Sharpening methods

[John Parchem]

Here is a $15 honing guide that works great. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2417. I also built a little jig, basically a board with a set of stops. The stops were all set for a particular blade angle.

[Tim Benware]

Here is a $15 honing guide that works great. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2417. I also built a little jig, basically a board with a set of stops. The stops were all set for a particular blade angle.

I bought that guide first and just couldn't get to steady myself enough to get it to work right. Looking back I may have been applying too much pressure. Any way a broke down and bought a Veritas which works great for me ($50 on sale).

[Kevin in California]

You can get the same inexpensive honing guide for $10 at HB, cheap but it works...I know cause I am cheap and I work....I mean, it works.

Kevin

[John Parchem]

I also switched to a MKII but only because it looked cool and I liked the easy adjustment for a 5 degree micro-bevel.

I actually like the cheap guide for plane blades as it is easy (maybe too easy) to rock a slight radius on the blade.

[Robert Hosmer]

Another Veritas Mk.II fan here.

I purchased it for the ability to use the optional skew registration jig.
I already had a shop-made skew jig for the bench grinder, but it took too long to set proper angle.
With the Mk.II, setting the angle was much quicker, and it also allowed me to sharpen skew chisels by hand instead of using the wheel, thereby avoiding a hollow grind.

[TonyinNYC]

Another vote for the MKll. I never used another guide but I love this guide. I'm sure you can make a less expensive one work just fine though.

[ken cierp]

OK -- maybe this a trick of the trade? But I have found that I can keep my cutting tools razor sharp (after the angles are set) using these simple inexpensive diamond files.



They are what we use to hone our carbide bits used on the CNC machines. I've seen Tommy Mac and Scott Phillips use something similar as well.