Thread: Learning Freehand Sharpening

That's all I've done for years.
Go up into the woodcarving forum and find a thread called "Star's Sharpening Journey."
Read it. Apparently, the bevel angles are meant to be secrets.
As if I care.
At Star's invitation, I illustrated what I do in the process.
I have no plans to upscrew a $70 gouge.
You will see my "angle cards".
You MUST keep your elbows tight to your sides.
You must NOT pull/sweep the tool up off the abrasive = that
rounds off the bevel to something so blunt as to be impossible to work with.
Yes, it's very sharp. I won't argue with that. 40 degrees is too big an angle to push wood open with
except perhaps on a lathe.

Here's the deal: there are several sharpening systems as you have no doubt discovered by now.
Some power, some sandpaper, some stones. They all work very well. Disciples abound.
Pick one. Maybe do as I do so I can answer questions. I don't care but pick one, use it, learn it.

Gday Russell,

I started out free hand sharpening and did it that way only for about 15yrs. It's a great skill and you can always get at it. I now use a jig for my chisels and plane blades to regrind bevel on a stone but still touch an edge up by hand.

Wha kind of chisels are you sharpening? It's all about consistent angle and looking/feeling for a wire edge.

On a bench it's easier to start out with. Field sharpening becomes more interesting as you tend to be sitting on a log with you stone very low. You did mention holding the stone in your hand but I have only done that method with knives.

Best of luck though.