Sharpening methods

[TonyinNYC]

I use "Scary Sharp" but I do it poorly so my tools are only "A little Frighteningly Sharp" but they cut well enough!

[Herman]

Something for lazy guys like me: Flexcut Gold Polishing Compound.
It is a wax with some grindingstuff in it.

I use this since a few months, and the sharpening-stones keep laying workless on the shelf.
It's like a crayon. Just a few lines on a paper on top of a piece of windowglass.
The chisel in the honing guide and give it 10 strokes or so. Works very fast.

Try it, cost almost nothing. Amazing stuff.

http://www.flexcut.com/products/cart.ph ... gory_id=95

Herman

[Kevin in California]

I purchased the Worksharp 2000 a couple of months ago, about 1/3 off the regular price at sears. It will do your chisel and plane irons at a consistent 25 degree angle and you can use any grit you want on the discs provided. If you have edges that need heavy dressing, use the 80 grit disc, and work your way up to a 800 disc if you want, then just pass it over a leather strop and you have a pretty good "scary sharp" edge. If you want a micro bevel, you'll have to do that with a guide on stone, plate, or whatever you use. But I like the Worksharp 2000 for restoring an edge.

Kevin

[John Parchem]

The Worksharp 2000 looks good and easy to use and it will give a flat edge. I had a Tormek sharping center (still have it but do not use). The hollow ground edge from a wheel drove me crazy carving braces. Other I have talked to really like it. Now I use Norton water stones with a guide followed by a leather strop with polish powder. My chisels and planes get very sharp. I remember spending an entire Sunday getting the hollow grind off of all of my tools.

[Dave Bagwill]

I leave my Japanese water stones set up right behind my bench, I can turn around and sharpen a chisel or plane blade without any bother. Once you get the hang of it, it' s easy.

[Tim Benware]

I leave my Japanese water stones set up right behind my bench, I can turn around and sharpen a chisel or plane blade without any bother. Once you get the hang of it, it' s easy.

Do you have to keep it in water or just mist it before use?

[Robert Hosmer]

I leave my Japanese water stones set up right behind my bench, I can turn around and sharpen a chisel or plane blade without any bother. Once you get the hang of it, it' s easy.

Do you have to keep it in water or just mist it before use?

Depends on the stone.
Coarser stones require soaking; finer grits mist with spray bottle. Manufacturers usually provide the info, but as general rule I mist anything 8000 or above, and soak anything coarser for about 10 minutes.