Problems with my honing

[Gabe Shackle]

I've been trying to use the Veritas MKII honing guide for a while now and I'm consistently getting a skewed result. I've tried two different guides (amazing customer support from Veritas/Lee Valley btw) and have determined the problem is definitely due to something I'm doing wrong. The attached image shows how it looks when I hone no matter what I'm working on. The red area is where it always ends up when I begin honing. Chisels, plane blades, different brands and sizes, I always end up with that right side skew.

Any tips on how to correct this or what the cause might be?

[Terry Beadle]

The problem can be one of two causes or both. Nice to narrow it down huh! Hoot!

If it's the guide that's causing the issue, you are not getting the chisel or plane blade in the jig square. Some thing is moving the blade out of square relative to the roller. The jig does not have a really good gripping system on the blade so you have to be a bit gentle with the blade sharpening. Always check the blade after you have started the sharpening. I use a black majic marker on the cutting edge bevel to check to see if I'm square. Just a couple of lite strokes on the stone will show if you are square or not. A gentle tap on one side or the other with usually correct any movement that occurred when you tightened down the clamping screw.

The second possible cause if un-even pressure applied by you. This is a blessing and a curse. You can use extra pressure on one side or the other of a blade to be sharpened to get the cutting edge square to the side of the blade or chisel. That's the blessing. The curse is if you are not applying equal pressure on a chisel center, the sharpening process will remove more metal from the side you are putting too much or uneven pressure on.

So when you are using the jig, be aware that you have to balance the pressure to the center on a chisel. You can put more pressure and strokes on one edge or the other of a plane blade to give it a curve so that the blade won't leave plane-ing tracks on the wood. This is almost a requirement for good smoothing plane blades...(See David Charlesworth's great books and video's on this topic ).

Enjoy the shavings !

[Gary Viggers]

It looks like you've got a great camber. Unfortunately it's only on one side of the iron

Make sure the iron is squarely in the honing guide. Any burrs on the sliding blade-registration jig? Is it tightened correctly?

Are your stones flat?

As far as technique, with the iron in the guide (bevel down), you are probably putting more pressure on the right side of the iron. Either work on putting even pressure for a straight edge (fingers close to the corners of the iron), or put all of the pressure on the left side to get a symmetrical camber to fix the iron pictured.

[Jussi Auvinen]

I think you are clamping the blade wrong. You need to advance both of the screws equally or the blade will be skewed.

Cranking down one screw first and then the second will cause the blade to skew. Advance equally in small incraments.

[Jim Koepke]

Gabe,

Your location isn't listed in your profile. You may live near another member who would be willing to help figure out what is happening in person.

These kinds of problems are often easier to see first hand rather than via keyboard.

There are also a lot of unknowns in the mix.

What kind of sharpening system are you using?

Have you tried with the same results on different grits?

Do you have a square and caliper or other ways to check the set up of the honing guide?

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

I think you are clamping the blade wrong. You need to advance both of the screws equally or the blade will be skewed.

Cranking down one screw first and then the second will cause the blade to skew. Advance equally in small incraments.

That could be the culprit.

jtk

[Bruce Haugen]

I think you are clamping the blade wrong. You need to advance both of the screws equally or the blade will be skewed.

Cranking down one screw first and then the second will cause the blade to skew. Advance equally in small incraments.

I think Jussi has got it right, based on doing that same exact thing myself. I take care of that problem by holding the clamping bar tightly against the blade while advancing the screws until they are equally snug on both sides of the blade. Only then can you be reasonably sure that the blade is held correctly. Also make sure that the blade is tight up against the side of the angle setting device.

[Sean Hughto]

Think of the guide as maintaining the bevel angle, and you be responsible for the blade angle. Look at the scratches after a pass or two and adjust the chisel and/or your finger pressure and then take another pass or two and check again. It takes only a few seconds of effort to get a straight even removal.

[Dale Cruea]

I have a MK II also. I used to get the same result.
First, each time I insert a blase I use a .002" feeler to make sure the side is registered the same every time.

The biggest problem I found is that the LV honing guides will not stay parallel when you use the micro bevel knob.
On a 2 3/8" blade it raises the left side about .003" or a little more.
LV says I am putting too much pressure on the guide. This is a free standing measurement.
I quit using the micro bevel knob and now my blades stay flat across the cutting edge.

Check to insure that the blade is registered correctly and don't use the micro bevel knob.

[Gabe Shackle]

Great input! Looks like I have some experimenting to do. I suspect it's a combination of the tightening and finger pressure.

[Dan Hahr]

Put a drop of oil on the threads and tighten as much as you can. Sometimes i think those gripping surfaces sbould be coated with a fine abrasive or knurrled or something.

[Don Jarvie]

Suggest you you a hollow grind and freehand. It takes some practice but it will eliminate your problem.

[Jim Koepke]

Suggest you you a hollow grind and freehand. It takes some practice but it will eliminate your problem.

Having a hollow grind to start does make free handing much easier, but it also requires a grinder. Not sure if the OP has a grinder.

jtk

[Joel Goodman]

I think you are clamping the blade wrong. You need to advance both of the screws equally or the blade will be skewed.

Cranking down one screw first and then the second will cause the blade to skew. Advance equally in small incraments.

+1 -- if the tension on the clamping screws is uneven the blade will tend to skew in the guide. Make sure they're equally tight and as said above tighten each screw a little at a time, alternating between them.

[Jason Coen]

I fought the same problem. Never could figure it out, so I finally gave up and switched to an Eclipse-style guide for 99% of the times I use a guide. I now only use the Mk. II when sharpening skew blades.