Work Sharp system

[Steven Bolton]

Has anyone had any experience with the Work Sharp system. It looks like a motorized version of the "Scary Sharp System."

I am new to this forum and I can't perform a search that will find it. Any search tips?

Would really like to hear from people who have tried the Work Sharp system.

Thanks

Steve Bolton

[Kim Spence]

I don't own one, but have used one. I was impressed with it for sharpening chisels, started with a couple cheapies that were really hacked up and they cleaned up quite nice, sharp enough to shave the hair off my hand.

Downside is the abrasives seemed to wear quickly, and they're somewhat expensive to replace.

Can't speak to sharpining wider things such as plane blades.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I, too, look forward to hearing opinions on this system. Japanese wet stones work well but it's messy, slow and hard on me fingers. The Tormek and Jet systems seem like an improvement over manual wet stones, but they still seem sloppy and not something that one can quickly set up, use and put away.

If it's as simple and effective as the Drill Doctor (I believe made by the same company), the Work Sharp may be the ticket.

-Jeff

[Michael Panis]

Has anyone had any experience with the Work Sharp system. It looks like a motorized version of the "Scary Sharp System."

Steve Bolton

I'm surprised I haven't heard anyone mention it here. I haven't tried Work Sharp, but I have the Veritas Mk.II Power Sharpening System, which looks similar:
http://www.veritastools.com/Products/Page.aspx?p=162

The Work Sharp costs about $100 less. I can tell you the Veritas works wonderfully.

My concern when I saw the Work Sharp is that chisels and planes touch the sanding pad in the same position all the time. I would think that any imperfection in the sanding pad would transfer to the tool. If there is a Work Sharp user out there, I'd really like to hear whether this is a real concern.

---Mike

[Randy Klein]

My reservation with the work sharp is the width limitation of 2 inches. Anything bigger and you have to freehand it on top. Well, my plane blades are bigger than 2 inches, so its not for me. Also, it's limited on the bevel angles it can handle. The angles are fine for chisels and plane irons used in a bevel down plane. But not for bevel ups.

[Jim DeLaney]

My reservation with the work sharp is the width limitation of 2 inches. Anything bigger and you have to freehand it on top. Well, my plane blades are bigger than 2 inches, so its not for me...

Yeah, that's my feeling, too. If they'd make it big enough to handle up to a 2-5/8" plane iron - like a #8's - then I'd consider it. If they'd just modify it up to 2-3/8, then it's at least handle a 4½, 5½, 6, or 7 sized blade, which a lot of us use regularly.

[Mark Carlson]

I've got a WorkSharp and love it. My chissels and planes have never been sharper.

I also have a Tormek but never liked using it so I never got good at it. To many accessories and too messy with the water. My shop is small so I dont have a dedicated sharpening area. It was never setup and ready to go when I just wanted to work 1 chissel so I ended up using dull chissels more often than not. The Tormek will sharpen anything if you have the required accessory.

The WorkSharp on the other hand sits on my bench and is always ready to go. Its has a very small footprint and doesn't use water. It basically a moterized scary sharp system. The 6in sandpaper can be purchased anywhere in whatever grits makes you happy. As for wearing out a particular spot from underneath, I idea is that you use your narrow chissels on the right side of the port and the left for larger chissels so your hitting a different spot on the wheel. It seems to work fine. Once you bring all your chissels thru the various grits, you can leave the highest grit on and just go to that for touch up. Thats the thing I like best, I can spend a minute on a sharp chissel and get it scary sharp again. I did buy an extra glass disk so I could have more grits available.

I only have 3 planes at the moment (block, rabbet and low angle jack) and all 3 have blades 2 inches or less so that limitation hasn't hit me yet. All my chissel and planes also use the standard angles so that hasn't hit me either. I've heard that an accessory to do larger blades from the top is in the works. If they came out with a larger version down the road I'd probably buy that to.

I wanted something simple and quick for chissels and plane blades and the WorkSharp does that for me. Oh and I forgot to mention that this thing is idiot proof.

~mark