Need chisel and plane iron sharpening guidance

I have a worksharp 3000 that I use for sharpening but I really want to stop using that machine for everything and start honing and applying camber by hand. Nothing against the worksharp but I feel that I give up control and finesse especially when I need a slight camber on a plane iron. Additionally, it seems to me that it would be quicker to hone by hand without the need to setup a machine, change wheels, etc.That said, I can use the worksharp to flatten backs quickly and establish bevel angles, but for honing and camber I would to go at by hand. What do I need to get outfitted properly in terms of stones (type, size)...I want to use oil stones since oil prevents rust, but other than that I have no preconceived notions.Recommendations??Thx

I use an eclipse type honing guide and an assortment of oilstones with WD40. The guide has enough play to hone a camber or go dead straight... If you're using a worksharp to establish a bevel, a medium and fine artificial stone like norton makes will make a secondary bevel pretty quickly. Maybe drag it across a piece of wood with leather with polishing compound or some 1000+ grit wet dry paper and thats it!

I use the scary sharp method. That is, after grinding on a slow speed grinder, I use sheets of wet dry sandpaper in grits starting at 150 and ending at 2000 glued to 1/4" Plate Glass sheets. Using 5 pieces of glass there are ten sheets of sandpaper. I use a honing guide and at the last sheet shorten the length slightly to get a very slight triple bevel. This system is lubed with water and I've never experienced a problem with rust. In addition, I strop the edge front and back after honing. Just be sure your steel is dead dry before you put it away.

Tried water stones in the past but found I like the scary sharp method better. Only downside is when you have to change the sandpaper. Freezing the plates releases the glue to make things easier.

Sharpening is a varied skill and often treated as a religion in its zealotry and thus can be quite confusing and heated as there will be 110 opinions on what's right for every 100 people you ask... If you can maybe put in a request to some of the more learned forum members in your local area to give you some pointers in person.

Bruno,
Your profile does not indicate your location.
As Brian said, you may live close to someone who can give you some one to one instruction with some time on their stones.

I am one of the odd ducks here. I use water stones most of the time but especially during the colder months I use oil stones. There are times when I still use abrasive sheets. I also use Diamond plates, but they mostly get used on my knives.

My sharpening holder is usually my hands, but I have rigged a blade holder that is great when I need to reestablish a bevel or work out a nick.

A holder allows one to work faster with less thought in such situations.

For sharpening free hand the most important part is to be able to "lock the angle" of your hands while moving the blade on the stone. The height of the work surface will have some influence on your ability to do this.

I would suggest some good videos that are available on line, Lie Nielsen has some on line. Some of the videos on YouTube are downright wrong IMO. One actually shows the blade being purposely rocked to make a rounded bevel. I guess if it works, it works.

I have a Veritas MK II Power Sharpening System that is a flat disk system that is like the Worksharp. Most of my sharpening is done freehand. Most of my sharpening work is done on 1000 grit and higher water stones.

For oil stones a medium and fine seem to be able to handle most of my work. If I need to go coarser, it is easier to use abrasive sheets than it is to keep a water stone flat. Abrasive sheets can cut smoother and faster than my coarse oil stones.

Since you expressed a preference for oil stones, then you might want to read the thread that recently was here about where to find oil stones:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...buy-oil-stones

My "odd duck" experience even includes where stones can be found.

Everyone has their own milage with varied stones and you will likely find some stones that will be your life long favorites.

One more point to consider: Oil stones do not come in as fine of an abrasive grade as water stones. A little lapping on leather with a compound of your choice will make up for that difference.

If you live in the south west of Washington or north west of Oregon, send me a PM and I will be happy to meet up and let you try some of my stones.

Just one more thought, make sure your stone is at least a touch wider than your widest plane blade. Maybe even wide enough for future planned purchases.

jtk

Thanks folks, after reading this and Schwartz's new direction on oil stones it looks like I will go for a soft and black Arkansas stone.

Make sure you have something to level and scuff one side of the soft arkansas. Leave the other side as is and let it get smooth. It'll work like two different stones, and the side not scuffed too often will do a nice job of preparing for the black arkansas stone.

Soft and hard arks (not black or trans) are very nice stones to use.

I'll second the eclipse guide recommendation from above. If you're using one, any guide really, you'll be best off with 3 inch wide stones, and at least 8 inches long to accomodate the guide. the eclipse guide will help you get a feel for cambering, and you may be able to go without the guide pretty quickly, as oilstones are nice freehanding stones - slick and they don't gouge.

If you find you don't like them for any reason, you can always try something else (we all have our preferences), but it's usually the indian and not the arrow if you know what I mean - when it comes to whether or not you can get a good edge for woodworking.

Exactly what David Weaver said, but also if you don't have a way to scuff/abrade the soft ark get a fine or medium india. Soft arks cut quite slow if you don't keep them dressed.

Thanks to all for the advice!Based on these replies and other similar recent posts I have bought the following and hope to start sharpening soon: Soft Arkansas stone, black surgical Arkansas stone, eclipse guide and the Veritas Mkii guide.

I bought the stones from halls pro edge and at 1" actual thickness they should last a few dozen lifetimes!

If you have the wide blade table (or have made one) you can use that very effectively to camber - in two different ways. The 1st method involves using the differential surface speeds inherent in a horizontal wheel. Simply swing your blade in an arc (pivot your honing guide) so that the outer edges of the blade spend more time on the outer edges of the disk. The 2nd method is the rocking motion that you would use on stones. Simply rock the guide from side to side just as you would on a stone. Can also be combined with method # 1 for a very fast camber.

Having said all that, I prefer to do it on a stone. Bad things happen a lot faster with power. If you keep the leather honing disk in the WS (requires wide table) you will seldom ever have to go to the paper. I made a guide from 2 x 3 material beveled at 30 ° that has a dado down the bevel - allows me to keep the angle with the cap iron still installed. Very quick out, strop, back in and back to work.