Thread: What is the best sharpening jig?

AGREED

REgards Lou

G'day,

Yeah I saw the Pirates on Sunday night, the girl from Bend It Like Beckham, mate! Hubbba bubba!

Now what were we arguing about?

Originally Posted by NewLou

My counsel is what ever U use you will become proficient at and if practiced enough expert at weilding......................Wether it be a chepo Stanley or more Versatile Veritas Mk2

I'll go with that I have a stanley guide my Dad bought me when I got my first home along with a stanley No4 plane
I use this guide to keep all my plane blades ( except the 55 ), chisels etc sharp
Not to the standards of some but to my standards and because the stanley guide was given to me by my dad and he showed me how to use it I will never switch to another guide, call me old fashioned or that I have my head in the sand I care not, I have learn't to use this guide and overcome its shortfalls and it works for me, I sharpen as required , don't produce shavings you can see through but can plane a board flat and square to a finish that only needs a light sand to coat.

I guess the thing comes down to your ability to use the tools you have and if you buy an expensive sharpening jig will you get better results
The answer is NO the results you get will depend entirely on your ability to use the jig.

The more expensive unit may be more user friendly but you can still stuff up nothing is foolproof the cheaper unit may still do the job and if you only sharpen rarely and take your time may well give you the same results.

Rgds

Well said Ash

Originally Posted by Jack E

No matter what type of jig you use, or even if you freehand, the blade will be presented to the stone at a higher angle and you will have an increased risk of the blade digging in.

Not if you dont bother with those trendy waterstones in the first place. Good oil or diamond plate is all you need to have a very sharp blades to take care of ALL you furniture making needs


Sharpening threads get dull as everyone has the "best" way of doing it. Id love to see a thread where no body can reply (except on a seperate thread) but everyone can posts up to 3 or 4 pics and in less than 100 words how they do it. That way we all would probably learn a thing or two with out all the bulldust

Stuart,

Probably not what you want, but I've got a Tormek; I don't make exquisite (or even fine) furniture, so it works for me...

Actually, it is the sort of thing that I want - ok, perhaps it isn't a jig for sharpening on stones, but it is closer to the mark than....well...let's not go there. I can't afford one, so am looking at the Triton due out shortly that looks to be similar, and much cheaper.

Was surprised that noone has mentioned that powered waterwheel (the one with the round horizontal stone which revolves under a jig) - that looks interesting as well, although again probably well out of my price range.

Question should realy be can you hold the blade at 50 degrees and push it across a pancake or not?

A little surprised Lignum you think waterstones are trendy. I have been using them for over 20 yrs. Can't imagine how long the Chinese,Japanese,Koreans etc have been using them. I don't think diamnod plates have had the same favour they are receiving now as time goes by.
I do agree however that if you need your tools sharp to get the job done, you will master whatever you have at hand. When i did my time we didn't have any jigs. But out of frustration you learnt very fast how to hold the iron or chisel very steady. And as you maybe sharpening a few times day it really received little attenion in your mind. You were more concerned about the job at hand. And this also dictated the level of just how sharp you wanted the iron. I now own the Mk11 and the old Eclipse and wouldn't be without either as they each to me at any rate advantages and disadvantages.
Sinjin

How am i blaming the jig?????

You have a career in politics waiting for your talents. I especially love the way you have gone back and edited your original post to try and make it fit your new line of argument. It still doesn't. Just admit you were blaming the jig for your problem and you now realise that you were wrong to do so. What's so hard about that?

Originally Posted by silentC

You have a career in politics waiting for your talents. I especially love the way you have gone back and edited your original post to try and make it fit your new line of argument. It still doesn't. Just admit you were blaming the jig for your problem and you now realise that you were wrong to do so. What's so hard about that?

M8 I'm not going to be bullied into anything by you. Once again put me on your ignore list ........go back to your computer and work on a spreadsheet or start folding or scrunching.

Really your continual personal attacks & rudeness are starting to wear......................GET A LIFE!!!!

Hey, you're the one with the name calling and personal attacks. You called me a pest, make references to what I do for a job, imply that I'm obsessed with people's toilet habits. It's all here in black and white, unless you go and edit it again.

All I am doing is attacking your words. I don't know why I picked this thread out of all the others you post to but something just clicked when I read it. For some reason, there are people here who actually take notice of what you say, like it or not, so if you are going to make grossly misleading statements like your opening post, then you have to be aware that some people out there who don't know any better are actually going to believe you.

Now I understand Clinton's jibe about watching the tennis...on the Hand Tools & Machinery forum!! A few nice backhanders too!
Doesn't the sharpening debate bring it all out!!:eek: I think its time you all shook hands, agree to disagree and leave the workbench...I'm off to the pub, to meet up with that lass from the pirate movie...anyone coming?!

Cheers,

Originally Posted by sinjin1111

A little surprised Lignum you think waterstones are trendy. I have been using them for over 20 yrs. Sinjin

sinjin I know the waterstones have been around a lot longer than i have, but you carnt pic up a mag or read a forum article nowdays that basicly says you carnt get propper results with out them. It has become trendy. It wasnt like this for the mainstream 15-20 years ago. That said, Ive even got them, the 1200 and 4000 are in a cupboard somewhere and the 6000 sits on my sharpening bench and gets used twice a year just for a bit of nostalga.


Lou was accused and atacked for misleading newbies over a jig that other members said would confuse them and mabe stop them from getting one. But what about the constant ranting about the nesesaty to use waterstones all the way up from 4/6/8000 and above.

Those same newbies will then think its imperative to rush out and buy the whole set of them so they can have sharp blades. A large Norton combination India oil stone is all you need, or diamond plates like i use (love the durability) Niether will polish (the India will but only just) but at the end of the day it makes no difference to the blades in practicle use of making furniture either as a amature or pro.

Each to their own. I know alot of members just like the process of it all, thats great, but as i said you dont need waterstones to get razor sharp blades, and if you do think its absoulutly nessasary to use them then its either you dont know how to sharpen or you have a sharpening ego to feed. Im not saying at all not to own or use them because they do give remarkable results, but they arnt the magic fix that they are made out to be and at the end of the day the quality of the furniture being made dosnt change if you use 10,000 waterstone or a good old fashion combination oil stone

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

..I'm off to the pub, to meet up with that lass from the pirate movie...anyone coming?!

Cheers,

No, I've got a date with Kylie. But could you make sure she has a good lunch - she needs it.