How do you Sharpen??

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How do you sharpen your lathe tools?

  • Regular speed grinder

    Votes: 42 22.3%
  • Slow speed grinder

    Votes: 96 51.1%
  • Belt/Disc sander

    Votes: 23 12.2%
  • By hand using files or sandpaper

    Votes: 4 2.1%
  • Some other method

    Votes: 16 8.5%
  • I never sharpen

    Votes: 7 3.7%

  • Total voters
    188

NittanyLion

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
804
Location
State College PA
How do you sharpen your lathe tools? I'm interested in the method you use primarily to do regular sharpening of skews, gouges, etc...

Regular grinder

Slow speed grinder

Belt/Disc Sander

By hand with a file/sandpaper/etc

Some other method

I do not sharpen
 
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IowaTurner

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
6
How do you sharpen your lathe tools? I'm interested in the method you use primarily to do regular sharpening of skews, gouges, etc...

Regular grinder

Slow speed grinder

Belt/Disc Sander

By hand with a file/sandpaper/etc

Some other method

I do not sharpen

I marked "Some other method". I recently purchased the Work Sharp WS3000 along with a Tormek SVS-185 jig. I've managed to finally find an easy way to consistently get a sharp edge on my gouges. Couldn't be happier with how easy it is to sharpen!
 

Dan Masshardt

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
4,806
Location
Mechanicsburg, PA
There are two aspects to my approach. One is a slow speed grinder with wolverine jig. I started with a home made jig.

This sharpens all of my gouges as well as others that need a serious sharpening or re shaping.

For my skew, parting tool, spindlemaster, scrapers, they get frequent, very quick touch ups on a diamond hone and don't see the grinder very much at all.
 

jsolie

Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2013
Messages
2,100
Location
Sunny Murrieta, CA
I use a slow speed grinder for spindle and bowl gouges and scrapers. I use a diamond hone on my skew. I use my skew 90%+ of the time when turning pens, so it gets honed regularly (sometimes several times if the material is particularly hard) while turning.
 

JohnU

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
4,923
Location
Ottawa, Illinois
I used to use a belt sander until I got my Work Sharp. Works great for a quick sharpening during turning with very little set up. I also use a pen pro for those harder materials so no sharpening with that.
 

Cmiles1985

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
1,611
Location
Aransas Pass, TX
I've been eyeballing the WS system also. I tried out the regular grinder, but I'm not quite patient enough for that learning curve on high dollar lathe tools. Now I use a disc sander...er...a 5" round piece of plexiglass with a 220 grit pad stuck to it and bolted on my small lathe for the gouges. Quick touch ups on the diamond hone for the skews.
 

kovalcik

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
891
Location
Barrington, NH
I use my slow speed grinder with CBN wheels and Capt Eddie's Blackhawk sharpening rig for my gouges. I freehand my parting tools and scrapers on the grinder. Once I grind them to the shape and angle I like, I use a diamond card for my skews.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2010
Messages
1,798
Location
webberville, mi
I've been using the Work Sharp system and have made a couple jigs to handle my spindle gouges and skews. Works great. Have been doing more bowls lately and got an attachment so I can do bowl gouges. Real happy with that, too.
 

PhilZ

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2014
Messages
3
Location
Oregon
Worksharp 3000, nuff said. I've got a pile of jigs in the corner that I don't use anymore.

PhilZ
 

Fay Prozora

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
469
Location
Port Angeles, Wa
I use a slow speed grinder and I need to either purchase or make some jigs for my tools. I can't seem to get a good bevel shape on my gouges and such so new tool is in the near future.. So when I can get to my shop I will make a jig and then maybe when I can afford it I will buy a wolverine system or some thing to do the sharpening... Fay
 

GaryMGg

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2006
Messages
5,773
Location
McIntosh, Florida, USA.
Lucky me--I just obtained an 8" slow speed grinder with good white wheels and
the wolverine sharpening system including the main setup, the vari-grind and wheel truing jig for $150.
It was in lightly used condition. I'd been watching the sales on Black Friday but didn't find anything outstanding.
I have a couple of CSUSA discount coupons which I was going to use to order thru my local turning club.
Then this popped up on C/L.
Woo-hoo. :biggrin:
 

Fay Prozora

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
469
Location
Port Angeles, Wa
I got the Wolverine system for Christmas and I'm still waiting for it to get here. It will be here on Thursday and it'll be better then the wooden one I built. That one works but not real well. I'm sure the Wolverine will be better. Fay
 
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