Thread: Sharpening

Just freehand it AD, the jigs are invented & marketed for those who don't have the necessary skills and/or don't want to persevere to learn them.

Different strokes for diff. folks, that's all.


Cheers...............Sean

I've been sharpening freehand for 35 years it just takes a bit of time and patiance to get it right and I know I will cop some flak over this, but it is just not as critical as some would have you beleive

Well, I too did the TAFE bit and one of the gentlemen there kindly made us guides (I made them tool rolls) that I now have fixed to the front of the grinder - I wouldn't be without it. In my opinion I waste less of my tools and get consistent angles. But hey, I don't have the Y chromosome!!
JD

Yeah i used the jigs at TAFE but thats the only place i used them because the teacher told us we have to, in the trade id do it freehand and not worry about angles etc just like at TAFE they make you use an angled skew were mine was straight so i could use it as a parting tool aswell. I think TAFE did it a bit old fashioned cause its not like that anymore. Like china said it is not as critical as some would have u believe.

Freehand. When I'm turning I want to be turning, not faffing around using jigs.

There are some tools that are best sharpened with jigs, some of Sorby's more specialised stuff for example. Ring cutters and the like. Some people also find it impossible to freehand the swept-back wings on "ladyfinger" gouges (Ellsworth grind?) and should use a jig just for that.

But for normal, everyday profiles on tools such as skews, scrapers and gouges? Nah, not worth the effort or the expense. [shrug] After all, the avg person only loses a cm or two of tool steel in learning to get each profile right and from then on there's plenty of practice in honing the skills...

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

After all, the avg person only loses a cm or two of tool steel in learning to get each profile right and from then on there's plenty of practice in honing the skills...

...........and the first 2-3mm is useless anyway.

Originally Posted by

...........and the first 2-3mm is useless anyway.

Why is this???
Cheers

with a little bit of practise, freehand is very quick, easy and yes, free.

I'll stick my hand up and go against the flow! I managed to stuff up many centimetres of tool steel before I got my Unijig, now my lady finger detail gouges can match it with the best of them and I only lose a fraction of a millimetre each time it gets too blunt for the hone to work. I don't do enough turning to ever get enough practice at freehand sharpening.
Cheers
Graeme

I'm with Graeme... I have tried heaps of things & the Unijig or the gouge attachement for the Tormek on an 8" white wheel on the normal grinder is the best combination for me. (for gouges that is)
I just use a flat rest for scrapers & a Hiturn for my skews.
A Hiturn is like a flat rest with sliding angle.
I can take photos if anyone is interested.

Cliff I would be interested in seeing some pics...

Another thingI can learn can only make me a better person..

Pete

I'll take some tomorrow morning.

Woodturners sharpen freehand and get right on turning, those who aren't prefer rooting around use jigs....

HI all,
I use sandpaper to sharpen everything. The paper I use is good stuff with adhesive back, mounted to a piece of glass. 80, 120, 320, 1500. Then I move to 8000 stone. 80 grit is for stuff that really needs help. If I'm just honing I go straight to the 1500 with some jewlers rouge and then to 8000. When I do the curved side of gouges and stuff like that, I just wrap a small piece of sandpaper around a proper sized dowel and use that. The system works well for me, tools are razor sharp and I don't need to buy or set up any jigs.
Regards