Thread: Sharpening Tools and Accessories Advice

Nice one mate! Looks like you're off to a good start.

i was lucky enough to fine a Viceroy sharpedge machine from a used machinery dealer.
here is a youtube clip of how it works..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDb8YQGR3RU

and to hone my blades i use a metal plate honing and lapping system with diamond pasts to achieve a mirror finish.

the problem with bench grinders is that a inexperienced user will burn their chisel and planers blades quite easily.

Another school of thought to throw in to the mix:
Cast Iron blocks and Diamond paste for honing

And on flat vs 6" vs 8" wheels:
Hollow grind bevel - 200mm or 150mm wheel?

My setup has changed many times over the last 15 years, and I am now using water stones. I started out with a simple grey combination block from Bunnings, then bought a grinder with a grey wheel. I've upgraded that to a white Alox wheel. I bought a combination water stone 1000/6000. I built a custom holder to hold the stones, and it was difficult to flip the stone, so I've since added a dedicated 1000 stone. I also use an angle guide, just like in the lie-nielsen video.

Anyway, most of the time my sharpening for chisels and plane blades involves a quick run on the 1000 then 6000 water stone. The grinding wheel gets a bit of use too, and occasionally I like to polish them using a polish wheel on the grinder, just to make them look pretty. The main thing is to get a setup that is easy to pull out, do the sharpen, and get back to work. The more complicated the process, the less likely you are to use it. My setup is getting pretty smooth these days, but even so, if I have the sharpening gear out of the drawer, I will sharpen a few things at once. I put chalk marks on my chisels so I remember which ones are getting blunt, and when I start running out of sharp chisels, then I'll pull out the gear, and sharpen a few at a time.

Happy sharpening! It's well worth it.