Once you get into using your woodworking tools a lot it won’t be long before they don’t seem to work as well as they once did. The problem will be that they are now blunt. Since it is almost impossible to create any project satisfactorily with blunt tools, you must learn how to sharpen them. But don’t panic; it’s quite easy.
There are three methods you can use and each one is quite good, but it will depend on how much time and money you have to spend.
The first method is hand sharpening. It is the cheapest and when done properly is an excellent - if slow - method of sharpening tools. If it is done incorrectly it will give you edges that are not much better than when you started. Our grandfathers probably had these skills, but they were not always past down to later generations.
You’ll need a bench top grinder-sharpener with several white aluminum oxide wheels of 60 and 100 grit. The aluminum oxide wheels don’t overheat and spoil the tools like the other types. After you’ve given your tools a blast on the grinder, use water stones to finish them off. These come in various grades of grit and you’ll need them all so you can work your way through from coarse to fine. A honing guide is also a good investment to keep your hand steady and at the correct angle.
If this sounds like too much work, you can go to the second option and purchase a blade sharpener for under $300. Choose a reputable brand like Makita or Scheppach. These use water feed to keep the blades cool and can sharpen a wide range of tools and blades up to 15 inches long. A blade holder comes as standard equipment, but you still have to hold the blade against a slow-running wheel.
The Tormek Sharpening System is the most expensive, but the best when you have many tools to sharpen - or just like to use the best product you can get. The quiet motor is virtually vibration free and the slow-turning wheel gives complete control over every aspect of honing and sharpening almost every tool you could think of. There are many accessories that come with the Tormek System, but you will have to buy extra jigs for those things like scissors, short and long knives, axes, planer/joiner blades and turning tools.
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