Jig or Freehand

[Ed Reiss]

Hi All...

Just out of curiosity (ain't that something that kills cats?), how many of you use some kind of jig to get a good grind on your gouges and scrapers, or do you freehand it?

Whichever way, are you satisfied by the results?

I've been freehanding it for the past 26 years...maybe the grinds ain't pretty but they sure do cut! I am very satisfied doing it this way.

Cheers,
Ed

[DJ’s Timber]

Freehand with or without the toolrest for me

[Toasty]

Jig, very satisfied.

[Gil Jones]

I use the Oneway Wolverine system, and the Vari-grind jig for fingernail grinds.
It works well for me, and it is very repeatable.
http://www.oneway.ca/sharpening/grind_jig.htm
http://www.oneway.ca/sharpening/vari-grind.htm

[Hickory]

Freehand, but by all means, with the toolrest...

[derekcohen]

Hi Ed

Freehand on a disk sander. 120 grit and you are sharp enough. Touch up on 240 grits and it can shave hair. The high speed is safe with HSS steel.



If you are getting good results, why change?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Ad de Crom]

Ed, freehand grinding of all my tools. I build my own disc grinder and it works for me very well, and more important very safe.

Ad

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Freehand.

I do prefer to use a tool-rest though - purely for the safety factor. There's a lot of distractions around here and having a toolrest gives the tool somewhere to safely slam into besides jamming between the wheel and guard...

Also... there are some tools that really need to be jig ground to achieve maximum performance. But those are tools I usually class in the "gimmick" category and haven't bothered buying anyway.

[bowl-basher]

I use a TRUGRIND jig mainly for the reason that my freehand is not good enugh........ I dips me lid to you people that can grind a gouge by eye mabey in twenty or so years I might just learn till then its the jig for me
Bowl-Basher

[funkychicken]

I hardly ever grind my chisels, I just give em a touch up with an oilstone. It saves alot of steel

[China]

38 years freehand on toolrest, I don't use any type of jig, yes I am satisfied with the result

[hughie]

freehand, have been meaning to get a tool rest setup....one of these days

[Ed Reiss]

Well now....I'm actually quite surprised that so many are doing it freehand! Thought for sure that the jig users would be in the majority.

I like the idea that Derek and Ad use disk sanders in lieu of grinders...the method seems to work well....might have a go at it. Derek, thanks for posting the pic along with the text.

A Note: my 6 inch grinder ran rough, replaced the wheels, still rough. Took off the right hand wheel completley, now the unit runs smooth...been running that one arm bandit like that for several years!

Cheers,
Ed

[Cliff Rogers]

Jig for my gouges, I can do it free hand but I choose not to.

I also have a sliding guide for my skew.

The scrapers are done on a toolrest set at the required angle.

[Toasty]

I like the idea that Derek and Ad use disk sanders in lieu of grinders...the method seems to work well....might have a go at it. Derek, thanks for posting the pic along with the text.

Saw this on the back of a UK woodturning magazine recently.