Lie-Nielson Honing Guide

[RedShirtGuy]

I've been using CT's cheapo Eclipse knock off guide (slightly modified) for sharpening plane blades and chisels for while, and while it's been pretty good with adequate results, I've always felt like it wasn't quite the bee's knees and have considered getting something engineered instead.

Then I saw this on the Lie-Nielson YouTube channel and have started saving my pennies..because DAMN it's expensive - but looks like a super sweet all-round performer.

Has anyone been a brave guinea pig and bought one yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqQKpUcZ0F4

Product page:
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/nodes/4239/honing-guide

[derekcohen]

I've had the LN gauge a short while now. It was purchased to use with BU plane blades, which require a secondary microbevel. This cannot be done freehand, which would be my preference for honing nearly all other blades.



It is an excellent guide, and for myself I think it will be left in its standard form for BU plane blades only. It is easy to set up with a jig for blade projection. The narrow wheel, similar to the Eclipse, makes honing a camber easy.

This narrow wheel, however, is not the ideal design for narrow blades that require a square blade, such as narrow chisels, shoulder plane blades, and mortice chisels.

Generally, with the exception of mortice chisels, I hollow grind and freehand sharpen all the others mentioned. However, if you do wish to have a guide that works well on these blades, try the new side holding LV guide for narrow blades. With the wide roller it is rock solid.

LN do not recommend their mortice add-ons for mortice chisels other than their own make. I use RI chisels. These will not fit in the standard LN guide, and LN do not made add-ons for these chisels. I wanted a honing guide for mortice chisels since I add a 35 degree secondary bevel to a 20 degree primary bevel. Actually the best honing guide for mortice chisels is the Sharp Skate, but I do not think that these are available (from Harrelson Stanley) any longer. It is, however, a little finicky to set up (not enough to make it a deal breaker).



The only picture I have of the LV guide is with a mortice chisels, for which it is not intended. These chisels are considered too deep to be held securely by the guide jaws. The same can be said for the LN in standard disguise. Both work if you crank the jaws down, but this is not recommended.

There is a simple "modification" to the LV that will enable RI (or other English bolstered types) to be help securely: (1) add 240 grit sandpaper to the jaws (I used a sticky back) - this locks the vertical sides of the mortice chisels securely enough for quite vigorous honing, and (2) place the LV roller in the second position for the Blade Carrier and the second microbevel position. This will increase the depth between the blade carrier and the wheels to its maximum and fit the 1/4" RI mortice chisel with room to spare. Not enough for the 3/8", however.



Regards from Perth

Derek

[orraloon]

I mostly hone freehand but use the old eclipse guide that I have had for 40 years to recreate the bevel now and then as required. I was impressed watching the video and they seem to have covered most of the bases with jaws for everything. If someone were to give me one for christmas I would gladly scurry off to the shed with it but I can't justify that kind of money on a honing guide.
It has got me thinking that I may see what can be done with an old eclipse and a couple of bits of aluminum.
Regards
John

[hiroller]

Another alternative is the new model from Henry Eckert.
Looks ok, locally made and a lower price point to the LN.
http://www.henryeckert.com/index.php...ry&path=54_340

[D.W.]

I would be inclined to spend the money on myself and skip any other guides. Lie Nielsen sells a lot of stuff to beginners and to people who are looking for someone to solve their problems for them, but in this case, the cure is worse than the disease.

And it restricts people from learning how to hone things like skew planes where the job should really be done freehand to avoid setting errors or costly equipment - let alone curved irons and carving gouges.

I feel almost like I'm waking up in an alternate reality every time I see something about $200 worth of jigging and honing equipment as a need.

The key to good honing isn't a guide, it's good grinding and then maybe giving yourself a stuart smalley talk..."i'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog gone it, I'm going to hone without a guide and it'll work out fine".

[Ben Dono]

I'm not going to bag 'jig' sharpening or even sharpening gadgets as everyone gets to choose what they like. Even some of the cheap ones get the job done. For some they might even be necessary for physical reasons. I still own a few jigs I picked up a long time ago when I was starting out and at the end of the day, it's about getting your tools sharp.

I think free hand sharpening gets a bad wrap of being too difficult to get right. Sure the first few might be a little wonky but it does not take very long to learn how to sharpen free hand. I find it less frustrating and much faster than setting up jigs but I'm sure the same argument can be made from the other side.

On a side note, I would not knock back a nice LN jig. Sometimes the nice tools inspire us ....well me anyway.

[derekcohen]

I'm not going to bag 'jig' sharpening or even sharpening gadgets as everyone gets to choose what they like. Even some of the cheap ones get the job done. For some they might even be necessary for physical reasons. I still own a few jigs I picked up a long time ago when I was starting out and at the end of the day, it's about getting your tools sharp.

I think free hand sharpening gets a bad wrap of being too difficult to get right. Sure the first few might be a little wonky but it does not take very long to learn how to sharpen free hand. I find it less frustrating and much faster than setting up jigs but I'm sure the same argument can be made from the other side.

On a side note, I would not knock back a nice LN jig. Sometimes the nice tools inspire us ....well me anyway.

Hi Ben

I agree with all you write. It is ironical that I have a number of honing guides, and yet freehand almost all my blades. Really, the only ones that need a honing guide are the bevel up blades that are cambered with a high secondary bevel.

I also believe that learning to freehand frees one up more than most realise - it is not the sharpening that is the hard bit. It is the speed of re-sharpening that determines one's ability in the sharpening stakes. Anyone can do a once-off. Repeatability is the aim. Now that is commonly associated with honing guides. Indeed, it is a main selling point. However, it is easier and quicker to freehand on a hollow grind, which is self-jigging, repeatable, and fastest.

Regards from Perth

Derek