First attempt at freehand sharpening!

[stubtoe]

Hi,

I was going to buy one of the eclipse type sharpening jigs from Axminster yesterday as I thought it was what I 'needed', but after seeing all the multitude of sharpening implements in the nice shiny Axminster store I got the feeling that I was being sucked down a (expensive!) road I didn't want to go with all the diamond, scary sharp, waterstone options on display...

So, I decided to give the freehand sharpening route a go and armed with an oil stone, some honing oil and a blunt plane blade here are the results of my first attempt at hand sharpening (using the grimesdale/Jacob method?):

https://picasaweb.google.com/110507...authkey=Gv1sRgCIvb5tL03LbjaA&feat=directlinkk

All in all took me about 20 minutes to dissasemble, sharpen, hone, reassemble and do some test shavings, so I figure I can only get quicker and better at it.

As a first attempt I was pretty pleased with the results (albeit just some softwood), but I'd appreciate any pointers about where I could improve further on the freehand sharpening front.

Cheers,

Jonny

 

[xy mosian]

Sorry I can't see your pictures. But good on you for trying this out, if your blade cuts well you've won. =D> =D> =D> =D>
As for improving I wouldn't presume to be able to say. Your doing well already. Judge for yourself and practice, practice. Which bits of your technique are you not happy with? No don't tell me, just alter it slightly in any way which you think will give better results.

xy

 

[stubtoe]

Sorry, photos should be working now!!

 

[xy mosian]

Just checked again. Hey! I can see your pictures, nowt to add.

xy

 

[Karl]

Looks good Jonny. I'm not sure that you would get a very sharp edge off one stone though - normally you have to pass through various grits to get super sharp.

I have both the Veritas and Eclipse style jigs - you can have a go next week.

Bring your oil stone. I've got Norton oilstones, a diamond stone and some honing paste.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Fat ferret]

Good for you mate. I use the same method but strop afterwards, just on an old belt. This improves results I find. It's easily possible to get a good useable edge with just an oilstone, oil and a strop.

You can go on forever with sharpening but what people forget is it's just a means to an end. After all you want to make things not just spend all day sharpening :wink: .

 

[barkwindjammer]

Hey, you've got it, and first time too
If you want to produce 'nano-shavings' that you can see through-follow some (there's plenty out there) advice
See through shavings look great in pictures, impress your peers no end, wow your fellow man, dominate the 'wannabe's', but STOP !, whats this ? bucketfulls of the finest gossamer wood slides-great if your a botanist or arbouriculturist-pineapple tiring and completely useless if your a woodworker who wants to get a job done :wink:

Welcome to hand honing-
WARNING ! "it's not for idiots/exibitionists

 

[stubtoe]

Cheers for the encouragement and tips chaps.

Karl - will try to remember to bring my stone along!

Thanks,

Jonny

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

 

[Jacob]

.....
As a first attempt I was pretty pleased with the results (albeit just some softwood), but I'd appreciate any pointers about where I could improve further on the freehand sharpening front.

Cheers,

Jonny

Main thing is to keep doing it. And remind yourself that this is how everybody used to do it and it wasn't reckoned to be difficult - even kids and beginners picked it up with no problem.
It's important to get a burr right across the middle as it's the middle which gets most wear and it's easy to think you are there when really you need just a little more honing to make sure.
And it's essential to spread the wear evenly over the stone, though a length-ways hollow doesn't matter, and across the width slight hollow is OK within reason. If you feel you need to flatten you stones you are doing it wrong. You still don't need to flatten them however, you just need to work the high points a bit more.

 

[bugbear]

and it wasn't reckoned to be difficult - even kids and beginners picked it up with no problem.

Actually, many people found it difficult, hence the extensive conversations in the earliest available magazines with readers letters, articles, early invention of jigs, etc.

BugBear

 

[Alf]

Looks pretty good for a first go, Jonny. Keep going and, as you say, you'll only get better at it.

 

[woodbloke]

and it wasn't reckoned to be difficult - even kids and beginners picked it up with no problem.

Actually, many people found it difficult, hence the extensive conversations in the earliest available magazines with readers letters, articles, early invention of jigs, etc.

BugBear

I agree with BB, it is difficult till you get the hang of it, but if you decided to go down the freehand route (and there's nothing wrong with that) then the more practice you get, the easier it will become. Using a jig of any denomination just makes the whole thing easier with an almost guaranteed outcome, provided it's been set up right. As always though, each to their own :wink: - Rob

 

[Jacob]

....it is difficult till you get the hang of it, ....

Very many things are - luckily freehand sharpening is towards the easy end of the spectrum.
I'd say playing a fair game of darts is much more difficult and requires much greater precision. What is the angle subtended by the outer bull, at the oche?

 

[Paul Chapman]

freehand sharpening is towards the easy end of the spectrum.

I don't know why you think that, Jacob. Lots of people seem to have great difficulty with simple skills involving use of the hands. Drawing a straight line with a pencil but without a ruler; applying paint with a brush without getting it up their arm and on their clothes; writing legibly; and many other things which others find straight forward. Why would they find freehand sharpening easy :?

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Jacob]

freehand sharpening is towards the easy end of the spectrum.

I don't know why you think that, Jacob. Lots of people seem to have great difficulty with simple skills involving use of the hands. Drawing a straight line with a pencil but without a ruler; applying paint with a brush without getting it up their arm and on their clothes; writing legibly; and many other things which others find straight forward. Why would they find freehand sharpening easy :?

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Lots of people find these things easy too, especially after a bit of practice.
Do you get paint all over yourself then? My hand writing is pretty poor I must admit - but I'm sure I could do better if I tried a bit!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Do you get paint all over yourself then?

No, but I know lots of people who do.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Jacob]

Do you get paint all over yourself then?

No, but I know lots of people who do.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Well done!
TBH I think that on the skill spectrum freehand honing is pretty low compared to most woodworking processes. These demand much higher levels of hand and eye skill. If you can't do the first, you'll certainly be struggling with everything else!

 

[nanowire]

My hand writing is pretty poor I must admit - but I'm sure I could do better if I tried a bit!

That the general handwriting skills are getting worse all the time must surely be attributed to the widespread use of jigs for writing

Freehand sharpening really gets much easier with time. I've been using Jacobs method for about a year now and the time needed still decreases.

 

[markturner]

Uh Oh, Paul, Rob and Jacob all in the same thread.....does not bode well........

 

[Jacob]

Uh Oh, Paul, Rob and Jacob all in the same thread.....does not bode well........

And BB. :roll:
I'm starting to feel paranoid! :lol: :lol:
I'll just keep my back to the wall and keep moving. :shock:

Anyway - on the spectrum of difficulty: I reckon standing on one foot is easier, but standing on your head is more difficult. Compared to freehand honing that is.