# Question Of The Week... (2020 week 9)



## ripjack13 (Feb 23, 2020)

*How do you sharpen your hand tools and how often do you sharpen them?*







**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks, wood spinners, and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
One Texan isn't worth a barrel of monkeys....

Reactions: Funny 4


----------



## Tony (Feb 23, 2020)

Hand tools, what?????

By the way, I read the fine print above. @woodman6415 is my friend and I won't have you talk about him that way!!!!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 4


----------



## Mike1950 (Feb 23, 2020)

waterstones - whenever they need it

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## woodtickgreg (Feb 23, 2020)

I do sharpen my hand tools, chisels, planes, card scrapers, and even the carbide inserts on my turning chisels.

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## ripjack13 (Feb 23, 2020)

Tony said:


> Hand tools, what?????
> 
> By the way, I read the fine print above. @woodman6415 is my friend and I won't have you talk about him that way!!!!!



hmm...that is the first time, ever, someone has mentioned that they read that.

I figured you'd send me a text about it telling me I'm #1....

Reactions: Funny 6


----------



## ripjack13 (Feb 23, 2020)

@Spinartist ....Thanks brother!!!


----------



## Tony (Feb 23, 2020)

ripjack13 said:


> hmm...that is the first time, ever, someone has mentioned that they read that.
> 
> I figured you'd send me a text about it telling me I'm #1....



I always read them, you come up with some good ones! If people skip them they are missing out!

Reactions: Like 3 | +Karma 1


----------



## ripjack13 (Feb 23, 2020)

ripjack13 said:


> *How do you sharpen *your hand tools and *how often do you sharpen them?*





woodtickgreg said:


> I do sharpen my hand tools, chisels, planes, card scrapers, and even the carbide inserts on my turning chisels.



I didn't ask if you did. I asked how, and when....

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


----------



## CWS (Feb 23, 2020)

Only thing I sharpen is my lathe tools and my pocket knive,

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## woodtickgreg (Feb 23, 2020)

ripjack13 said:


> I didn't ask if you did. I asked how, and when....


OOPS! Sorry, still drinking coffee and waking up. My method for chisels is sandpaper stuck to a sheet of bullet proof glass with a roller attachment to hold the angles, same method for plane irons. I sharpen as needed, I go by feel, if its struggling to cut I sharpen. Flatten the backs too. Turning carbide I sharpen on a diamond credit card size plate, doesn't take much, just a few seconds rubbing in a circular motion and they are like new again. My carbide last a long time. Same thing with the carbide, if I have to use a lot of effort to cut then I sharpen them.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## ripjack13 (Feb 23, 2020)

CWS said:


> Only thing I sharpen is my lathe tools and my pocket knive,



How do you do that?


----------



## CWS (Feb 23, 2020)

A grinder with CBN wheels.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


----------



## Tony (Feb 23, 2020)

I do sharpen my carbide turning tools on a DMT diamond plate.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Lou Currier (Feb 23, 2020)

You’re supposed to sharpen tools

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 4


----------



## Lou Currier (Feb 23, 2020)

Tony said:


> By the way, I read the fine print above. @woodman6415 is my friend and I won't have you talk about him that way!!!!!



which comment? The one about the Texan or the one about primates

Reactions: Funny 5


----------



## FranklinWorkshops (Feb 23, 2020)

For flat edges, I use a large heavy plate glass with sandpaper taped to its surface. I start with 400 g then go up to 600, 1200, and finally 2500 grit. Then I use a razor strop impregnated with red rouge to bring the edge to near perfect. For gouges and other curved edges, I use a Tormek water stone sharpener and then finish the edge with hand-held pads of different sandpaper grits, followed by the razor strop. 

How often depends on use, of course. When I know I have several that need it, I take an afternoon and do them all at one time as I watch cable news. It's a boring job but I've got to do it. There is nothing quite so frustrating as using dull hand tools.

Reactions: Like 1 | Great Post 1


----------



## T. Ben (Feb 23, 2020)

I haven’t had to sharpen my turning chisels yet but will be on a Tormek,I do sharpen my flat carbides on diamond cards.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## trc65 (Feb 23, 2020)

Sharpton ceramic stones during and after use for plane blades and chisels. Taper files for hand saws - not nearly often enough.
CBN 220x for turning tools. Slip stones for draw knives. Ceramic stones for pocket and kitchen knives. Slip stones and stropping for carving knives.

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## Rocking RP (Feb 23, 2020)

I sharpen by hand using diamond stones and strop board. When I need to reshape or let one get too dull I use the Robert Sorby sharpening system.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Herb G. (Feb 23, 2020)

I've got the most beautiful set of 3 Arkansas oil stones you ever saw. 40 years old, and never used.
That's why they're so beautiful.
Willing to sell them, BTW.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 2


----------



## Spinartist (Feb 23, 2020)

Lou Currier said:


> You’re supposed to sharpen tools

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 2


----------



## Mike Mills (Feb 23, 2020)

Lathe curved, 80 grit wheel ever 30 - 60 minutes (guess). Lathe flat (skew,parting tool....), diamond card every turning sometimes twice.
Planes & bench chisels ... been so long I can't remember but it was always too long between... water stones and cratex.
Carving tools, strop about every 15 -30 minutes. Very dull, cratex then strop.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## TXMoon (Feb 24, 2020)

Poorly, and not often enough.

Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## Gdurfey (Feb 24, 2020)

for lathe tools, just went to CBN wheels. I also have the diamond cards for the skew and just recently started trying to use a hone before every turning. Probably making things worse using it, but I understand the principle...….

Like Herb, I have a set of gorgeous Arkansas stones on a triangular stand I inherited from my dad. mostly get them out once a year and just remember dad......

Reactions: Like 1 | Sincere 2


----------



## Spinartist (Feb 24, 2020)

Woodturning gouges & parting tool 180 grit CBN wheel on Baldor 3600 rpm grinder. Woodturning scrapers 80 grit blue Norton wheel. I also diamond hone the bevel on all woodturning tools except gouges. Those get power stropped on Tormek. Skew only gets fine diamond honed & power stropped unless it has a chip on cutting edge.
Carbide cutters I use a 6" round diamond lap wheel spinning & mounted on lathe & soap for lubricant.

Knives & scissors I grind on Tormek with 600 grit CBN wheel & then diamond hone & strop the knives.

I sharpen my 4 tpi wood cutting bandsaw blades on 80 grit blue Norton wheel on Baldor.

Drill bits - Forstner I grind and/or hone. Twist bits I use Drill Doctor.

Chainsaws 5/32 round file.

Ax filed, honed or on grinder.

Pencils get sharpened by pocket knife or pencil sharpener.

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## Mr. Peet (Feb 26, 2020)

I have not mastered the neighbor's drill doctor, but have used it to improve many broken bits. Chainsaw chains by hand file for 3-5 sharpenings then on a mechanical sharpener to balance chains. Use it to top rakers also. Do use the 4" angle grinder on wood splitting wedges, axes, mauls, mower blades (not needed very often, maybe once a year). Sometimes dress them on the 6" x 70" Grizzly sander (40, 60, 80 or 100 grit). Knives are chased on the 1" x 30" belt sander, 120 grit or the 400 grit depending what it on the sander at the time. Rarely finished, but when done, oil stone.

As for turning tools, brother Herb and hand planes, brother Dave. Dave does handsaws too, but they go years before needing anything. Bandsaw and tablesaw, usually just buy replacements. Send all other blades out (jointer, etc.). Sure there are others, but that covers the most common for me.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Nubsnstubs (Feb 26, 2020)

Gdurfey said:


> for lathe tools, just went to CBN wheels. I also have the diamond cards for the skew and just recently started trying to use a hone before every turning. Probably making things worse using it, but I understand the principle...….
> 
> Like Herb, I have a set of gorgeous Arkansas stones on a triangular stand I inherited from my dad. mostly get them out once a year and just remember dad......


Garry and Herb, show me your stones. A flintknapper can make beautiful Points/Knives with Novaculite, which is the Arkansas stone mentioned.........Are they from Dan's Whetstones?........


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 26, 2020)

@Mr. Peet 
You said above, you send out others (jointer, etc). Where do you send them? Local?


----------



## Mr. Peet (Feb 26, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> @Mr. Peet
> You said above, you send out others (jointer, etc). Where do you send them? Local?



There is a place in Scranton that sharpens everything, just west of us 35 miles, called, Scranton Grinder.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------

