If you like to make the jigs I show in the video, the plans are in my book on "Sharpening", pages 31 and 68. Lots of other handy jigs, tips, and info there as well. See workshopcompanion.selz.com/item/sharpening .
I was going to get the book, but did not see : ship to address, or shipping charge. Does it ask these question? If it does, will it take my money before showing? I want the book, but it can not ship to my billing address.
@@simpleman283 It's an "ebook" in PDF (digital) form and a download link is sent to your email. We could not possible afford to print, inventory, fulfill and ship paper books for the prices we're asking.
Hell my brother made one in jr. high school, he could cut a two inch branch with it. The fun part was he had to push it 2 1/2 miles on small caster wheels in order to get his credit in English class Tale of Two City’s. Teacher had to remove a ceiling tile so he could get it into the classroom and the maintenance guy had to cut it apart at the end of the day. The good old days back in the 1970’s 🤣🤣🤣. And NOBODY was offended !!!
1000 bucks? Really? I had no idea they had gotten that expensive. That last time I reviewed a Tormek was for my sharpening book and they were a third of that cost. Can't see paying that much for any sharpening system. Glad to have been of help.
One thing that I'd like to suggest from my experience with sharpening knives is to use a sharpie (either black or blue) to mark the edge. It helps show if you're getting the full edge or if you're a little off. It also helps in finding the angle of the blade or cutting edge. The only downside is that the sharpie gets a cut in it and leaves a line in the center if you try to write with it, but then it just becomes a dedicated sharping tool.
Wow, that plane iron left that end grain incredibly smooth. I have a plane and three chisels that I should sharpen with this technique. Come to think of it, I have a collection of antique wooden planes that I inherited from my great grandfather. I sometimes wonder if I could rehabilitate them.
I am glad to hear that you have found this book to be very informative and helpful for your woodworking project th-cam.com/users/postUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO It sounds like you are well prepared and confident to build furniture for your house. I commend you and your friend for your enthusiasm and willingness to learn new things from this book. I hope you enjoy your woodworking journey and create some beautiful pieces.
I just did my first half lap joints last night, and had to finish them up with DULL DULL DULL harbor freight chisels that my dad had purchased years and years ago. Thank you for this video!! I have everything I need but the shower door rollers - this is amazing!
Just getting ready to start my own sharpening service so I love seeing other ways folks do it more efficiently. Awesome results. I’ll be honest - once I saw your ShopSmith in the background I hit the subscribe button! Thank you.
Wow, that was great. I kinda sniffed at this on my own a while back. I kept a 1” slab of glass from an old copy machine that was being thrown away. It’s mirrored, so it had to be perfectly flat and I did the same process, albeit not nearly as thoroughly as you’ve done here and it worked pretty good. Did it free hand however as I didn’t have the awesome jig you made…. Thank you for the video and the confirmation that I was getting close to the process needed to sharpen.
This was a very excellent methodology to sharpening. Very inexpensive and it works well it works very well! The only negative I see is the use of water on sandpaper one hold it down to two on top of it is totally unnecessary. You can tape the paper down you can glue the paper gown or you can leave it free taking a board including a piece of sandpaper to it then just lay in the other sandpaper on top of it it will stay in place. No Mess no water no double boards no paper stacking. Clean the paper I use a magnet the race metal flakes off the paper makes it look brand new. You can use paper over and over and over until it becomes so dull when you know it's time to discard it. Also the paper method Works excellent I just tape it down with masking tape on each side then when it's all done put a new sheet down. Stay away from the water suggestion not necessary at all!
A handy second jig if you can even call it that, is two blocks of hard wood face screwed and glued together, so that one is offset back from the other the exact distance the plane or chisel protrudes from the sharpening jig. You can use it to reset the blade to exactly the same protrusion/angle each time.
Thanks Nick, that's some really useful stuff. Will help me get back into woodworking after a long hiatus. Over the years I seldom used my Shopsmith as a lathe in part because I couldn't reliably sharpen the chisels. Now I know how without spending a ton of money on sharpening tools. I'm also too tall for the thing so that's my next challenge. Any ideas?
Almost everyone is too tall for the Shopsmith when it comes to lathe work. If I have to spend more than an hour turning, I put the machine up on 6" blocks. You may want to go higher than that. You should be able to stand with your back straight with the chisel on the tool rest and not have to bend over to see your work.
very nice ideas; sound theory, practice and explanation. i'm surprised our host hasn't rigged something to keep his glasses from slipping down, though! (i jest)
Good eyes. Found that Kennedy a few years ago rusting away on the back shelf of a junk store. It was in bad shape, but easy to restore. Have a smaller version that I have carried around to job sites for 55 years and it still works like new. They are battleships.
I use leather both for touching up the edge and as a last step when machine sharpening. However, because leather can be compressed, allowing the point to dig in when you push the tool in the direction of the sharpened edge, I don't use leather when hand sharpening. Paper loads nicely with rouge or Tripoli and allows me to polish with a back-and-forth motion.
The problem with alot of those is they have one skinny little roller in the middle so unless extreme care is taken they can rock back and forth giving an uneven edge.
@workshopcompanion thanks for the lesson...I inherited several slim chisels and gouges. Including v shaped and very curved...I'm talking thin as a #2hb pencil! I've been struggling to sharpen these (I've recently discovered I've started out way too low in grits. Unfortunately I'm the first to do anything with them in 40+ years...they were not kept in great condition to begin with. I've used my rotary tool with various bits after I cleaned them with "metal rescue " which is similar to "evapo rust "...both great products btw... What angle should these be sharpened please?
Depends on what the chisels are used for and how they are used. Hardwoods require greater tool angles, softwoods lesser. Mallet-driven chisels require greater tool angles; hand-driven lesser. The tool angle range that you are looking at is 35 degrees for the greatest angle (mallet-driven mortising chisel in hardwoods) to 22 degrees for the least angle (hand-driven carving chisel in softwoods).
I cover the pros and cons of a secondary angle in my book, "Sharpening." I often put a secondary angle on a tool that we see hard use to extend the life of the cutting edge.
@4:29 Is this the right way to hold the plane blade? Shouldn't he turn the plane blade 180 deg so the the belt isn't running into the edge? If the tip digs into the sandpaper, that plane blade is going to be thrown!
I have watched a lot of sharpening videos. I have always asked the same question (and have NEVER been replied to). As you progress through the grits, do you actually see an edge that is 16 times better going from 300 to 1200 grit? Is the surface that much better and is the effort that much less? If the honing compound is 8000 and you use an iron polished to that, must you scuff the surface a bit to have material adhere properly to it?
There are no simple answers to some questions. How you sharpen a tool depends on the steel, what you're cutting, and the cutting method. If you're chopping wood with an axe, a coarse grind is all you need. For fine joinery the sharper, the better. For wood carving, especially in hardwoods, only scary sharp will do. Before we go any further, let’s define “sharpness.” It is the condition of the arris, the edge where the two cutting surfaces come together. The more keen the arris, the sharper the tool. It has nothing to do with angle - tools are sharpened at a wide range of angles. A sharp tool is one with a crisp, finely-pointed edge. Let’s also define “cutting.” At it’s heart, cutting is a stress-failure process. The arris presses against the cellulose fibers of the wood until they separate. If the arris is keen, the energy pressing the arris forward is concentrated at that point. The wood separates cleanly and easily with minimal effort along a straight line leaving a “clean cut.” If the arris is dull, the energy is spread out over a wider area, requiring more energy to separate more fibers. They fail over a broader area and the cut appears ragged. The tool is difficult to control and wants to drift toward the summerwood or any area were the fibers are weak. Sharpening is all about conditioning the arris, making it as keen as possible. The finer the arris, the cleaner the cut, the less energy it requires, and the more control you have. The easiest was to get a keen arris is to grind it at a consistent angle with progressively finer abrasive grits. The grits plow the metal, removing tiny chips or “swarf,” and leaving tiny furrows or a “scratch pattern.” Where the scratch patterns intersect at the arris, they form tiny serrations. Look at the arris through a microscope with enough magnification and it looks like saw teeth. The finer the grit, the finer the scratch pattern, and the smaller the serrations - and the more keen the arris. Consequently, as you work you way through progressively finer and finer grits, the tool become sharper. But there are limits. Steel is, at a microscopic level, a crystal and this crystal has grains. The size of the grains determines just how fine you can make the scratch pattern. Basically, you can’t make the scratches any smaller than the grains. Different types of tool steel - and there are many - have different crystal structures. Consequently you can get some steels sharper than others. Sometimes it makes no sense to go up through superfine grits. At some grit, the tool will be as sharp as it’s going to get because of the steel from which it’s made. There are also some common sense limits that are determined by the operation itself. You don’t need an axe head to be as keen as a carving chisel because you’re applying more force, removing more wood, and the “cleaness” of the cut is not even a consideration. This is a very broad brush, just a hint at the answer you’re looking for. If you want to delve deeper, I would suggest reading my book on “Sharpening.” Its’ available in PDF format from our store, and the first two chapters cover the science and metallurgy behind sharpening.
@@WorkshopCompanion Even though I am cub's and have notifications on, this never appeared in my feed. I returned to rewatch the vid on a whim and found your answer. Thanks.
I only pull away from the edge. Does sharpening in both directions make any difference? For my curved ones, I have large bolts that I’ve drilled out the center and cut in half. The I have a little boat to place my sandpaper in to sharpen all sides at once. I also use the white jewelers rough. What’s the difference for the white?
No, sorry but you need a $600-$1000 Tormek and several $150 water stones to sharpen planes and chisels. All the exquisite furniture made from 1700-1900 with chisels sharpened on a flat rock are figments of our imaginations. 😎
Okay... I got a small beef, here: "a few scraps of melamine". I mean, how many of us novice "wood destroyers" actually have "a few scraps of melamine" laying around? And why would we? Most of us are the the "weekend warriors" of wood destruction attempting things that we usually don't actually comprehend, yet occasionally manage to pull off. Hard wood scraps? Do you mean the bones of attempted and failed projects that cost a fortune and now lie forlorn and fossilizing in a bucket in the corner of our shop? C'mon man! Really? I'd have to take out a title loan on my truck to buy any hardwood (any type), or melamine, so... scraps? Not bloody likely! I get roughly a buck-thirty a month in retirement bennies a month-- pays the mortgage and some cigarettes (don't judge me-- I know: nasty habit, etc.). Wife pays the utilities, etc. We get by. But hardwood scraps and melamine scraps aren't even in our future, let alone our past!
I read a book about wooden boat building once. The author said that the first thing he taught his carpenter helpers was how to sharpen their tools. That always stuck with me and I study the art with a passion. It really is the foundation for quality woodworking. It simply cannot be accomplished without sharp tools and tooling. You, sir, have mastered the process. Thanks for sharing that knowledge.
My grandpa used to say the only thing he missed about working without power tools was how quiet the mornings were. First thing everyday before starting everyone would be just focused on sharping all their saws, chisels and drill bits.
Nick, I think I own every book you’ve ever put out and people can’t believe the knowledge I can sometimes impart. If I like the person, I loan them the book the tip came from. Neither the Build It Better Yourself, nor the Workshop Companion books were cheap, since I bought them when they came out from Taunton, but they have proven to be outstanding investments over the past 30+ years. Keep up the great work. I only wish you were still writing books because I would buy them!
@@WorkshopCompanion It's the most difficult thing for new woodworkers and this is simple, cheap and effective. A piece of tempered glass from an oven door would also work.
@@martinpook5707 It would. I actually use a marble pastry stone. Another friend I know who's a machinist uses a registration stone. You can also use a lapping plate. But those things kinda take this procedure out of the range of "cheap," so I elected to go with the cheapest flat, waterproof thing I could find at my local lumberyard. Melamine works well.
That jig is a billion times better than that garbage Rockler sells. You know, the one Stumpy was paid to market as just the most brilliant piece of technological whizbag since we put a man on the moon...
When using a similar jig, before I go to the next finner grit, I put a thin piece of plastic sheet under the rollers to slightly raise the back of the tool. Then leave that thickness down for the passes at the next grit. Another piece is added for each change. This results in a very slightly rounded edge that seems to stay sharp longer.
Helpful Tip: Take a magic marker/sharpie and mark the whole cutting edge. Drag it across the sandpaper. This will indicate if your angle is steep or shallow. If the mark disappears completely, your angle is perfect.
Really appreciate this gentleman‘s videos and tutorials; great common sense approach that you don’t need fancy hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of tools it’s all about technique and skill.
So... I just got back from Harbor Freight, bought an electric hand planer (cheap) and a few other gewgaws. One of those gewgaws was a 6 piece set of chisels ranging (in increments of 1/4") from 1/4" to 1-1/2". Cost was under $12.00. Sadly, those cheapie tools are better than the two older chisels I've had for over a decade (1/2" and 3/4"), that I spent more money on 10-12 years ago! Guess I'll keep those for brute-force tear-outs in the future, use my new ones for touching up. I've watched this video three or four times over the past year or so, I think I can make that jig without plans-- it's really not complex. But, hardwood? Scraps? Not friggin' likely!
I Found your channel a few days ago and i gotta say its awesome. Your content and funloveing feel really sets a tone and makes projects like a sharpening jig a whole lot funner. Ill be around, Down here in the comments. Keep up the Great work. Like Comment and Subscribe people!
Find the sharpening jigs used in the video in this book: workshopcompanion.selz.com/item/sharpening Pick up one of Nick's books FREE just for visiting: workshopcompanion.selz.com/categories/books And if you want clear, concise information on any woodworking topic, visit the Workshop Companion web site: workshopcompanion.com
Chad, I looked at these books when I bought the rolling pin plan back when that video was released. I couldn't decide which to buy and therefore landed on needing the whole set. Ironically, I didn't buy it, rather put it on my Christmas wish list since it's such an affordable price and easily purchased by others. My family likes to buy me woodworking gifts, but become nervous about buying tools afraid they will get "the wrong one."
@@woodshopnerdery What a coincidence, Thomas. I just bought the entire Workshop Companion series yesterday. I've skimmed through some of them already, and rest assured, there is no "wrong one". You can't go wrong with any of these books.
DO you think putting water on the sand paper extends the life of the paper? I usually run my dry, but only bc I don't want to get a mess everywhere. But I might try it out wet next time. I really like those jigs you made too.
Not at hard wood, but soft wood, because soft wood likes to "retreat" because it is soft... the test on hard wood is too easy. It is the same, e.g. in the knife sharpness test...the test on thick stiffer paper is too easy...the kitchen paper test is the ultimate test. However, it is true that this may be a bit too high a level for the average home user. Otherwise, a nice presentation, I like it a lot.😃👍
Thanks! well done , is funny how many very $$$ knife sharpening tools and ideas I have seen in a life time, BUT rarely do people hear the basic thought of an edge is a series of scratches like you said:) (thx DAD) :) I saved scrap but new emory paper from commercial belt sanders in a glass factory for yrs so that 20$ is free in my case:),Like the idea of holding the wet paper also :) my knife sharpening jig(one of them) in my kitchen is a plastic wedge with brass wing nuts like yours ,made from the plastic or nylon ? from cutting boards! I have lots of $ stones but still go to a block that is scrap 2by 4 with emory cloth stapled to it :) ,keep it wet in the sink! have made those cut at an angle to sharpen garden tools to that same edge you have on that plane blade:) Thx also forgot what to call the "green" rouge ? and have never just rubbed it on paper like you did ? much easier:) I have suggested to many others on here to use polishing compounds, "rouge" to make quick work on gun steel , used it for yrs polishing glass and brass in jobs I had! Love your shop ,reminding me I truly need to get my shop back in order .Peace Rick
For my sharpening jig I use a sheet of thick glass,it was a part of an old glass coffee table to its thick (about 10mm) and its about 150mm×300mm so it's just right to spray glue a few sheets of different grits too, I used glass so I can use a razor blade to scrap the old paper off easily, I have a little tunnel just under my workbench top to keep it tucked away, safe and easily accessible.
Glass is a good sharpening surface. I've also used marble pastry boards, registration stones, table saw worksurfaces, and cast-iron planer beds. Anything dead-flat and hard.
If there was a typical Disney Channel shop teacher, he'd look just like you. Please don't take that the wrong way, shop teachers are awesome, and usually very intelligent. Just when I picture a shop teacher, it's you 😁🤘🤘
Haha it's amazing how different minds think alike. I made a Chisel sharpening jig 98% identical about 30yrs ago. I used bearings from a Skateboard, and I had never seen any jig for that sort of thing prior, I'm not saying they didn't exist, I just hadn't seen one at the time. I still have it somewhere.
If you like to make the jigs I show in the video, the plans are in my book on "Sharpening", pages 31 and 68. Lots of other handy jigs, tips, and info there as well. See workshopcompanion.selz.com/item/sharpening .
I was going to get the book, but did not see : ship to address, or shipping charge.
Does it ask these question? If it does, will it take my money before showing?
I want the book, but it can not ship to my billing address.
@@simpleman283 It's an "ebook" in PDF (digital) form and a download link is sent to your email. We could not possible afford to print, inventory, fulfill and ship paper books for the prices we're asking.
Tried to browse to your site on the link given, but get an error 1020, access denied. Has the link changed?
@@peterkernebone37 yeah same as me
Great video still waiting on how to build a guillotine for $1200 or less
I’m a big fan of guillotines and trebuchets. Gives you something to do with the leftovers of oligarchs…
😆 LOL!!!
Hell my brother made one in jr. high school, he could cut a two inch branch with it. The fun part was he had to push it 2 1/2 miles on small caster wheels in order to get his credit in English class Tale of Two City’s.
Teacher had to remove a ceiling tile so he could get it into the classroom and the maintenance guy had to cut it apart at the end of the day.
The good old days back in the 1970’s 🤣🤣🤣. And NOBODY was offended !!!
There is, but it's in French with no subtitles.
You just saved me a thousand dollars in my not having to buy a Tormek grinder! Thank you!
1000 bucks? Really? I had no idea they had gotten that expensive. That last time I reviewed a Tormek was for my sharpening book and they were a third of that cost. Can't see paying that much for any sharpening system. Glad to have been of help.
Great info and tips. Many folks don't realize the angle needs
to be reset if you take a lot of metal off. Just the nature of it.
Brliant teacher here! Unbelievably good content always. I absolutely love your videos ans teaching style. Great video 👍
Thanks for the kind words.
One thing that I'd like to suggest from my experience with sharpening knives is to use a sharpie (either black or blue) to mark the edge. It helps show if you're getting the full edge or if you're a little off. It also helps in finding the angle of the blade or cutting edge. The only downside is that the sharpie gets a cut in it and leaves a line in the center if you try to write with it, but then it just becomes a dedicated sharping tool.
Great tip.
Loving your presentation techniques. Very engaging.
Thanks.
Wow, that plane iron left that end grain incredibly smooth. I have a plane and three chisels that I should sharpen with this technique. Come to think of it, I have a collection of antique wooden planes that I inherited from my great grandfather. I sometimes wonder if I could rehabilitate them.
Of course you can. Properly tuned, wooden planes are a joy to use. I have a whole set that I use for carving propellers.
Damn! Thank you sir, I think you’ve saved me a couple hundred bucks. 👍
You're most welcome.
maaan your videos always give me the best knowledge about it
I am glad to hear that you have found this book to be very informative and helpful for your woodworking project th-cam.com/users/postUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO It sounds like you are well prepared and confident to build furniture for your house. I commend you and your friend for your enthusiasm and willingness to learn new things from this book. I hope you enjoy your woodworking journey and create some beautiful pieces.
I just did my first half lap joints last night, and had to finish them up with DULL DULL DULL harbor freight chisels that my dad had purchased years and years ago. Thank you for this video!! I have everything I need but the shower door rollers - this is amazing!
Thanks for saying.
Just getting ready to start my own sharpening service so I love seeing other ways folks do it more efficiently. Awesome results. I’ll be honest - once I saw your ShopSmith in the background I hit the subscribe button! Thank you.
Most welcome.
WOW !!!!!! Thanks a lot, MASTER !!!!!!!!!
Wow, that was great. I kinda sniffed at this on my own a while back. I kept a 1” slab of glass from an old copy machine that was being thrown away. It’s mirrored, so it had to be perfectly flat and I did the same process, albeit not nearly as thoroughly as you’ve done here and it worked pretty good. Did it free hand however as I didn’t have the awesome jig you made…. Thank you for the video and the confirmation that I was getting close to the process needed to sharpen.
Most welcome.
This was a very excellent methodology to sharpening. Very inexpensive and it works well it works very well! The only negative I see is the use of water on sandpaper one hold it down to two on top of it is totally unnecessary. You can tape the paper down you can glue the paper gown or you can leave it free taking a board including a piece of sandpaper to it then just lay in the other sandpaper on top of it it will stay in place. No Mess no water no double boards no paper stacking. Clean the paper I use a magnet the race metal flakes off the paper makes it look brand new. You can use paper over and over and over until it becomes so dull when you know it's time to discard it. Also the paper method Works excellent I just tape it down with masking tape on each side then when it's all done put a new sheet down. Stay away from the water suggestion not necessary at all!
Awesome you sure have a awesome way of teaching. You got my vote!!
Thanks...and what was I running for? ;-)
Thanks for the video!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge
You're m,ost welcome.
Nick you are Amazing! Every video I learn so much. Going to check out one of your books too. Cheers!
Cheers back. And thanks.
Just came across your channel Sir and are finding your vids very well made and informative. I’ve subscribed and are binge watching. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Many thanks, and welcome!
Huh never thought about paper and compound. Paper compound and a sponge can make a really neat strop
Just subscribed,I like your ways I've found a craftsman on TH-cam who has sense 🤓, good man,....... from Liverpool Britain.
Welcome -- and thank you for those kind words.
Just discovered this channel. Thanks for all the knowledge!!
Most welcome.
A handy second jig if you can even call it that, is two blocks of hard wood face screwed and glued together, so that one is offset back from the other the exact distance the plane or chisel protrudes from the sharpening jig. You can use it to reset the blade to exactly the same protrusion/angle each time.
Great tip. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks
my father would of loved these videos
Thanks Nick, that's some really useful stuff. Will help me get back into woodworking after a long hiatus. Over the years I seldom used my Shopsmith as a lathe in part because I couldn't reliably sharpen the chisels. Now I know how without spending a ton of money on sharpening tools. I'm also too tall for the thing so that's my next challenge. Any ideas?
Almost everyone is too tall for the Shopsmith when it comes to lathe work. If I have to spend more than an hour turning, I put the machine up on 6" blocks. You may want to go higher than that. You should be able to stand with your back straight with the chisel on the tool rest and not have to bend over to see your work.
@@WorkshopCompanion Thanks. I'm somehow relieved to know that I'm not the only Shopsmith owner with height issues. Love the machine otherwise.
Any chance of making an audio book of your book. Your fun to listen to
very nice ideas; sound theory, practice and explanation. i'm surprised our host hasn't rigged something to keep his glasses from slipping down, though! (i jest)
Peep the Kennedy tool box. Old school cool!
Good eyes. Found that Kennedy a few years ago rusting away on the back shelf of a junk store. It was in bad shape, but easy to restore. Have a smaller version that I have carried around to job sites for 55 years and it still works like new. They are battleships.
Amazing
Did he mention don’t go to next grit until a burr is formed? Very important!
9:25 best jig for sharpening.
Have you ever tried using a leather strop with the compounds vs using paper?
I use leather both for touching up the edge and as a last step when machine sharpening. However, because leather can be compressed, allowing the point to dig in when you push the tool in the direction of the sharpened edge, I don't use leather when hand sharpening. Paper loads nicely with rouge or Tripoli and allows me to polish with a back-and-forth motion.
@@WorkshopCompanion Excellent point. Thanks for the reply!
Ibought a factory made, metal one of these on ebay for 9.00 about a year ago.
The problem with alot of those is they have one skinny little roller in the middle so unless extreme care is taken they can rock back and forth giving an uneven edge.
@workshopcompanion thanks for the lesson...I inherited several slim chisels and gouges. Including v shaped and very curved...I'm talking thin as a #2hb pencil! I've been struggling to sharpen these (I've recently discovered I've started out way too low in grits. Unfortunately I'm the first to do anything with them in 40+ years...they were not kept in great condition to begin with.
I've used my rotary tool with various bits after I cleaned them with "metal rescue " which is similar to "evapo rust "...both great products btw...
What angle should these be sharpened please?
Depends on what the chisels are used for and how they are used. Hardwoods require greater tool angles, softwoods lesser. Mallet-driven chisels require greater tool angles; hand-driven lesser. The tool angle range that you are looking at is 35 degrees for the greatest angle (mallet-driven mortising chisel in hardwoods) to 22 degrees for the least angle (hand-driven carving chisel in softwoods).
@@WorkshopCompanion thanks
i hone mine at a slightly steeper angle at the end
I cover the pros and cons of a secondary angle in my book, "Sharpening." I often put a secondary angle on a tool that we see hard use to extend the life of the cutting edge.
You keep using this term "arris?" that I've never heard before. Can someone elaborate on that?
An arris is the edghe or corner formed where two surfaces come together at an angle to one another.
@4:29 Is this the right way to hold the plane blade? Shouldn't he turn the plane blade 180 deg so the the belt isn't running into the edge?
If the tip digs into the sandpaper, that plane blade is going to be thrown!
*gasp* You have a ShopSmith too?!?!
An ancient Goldie, and two others. Used to do a little work for Shopsmith.
I use a 1/2" scrap
hello sir, do you sell the sharpening jig on etsy already built?
No, sorry.
Son of a.. 😧👏
I have watched a lot of sharpening videos. I have always asked the same question (and have NEVER been replied to). As you progress through the grits, do you actually see an edge that is 16 times better going from 300 to 1200 grit? Is the surface that much better and is the effort that much less? If the honing compound is 8000 and you use an iron polished to that, must you scuff the surface a bit to have material adhere properly to it?
There are no simple answers to some questions. How you sharpen a tool depends on the steel, what you're cutting, and the cutting method. If you're chopping wood with an axe, a coarse grind is all you need. For fine joinery the sharper, the better. For wood carving, especially in hardwoods, only scary sharp will do.
Before we go any further, let’s define “sharpness.” It is the condition of the arris, the edge where the two cutting surfaces come together. The more keen the arris, the sharper the tool. It has nothing to do with angle - tools are sharpened at a wide range of angles. A sharp tool is one with a crisp, finely-pointed edge.
Let’s also define “cutting.” At it’s heart, cutting is a stress-failure process. The arris presses against the cellulose fibers of the wood until they separate. If the arris is keen, the energy pressing the arris forward is concentrated at that point. The wood separates cleanly and easily with minimal effort along a straight line leaving a “clean cut.” If the arris is dull, the energy is spread out over a wider area, requiring more energy to separate more fibers. They fail over a broader area and the cut appears ragged. The tool is difficult to control and wants to drift toward the summerwood or any area were the fibers are weak.
Sharpening is all about conditioning the arris, making it as keen as possible. The finer the arris, the cleaner the cut, the less energy it requires, and the more control you have. The easiest was to get a keen arris is to grind it at a consistent angle with progressively finer abrasive grits. The grits plow the metal, removing tiny chips or “swarf,” and leaving tiny furrows or a “scratch pattern.” Where the scratch patterns intersect at the arris, they form tiny serrations. Look at the arris through a microscope with enough magnification and it looks like saw teeth. The finer the grit, the finer the scratch pattern, and the smaller the serrations - and the more keen the arris. Consequently, as you work you way through progressively finer and finer grits, the tool become sharper.
But there are limits. Steel is, at a microscopic level, a crystal and this crystal has grains. The size of the grains determines just how fine you can make the scratch pattern. Basically, you can’t make the scratches any smaller than the grains. Different types of tool steel - and there are many - have different crystal structures. Consequently you can get some steels sharper than others. Sometimes it makes no sense to go up through superfine grits. At some grit, the tool will be as sharp as it’s going to get because of the steel from which it’s made.
There are also some common sense limits that are determined by the operation itself. You don’t need an axe head to be as keen as a carving chisel because you’re applying more force, removing more wood, and the “cleaness” of the cut is not even a consideration.
This is a very broad brush, just a hint at the answer you’re looking for. If you want to delve deeper, I would suggest reading my book on “Sharpening.” Its’ available in PDF format from our store, and the first two chapters cover the science and metallurgy behind sharpening.
@@WorkshopCompanion Even though I am cub's and have notifications on, this never appeared in my feed. I returned to rewatch the vid on a whim and found your answer. Thanks.
I only pull away from the edge. Does sharpening in both directions make any difference? For my curved ones, I have large bolts that I’ve drilled out the center and cut in half. The I have a little boat to place my sandpaper in to sharpen all sides at once. I also use the white jewelers rough. What’s the difference for the white?
White polishing compound is a little (very little) coarser than red.
I had no idea Mickey Rooney knew so much about woodworking?
No, sorry but you need a $600-$1000 Tormek and several $150 water stones to sharpen planes and chisels. All the exquisite furniture made from 1700-1900 with chisels sharpened on a flat rock are figments of our imaginations. 😎
Well said.
👍
Beware, Europian and US grits scales of sand papers are slightly different!
I'll google the information on that, thanks for the tip. We have a growing European audience, and I'd like to keep these vids as global as possible.
Okay... I got a small beef, here: "a few scraps of melamine". I mean, how many of us novice "wood destroyers" actually have "a few scraps of melamine" laying around? And why would we? Most of us are the the "weekend warriors" of wood destruction attempting things that we usually don't actually comprehend, yet occasionally manage to pull off. Hard wood scraps? Do you mean the bones of attempted and failed projects that cost a fortune and now lie forlorn and fossilizing in a bucket in the corner of our shop? C'mon man! Really? I'd have to take out a title loan on my truck to buy any hardwood (any type), or melamine, so... scraps? Not bloody likely! I get roughly a buck-thirty a month in retirement bennies a month-- pays the mortgage and some cigarettes (don't judge me-- I know: nasty habit, etc.). Wife pays the utilities, etc. We get by. But hardwood scraps and melamine scraps aren't even in our future, let alone our past!
Scary Sharp was the Sporty Spice who never made it …
I was told he was a heavy metal drummer.
@@WorkshopCompanion That’s the guy!
I read a book about wooden boat building once. The author said that the first thing he taught his carpenter helpers was how to sharpen their tools. That always stuck with me and I study the art with a passion. It really is the foundation for quality woodworking. It simply cannot be accomplished without sharp tools and tooling. You, sir, have mastered the process. Thanks for sharing that knowledge.
My grandpa used to say the only thing he missed about working without power tools was how quiet the mornings were. First thing everyday before starting everyone would be just focused on sharping all their saws, chisels and drill bits.
Bro just saved me several hundred dollars and then gave me a shot of a cute dog. 10/10.
This shows, there is still good people on earth with a pace to comfortably live with. Thanks a lot.
Most welcome.
I’m surprised by how well thought out and well paced these videos are. Thank you
We try. Thanks for saying so.
NIck is a great woodworking teacher. No BS, no patronizing, and no hocus pocus.
Thanks for the kind words. But I like to think that there's a little hocus-pocus, although most of it is added by Travis post-production.
Pure knowledge. No sponsored have to buy tools.
Those are most excellent jigs.
Thanks!
Nick, I think I own every book you’ve ever put out and people can’t believe the knowledge I can sometimes impart. If I like the person, I loan them the book the tip came from. Neither the Build It Better Yourself, nor the Workshop Companion books were cheap, since I bought them when they came out from Taunton, but they have proven to be outstanding investments over the past 30+ years. Keep up the great work. I only wish you were still writing books because I would buy them!
Thank you for the kind words. As for more books...well, you just can't sell what folks expect for free on the Internet.
Yeah, I guess I understand.
Use this method all the time, on a thick piece of mirror glass which is always dead flat.
That is the most useful woodworking video I've seen on TH-cam!
Quite a compliment. Thanks.
@@WorkshopCompanion It's the most difficult thing for new woodworkers and this is simple, cheap and effective. A piece of tempered glass from an oven door would also work.
@@martinpook5707 It would. I actually use a marble pastry stone. Another friend I know who's a machinist uses a registration stone. You can also use a lapping plate. But those things kinda take this procedure out of the range of "cheap," so I elected to go with the cheapest flat, waterproof thing I could find at my local lumberyard. Melamine works well.
Agreed!
That jig is a billion times better than that garbage Rockler sells. You know, the one Stumpy was paid to market as just the most brilliant piece of technological whizbag since we put a man on the moon...
I've not used that jig or watched any videos that use it, but it does look to be limited. There's no way to adjust for a skew.
When using a similar jig, before I go to the next finner grit, I put a thin piece of plastic sheet under the rollers to slightly raise the back of the tool. Then leave that thickness down for the passes at the next grit. Another piece is added for each change. This results in a very slightly rounded edge that seems to stay sharp longer.
Sounds like you're doing two things; adding a micro bevel with each change and saving the rollers from wear at the same time.
👍🏻 thanks
Glad I found you. Entertaining but if greater importance - informative.
Thank you
Most welcome.
Helpful Tip:
Take a magic marker/sharpie and
mark the whole cutting edge.
Drag it across the sandpaper.
This will indicate if your angle
is steep or shallow.
If the mark disappears completely,
your angle is perfect.
Really appreciate this gentleman‘s videos and tutorials; great common sense approach that you don’t need fancy hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of tools it’s all about technique and skill.
You get it.
So... I just got back from Harbor Freight, bought an electric hand planer (cheap) and a few other gewgaws. One of those gewgaws was a 6 piece set of chisels ranging (in increments of 1/4") from 1/4" to 1-1/2". Cost was under $12.00. Sadly, those cheapie tools are better than the two older chisels I've had for over a decade (1/2" and 3/4"), that I spent more money on 10-12 years ago! Guess I'll keep those for brute-force tear-outs in the future, use my new ones for touching up. I've watched this video three or four times over the past year or so, I think I can make that jig without plans-- it's really not complex. But, hardwood? Scraps? Not friggin' likely!
I Found your channel a few days ago and i gotta say its awesome. Your content and funloveing feel really sets a tone and makes projects like a sharpening jig a whole lot funner.
Ill be around, Down here in the comments. Keep up the Great work.
Like Comment and Subscribe people!
“If I had 6 hours to chop down a tree,
I would spend 4 hours sharpening the axe “
🪓
Abraham Lincoln
Wise words from a wise man
Find the sharpening jigs used in the video in this book: workshopcompanion.selz.com/item/sharpening
Pick up one of Nick's books FREE just for visiting: workshopcompanion.selz.com/categories/books
And if you want clear, concise information on any woodworking topic, visit the Workshop Companion web site: workshopcompanion.com
Chad, I looked at these books when I bought the rolling pin plan back when that video was released. I couldn't decide which to buy and therefore landed on needing the whole set. Ironically, I didn't buy it, rather put it on my Christmas wish list since it's such an affordable price and easily purchased by others. My family likes to buy me woodworking gifts, but become nervous about buying tools afraid they will get "the wrong one."
@@woodshopnerdery What a coincidence, Thomas. I just bought the entire Workshop Companion series yesterday. I've skimmed through some of them already, and rest assured, there is no "wrong one". You can't go wrong with any of these books.
DO you think putting water on the sand paper extends the life of the paper? I usually run my dry, but only bc I don't want to get a mess everywhere. But I might try it out wet next time. I really like those jigs you made too.
Not at hard wood, but soft wood, because soft wood likes to "retreat" because it is soft... the test on hard wood is too easy.
It is the same, e.g. in the knife sharpness test...the test on thick stiffer paper is too easy...the kitchen paper test is the ultimate test.
However, it is true that this may be a bit too high a level for the average home user.
Otherwise, a nice presentation, I like it a lot.😃👍
You are a joy to watch. Love your dog too!
Another excellent Video with a great explanation on using a simple way to sharpen your cutting tools. Please keep up with the videos.
Такой классный дядька. Подача великолепна. Подписка
This is a mighty good video.
Great, thank you for sharing !
You're most welcome.
"Large ragged hole" is the nickname I have for my ex.
Sensei. Enough said. 🙏🧘🤺
Very simple, thanks
voice no nearly loud enough
Thanks! well done , is funny how many very $$$ knife sharpening tools and ideas I have seen in a life time, BUT rarely do people hear the basic thought of an edge is a series of scratches like you said:) (thx DAD) :) I saved scrap but new emory paper from commercial belt sanders in a glass factory for yrs so that 20$ is free in my case:),Like the idea of holding the wet paper also :) my knife sharpening jig(one of them) in my kitchen is a plastic wedge with brass wing nuts like yours ,made from the plastic or nylon ? from cutting boards! I have lots of $ stones but still go to a block that is scrap 2by 4 with emory cloth stapled to it :) ,keep it wet in the sink! have made those cut at an angle to sharpen garden tools to that same edge you have on that plane blade:)
Thx also forgot what to call the "green" rouge ? and have never just rubbed it on paper like you did ? much easier:) I have suggested to many others on here to use polishing compounds, "rouge" to make quick work on gun steel , used it for yrs polishing glass and brass in jobs I had! Love your shop ,reminding me I truly need to get my shop back in order .Peace Rick
Thanks for sharing.
Great information
Appreciate all of your woodworking wisdom and knowledge
Most welcome.
For my sharpening jig I use a sheet of thick glass,it was a part of an old glass coffee table to its thick (about 10mm) and its about 150mm×300mm so it's just right to spray glue a few sheets of different grits too, I used glass so I can use a razor blade to scrap the old paper off easily, I have a little tunnel just under my workbench top to keep it tucked away, safe and easily accessible.
Glass is a good sharpening surface. I've also used marble pastry boards, registration stones, table saw worksurfaces, and cast-iron planer beds. Anything dead-flat and hard.
If there was a typical Disney Channel shop teacher, he'd look just like you. Please don't take that the wrong way, shop teachers are awesome, and usually very intelligent. Just when I picture a shop teacher, it's you 😁🤘🤘
Good to know. I strive mightily to be typical...;-)
@@WorkshopCompanion lol A typical shop teacher?? Because like I said, they're usually awesome people 😁
it's more scary to use dull tools, not a sharp one's
True that.
I subscribed to this channel... saved me $15 dollars!
Glad to help...and welcome!
Just bought the book. Do you just glue the supports on or screw them . Also I can not work out the thickness of the jig.
All parts are 1/4" (6 mm) thick hardwood, glued together.
Thank you and your team for this. I like the music, too.
Most welcome.
I have something similar I made but uses a diamond stone and swaps out to a honing stone.
What an excellent explanation! Thank you, master.
Greetings from Chile
Most welcome from Ohio.
@@WorkshopCompanion Thanks!
Haha it's amazing how different minds think alike. I made a Chisel sharpening jig 98% identical about 30yrs ago. I used bearings from a Skateboard, and I had never seen any jig for that sort of thing prior, I'm not saying they didn't exist, I just hadn't seen one at the time. I still have it somewhere.
Great video! Very informative!
Thanks.
Though frightened, I appreciate the common sense sharpening jig you came up with.
👍👍
Followed instructions wrong and now have a chisel stuck in the pencil sharpener.
Solid value in this video, earned a sub and a comment for the TH-cam algorithm!
Angle and grid are both defenitly important get grit# as fine as you can get