Sharpening methods

[Cameronhill97]

Just curious as to everyone's sharpening methods, do you use stones or paper, free hand or with a honing guide? Just wondering everyone's different methods

 

[Beau]

I grind on a horizontal wet stone grinder. Hone on 1000 and 6000 grit water stones. Never use a guide for honing but occasionally use one for grinding on specialist blades.

I hope you realise what you have let yourself in for with a sharpening thread on here

 

[AndyT]

Try this link - I suggest a cup of tea and a biscuit first!

search.php?keywords=sharpening&terms=all&author=&fid%5B%5D=11&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

 

[lurker]

Oh goody!
A sharpening thread

 

[NickN]

To answer the OP, you'll get as many methods as there are people who reply, and everyone's method is the best one...

So if you're wanting to find a 'best way' you won't, to put it simply. Whatever works for you and your wallet is best.

But if it's just for curiosity only then fair do's, in which case I use belt sander for grinding to shape, diamond plates for sharpening, free hand, then a leather strop for polishing.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Just curious as to everyone's sharpening methods, do you use stones or paper, free hand or with a honing guide? Just wondering everyone's different methods

#-o #-o #-o #-o #-o #-o :lol:

 

[Saer Llongau]

Free hand and I use a combination of diamond plates and stones. I have an Atoma 400/1200 double sided plate for the rough work and Japanese natural stones for the rest (Binsui, Aoto, Aizu, couple of Suitas, Hideriyama and Tomae).

 

[undergroundhunter]

I freehand a convex bevel using oil stones a norton fine and a washita. I also have diamond plates but have gone off these recently and gone back to my oil stones. I have also tried sandpaper but I found that on the whole quite expensive.

matt

 

[skipdiver]

Had an oilstone since an apprentice and i still use that. Never known any different. I bought a Trend diamond stone when they were selling them dirt cheap, but i don't use it.

 

[Lons]

No..... oooooooooo

Not again (hammer) Thought that subject was banned along with politics and religion. :wink:

 

[D_W]

I use everything I can find in stones (except for soft synthetic waterstones), freehand.

 

[StraightOffTheArk]

For re-shaping or if I need to remove lots of metal to, for example, get past an area of pitting, I use a dry grinding wheel (carefully!), then a cheap coarse diamond plate, various synthetic oilstones, finally I have a washita and Arkansas stone and a bit of mdf with polishing compound to hone. Started with a jig and scary sharp, this was very good for me at that time as I didn't know how to sharpen or how sharp it was either necessary or possible to be. I now sharpen freehand because its quicker, less faff and I can reliably get it sharp enough for my needs, also, and I think this is a point often overlooked, it suits my personality in some way that using a jig doesn't - I can imagine others using a jig for exactly the same reasons though.

Commendable on how restrained the replies have been, so far...

Cheers,

Carl


PS My method is the only True Way, as dictated to me by God, and any devil spawn that deviate are heretics, and after being stoned to death (did you see what I did there?) will be cast into the forges of hell where they shall be condemned to sharpen the devils trident freehand for all eternity!

 

[lurcher]

Washita stone for everything had the jap crap to wet good oilstone sorted all you need camber all my planes except. My no 7 / 8
Jointers

 

[El Barto]

As has been mentioned, there are a MILLION methods. Paul Sellers' method was the first I came across when I started and it's served me well so I haven't really bothered with anything else. One of the things I like about it is its simplicity - no ruler tricks, no unnecessary steps. You can see it HERE. This one is for planes but it's not so different for chisels. In fact I use the same way for chisels.

- Cheap Ultex diamond stone (various depending on condition of edge)
- Strop
- See if it'll cut the hairs on my arm
- Done

 

[Jacob]

There is only one method. Basically you rub the blade up and down a stone holding it at about 30º. Oil helps.
All the other methods are versions of this, in ever increasing degrees of difficulty and expense! :lol:

 

[Saer Llongau]

Paul Sellers' method

I wonder how many plates he goes through annually with the pressure he puts on the blade.

 

[El Barto]

There is only one method. Basically you rub the blade up and down a stone holding it at about 30º. Oil helps.
All the other methods are versions of this, in ever increasing degrees of difficulty and expense! :lol:

This

 

[Jacob]

Oh goody!
A sharpening thread

Yes you are never alone on a sharpening thread!

Paul Sellers' method

I wonder how many plates he goes through annually with the pressure he puts on the blade.

No idea.
What I do know however is that Norton India stones seem to last forever. I've still first my first one, getting on for 50 years. I've got one or two more now which means zero likelihood of wearing one out in a lifetime

 

[El Barto]

Paul Sellers' method

I wonder how many plates he goes through annually with the pressure he puts on the blade.

Probably none?

 

[Saer Llongau]

What I do know however is that Norton India stones seem to last forever.

Do you have to refresh the surface every so often to expose new, sharp abrasive or is it so hard that it almost doesn't dull?