Honing Question

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

twoofakind

Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
606
Location
Kennesaw, GA, USA.
How do you guy's hone your gouges? I am currently using a diamond stone in three grits, but find it hard to get consistant results. Do you go front to back? side to side? I also have a hard time honing my radius edge skew. My results have worked, but I thought I would see if anybody had a process that might be better.
Andy
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
I think you really are asking about sharpening. Most use a slow grinder (1750 rpm) and a wheel in the 80-100 grit range. Others will argue, but IMHO, I don't belive honing a sharp edge is necessary for lathe tools. For woodworking and carving chisles and knives, yes. But lathe tools will self-hone in about 1/2 a second after you start using them. Hand sharpening like you are doing will take a lot of practice. Won't say it can't be done, it is done, but definately the difficult and time consuming way to go.
 
I sharpen all of my tools on a Wolverine jig on a Delta variable speed, but I have heard of people honing the edge after they sharpen on a grinder. If I remember correctly, some people claim they can hone the edge between grindings and it makes the edge last longer.

Andy
 
I use a grinder to get a hollow-ground profile on the angel of the tool. Then I hold the tool in one hand and a small diamond sharpener in the other hand. Make sure the sharpner touches the tool at the front and back points on the bevel. Stroke side-to-side and/or front to back.

Click on the image to enlarge it:


Make sense?
 
If you want a really awesome diamond honing stone, check out www.alanlacer.com. I think he sells them for about $90, and it's a slip stone with 2 different rounded edges on either side for honing the inside of a gouge. I use this to hone all of my tools, from skews to gouges. I rarely even have to go back to the grinder anymore because I hone so often.

Alan tought me the technique, and I have been doing it ever since. I can't stand using a tool fresh off the grinder. It wrecks the piece too much. I always want it honed first.

Wade
 
If you are sharpening the stuff on a grinder or other powered system, then you should only be using a fine grit home and that is all. If you are replacing the grinder with stones, you need to make sure you have a consistant angle. Do not go side to side with final honing.

I use a tormek jig and have found that honing with a fine grit stone in between grinds makes the edge hold longer.
 
Production turners have well developed skills for taking tools from the grinder to the turning. There are differences of opinon of the best grit sizes. Bonnie Klein in the AAW DVD on sharpening uses the finest grit at 120, and she also does the smallest turnings on a regular basis.

I am a hone user per Alan Lacer. He shows the technique on his videos including the AAW sharpening DVD. (Available for sale from the AAW website.)

I also tune my gouges because I know that sharp is the intersection of two edges. Many of the gouges and other lathe tools start with flutes or surfaces that are irregular. The intersection of an irregular surface is irregular and cuts scratches. I use dremel style grinding tips and felt buffing points to get about 1/2 inches of the inside of the tool polished, regular, and allow a smooth sharp edge.

I only hone with a fine diamond grit. Tried finer and it was not a better result. Tried more coarse, it saw/felt a difference. 5 seconds and a good-to-go-edge.
 
I noticed that when the gouge was new, it felt like it had been sharpened with 40 or 60 grit. You could actually feel the ridges on the bevel. While it was sharp I thought if it was smoother it would "glide" better. That was when I decided to try and hone the edge.

Andy
 
FWIW, When I bought my Sorby tools, they all said "Hone before first use" somewhere on the package or a little insert. (maybe put in there by the sales people?) Every chisel I have bought also said the same thing.
 
It is like comparing a saw to a knife. Depends on the use/application, one could be better than the other.

Edges are always saw like...the finer you sharpen/hone the teeth just get finer but still there. Even shaving blades have teeth if you bother checking (under magnification). Remember slicing with super sharp tools doesn't always mean it will go faster....but the finish should be better (again think saw and knife).

The question of spending time on sharpening/honing the tool is the greatest factor...if you can do it fast enough and the return is worth it then go that route.

Another area where the "Law of Dimishing Return" applies.

Just MHO.
 
I don't hone. I wanted to say that most all turning tools should come with directions that say "Sharpen Before Use". They usually do not come sharp and most also do not come with a very useable profile. Most pen turning does not require fingernail grinds, but when you to to bowls and other items the profiles from the factory are not very useable.
 
I learned to sharpen from an old Austrian cabinetmaker and he swore by honing. He claims the honing removes the burrs and gives you a razor sharp edge. When I need to sharpen the blade, most of the time I just step over to the oil stone and give each side a quick 5 second hone and the edge is ready to go again. I only hit the grinder when I have honed the hollow off the bevel.
Brad Harding.
 
I only bother to hone my skew because it's the only one i've experienced enough performance payoff to make it worthwhile to do. Skews are one of the few tools that greatly benefit from honing. As for all my other tools, once I have ground my shape, I consider using a 120 grit wheel gentle enough to call it sharpening :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom