A Useful Skill

[Maurice Metzger]

A big thank-you to Bob Smalser and Joel Moskowitz for their tutorials (Joel's is on another site) and encouragement on sharpening freehand, without a jig or guide. I have been practicing on bevel-edge chisels that I could have used a jig on if I so preferred. It was very useful when it came time to sharpen a blade I couldn't use my jig on, a skewed No. 39 1/4" blade:

DSCN0236.JPG

Not trying to put down jigs and guides at all, I just could not use mine on this blade.

Thanks!
- Maurice

[tod evans]

maurice, i`m one of the jig free fellows i just find it much quicker to free hand..02 tod

[Mike Wenzloff]

While I sharpen freehand 99% of the time, I do use the LV honing guides to often correct small errors.

They do make it into a fairly mindless task to make those corrections--even on the #39s I own. And the skewed moving fillister. And the #140...and...and...

Not to argue, Maurice. Just wanted to correct a perception that the LV guide cannot handle skewed blades properly. As well, they will be releasing the attachment for ensuring the angles are set properly, both the skew and the projection for bevel angle on the one attachment.

Take care, Mike

[Maurice Metzger]

Actually Mike, I'm glad you responded as it gives me a chance to correct *two* of my own pet peeves (yikes):

1. A sweeping generalization
2. Referencing a website without giving a clue as to its location

I have only used a sharpening guide by Richard Kell, which is a side to side guide. And even it could probably handle a skew with shims.

And the offsite tutorial is at:

http://www.antiquetools.com/sharp/index.html

I changed my original post.

Cheers!

- Maurice