disc. Do not press too hard or the steel may turn blue and you could ruin it. I then use my bench grinder with a very fine wet stone mounted on it. I made a water trough that the weel spins in and a support to rest the tool against. Don't force the blade against the stone but guide it. If you are doing it right you will see what looks like black water coming off the blade. My grand father taught me this trick and I have been using this method for years and it works great. My chisels are so sharp, I could actually shave with them.

That's pretty slick Roger, why does the black water come off the wheel? Is that the slurry? I like the sanding disk, I am sure the rotary sander has a low rpm so it would be hard to loose the temper in your iron. Great tip man.

Roger Hamblen said:

hey Wayne, what I do to sharpen chisels and planer blades is simple and cheap. I mount a fine sanding disc in my rotary sander to get the basic blade back to the right angle and close to where I want it to be. I dip the blade in cutting fluid and gently place it against the sanding disc. Do not press too hard or the steel may turn blue and you could ruin it. I then use my bench grinder with a very fine wet stone mounted on it. I made a water trough that the weel spins in and a support to rest the tool against. Don't force the blade against the stone but guide it. If you are doing it right you will see what looks like black water coming off the blade. My grand father taught me this trick and I have been using this method for years and it works great. My chisels are so sharp, I could actually shave with them.

Wayne, I have oil stones, scary sharp, 2 wet grinders, a slow speed bench grinder, and a Worksharp 3000. Yet when someone asks for a good economical sharpening system, I'll always propose Scary Sharp. It may take a little more time than any powered method, but you also get a much better result...especially if you have the really high grits of SC paper. I probably still use SS more than any single other method I have. Please notice I didn't mention water stones. I just haven't bought any yet, and they may well be just as good or better than SS. But they would cost quite a bit more.

Thanks for info. I am having trouble getting the right angles and keeping the edge straight. I am going to look into the scary sharp and maybe some guides or jigs. I have a slow speed grinder on a smaller scale but once again no guide for the proper angles. Thanks again guys, lots to think about and play with.

John I am taking that your very happy with Highlands set?

I agree as teh wood working mature so does the taste in tools.  I think as you aquire more skills and experience, you graduate into better tools with more dependable results.

Wood working has sent me on a learning curve that was steep and very well worth the trip and experience.

 

Best Wishes

Wayne

 

The Highland set is nice Wayne, and it just so happens Highland is our affiliate! Go figure right!

I have the Veritas honing guide that I love. And if you want something that works good as well and is better for the budget, then you can find jigs at Woodcraft Honing Jigs . There should be something there that fits the budget. In the spirit of full disclosure, Woodcraft is an affiliate also.

I have found sharpening to be relaxing and rewarding, so bring a dull edge to sharp, for some reason is very satisfactory to me, remember, I'm a simple man.

 

 

 

 

 

Wayne Mahler said:

Thanks for info. I am having trouble getting the right angles and keeping the edge straight. I am going to look into the scary sharp and maybe some guides or jigs. I have a slow speed grinder on a smaller scale but once again no guide for the proper angles. Thanks again guys, lots to think about and play with.

John I am taking that your very happy with Highlands set?

I agree as teh wood working mature so does the taste in tools.  I think as you aquire more skills and experience, you graduate into better tools with more dependable results.

Wood working has sent me on a learning curve that was steep and very well worth the trip and experience.

 

Best Wishes

Wayne

 

I have the set-up from Veritas.   Just a honing guide, and a plate guide to set some angles with.     With a chisel in the guide, set at the angle I think it should be, it's off to my beltsander.  once the edge looks good with this set-up, I leave the chisel in the guide, and use my oil stones.   Guide has indexes so I can add a micro bevel to the edge.   Belt is just a new 100 grit.   I keep a fingertip on the chisel as I'm "grinding" with the sander.   Too hot for the fingertip?    I just lift the chisel up.   When it is cool again, back to grinding. Some of the "victums"...

Steve

Thank you. You are the second person to use or mention Veritas. Starting to sound llike a good investment. The photos show more then words and I greatly appreciate that. I'm just tired of throwing money away on chisels and plane irons etc. Which translates into JOhn's opinion which I do respect and yours. That makes 2 with recomendations and that is what I was looking for. So thank you again.

As alays I am open to other opinions and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Best Wishes

Wayne

 

Just a couple notes here:   I can lock the switch of the sander in the "On" position, and set the sander up with the belt running AWAY from me.  That is a "cheap" 100 grit belt ($.95) on the sander.  It does lose a bit of "bite" after a bit.   I keep both hands on the guide, with a fingertip from each hand on the blade itself.   The belt tends to make the guide, and chisel move around a bit, so both hands are for controling the "grinding".    These chisels were set-up to about 25 degrees , the plate that came with my guide has indexes for each angle.   I also "lap" the back by holding the chisel flat on the belt, again with the belt running away from the edge of the blade.   Safer that way.

Wayne Mahler said:

Steve

Thank you. You are the second person to use or mention Veritas. Starting to sound llike a good investment. The photos show more then words and I greatly appreciate that. I'm just tired of throwing money away on chisels and plane irons etc. Which translates into JOhn's opinion which I do respect and yours. That makes 2 with recomendations and that is what I was looking for. So thank you again.

As alays I am open to other opinions and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Best Wishes

Wayne

 

Wayne, I like many of the others use several methods. I use the SS method most of the time. I have to agree with John it is actually quite relaxing to go out and sharpen the tools. It is usually something I do early on a Saturday morning just so I can get in the shop and not wake the neighbors. I will take it through the grits on the SS and then hone it on a combination water stone.

 

I have just acquired and WorkSharp 3000 and have run several of my chisels across it. I like the worksharp 3000, but I enjoy sharping using the SS method. With a good honing guide you can put a very good edge on in just a few minutes.

 

I pick up the higher grit paper in the wet/dry type at the Auto Parts store.

 

Just get you a good smooth backer for the paper and you will have no problems bringing them to a very fine edge.

Thanks for the information. Looking into guides to help .

Thanks a lot guys.

Wayne