best low end honing jig

[ozzieflyer]

What's the best low end honing jig I can buy, to suit plane blades and chisels?
Thanks.

[LineLefty]

The $12 one from carbatec, it has a narrow wheel but (assuming it's square) holds the blade square automatically.

http://www.timbecon.com.au/products/honing-guides-383_0.aspx

They'll try and sell you the deluxe $23 jobby but I find it difficult to keep blades square as it clamps down on them rather than from teh side (See the photos), On the upside it has a wider roller and is more stable.

[LineLefty]

Speaking of which, when I was in Carbatec the other day, looking at the water stones, I witnessed a sad story.

In walks a 16yr old kid with his dad, He's doing woodwork at school and he's enjoying it so much he wants to set up at home. He needs a sharpening system so the salesman sells him the $23 sharpening system and an 800grit water stone and tells him that'll give you a fine edge. No advice on flattening the back, microbevels, water vs oil vs diamond vs scarysharp, or any of that kind higher level advice. They employ so many staff on saturdays, but they're still too busy to provide helpful advice. Yet during the week, they're great?!?!?

[Trav]

I've got one of those $12 jobbies - it works OK. But I seem to have lost/never found out the appropriate distance to extend the blade from the device. Obviously this will ahve a bit impact on the angle of the edge. Does anyone have that info?

Trav

[Iain]

Set up with a protractor on a flat surface?

[E. maculata]

check the side as it looks exactly like mine which has the distances for angle cast onto the side, if not I'll get mine out this evening and postthe details.

[Trav]

thanks Bruce. I'll try and have a look tonight.

Trav

[derekcohen]

Do a variation of the following jig (used in the picture on my belt sander).

Regards from Perth

Derek