Replies

1. 
   DonC | Jan 29, 2007 07:51am | #1

   I use a sliding "T" Bevel and a protractor.

2. 
   ChipTam | Jan 29, 2007 04:41pm | #2

   A good rule of thumb that I've always used is that the length of the bevel should be 2 1/4 times the thickness of the tool (chisel, plane blade, etc.).  That can be varied a bit but it's a good place to start.

   Chip Tam

3. 
   cscwem | Jan 29, 2007 10:55pm | #3

   in degrees....

1. 
   dougmeyer | Jan 29, 2007 11:23pm | #4

   So you measure it a little bit at a time and then add it all together?

   Doug Meyer

1. 
   cscwem | Jan 29, 2007 11:44pm | #5

   except on tuesdays...

4. 
   SteveSchoene | Jan 29, 2007 11:58pm | #6

   Both Woodcraft and Lee Valley sell, for $5 and $6 respectively, angle checkers or beval gauges that are small brass disks with various angle "notches" cut into it.  With a little bit of interpolation, you can measure the bevels accurately enough for all extents and purposes in woodworking. 

5. 
   BruceS | Jan 30, 2007 02:53am | #7

   Both sliding T and Starrett Protractor head.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Jan 30, 2007 08:10pm | #8

   Thanks, everyone. The answers seem fairly obvious now that you point them out. Unfortunately, for me anyway, a lot of life is like that.Cheers!

1. 
   byhammerandhand | Jan 30, 2007 08:19pm | #9

   http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=15003-56005-17&lpage=none

2. 
   EdHarrison | Jan 31, 2007 03:37am | #10

   I look at it.  I hold it at arm's length and I sort of squint and I listen for the voice of the blade angle gods whispering to me and then I say, "That's about 30 degrees" (or something like that), then I get back to work.  Sorry to sound facetious, but that's really the way I do it.  Sometimes I look at the secondary bevel I put on there when I honed it and say "That's about five more degrees."  It helps to remember that if the length of the bevel is twice the thickness of the iron (or chisel), then it's close to 30 degrees.  Good luck, Ed

    

    

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Jan 31, 2007 06:46am | #11

   Speaking of blade angles, there seems no unity on the idea of concave blade grinding vs flat.  Some seem to think that a concave grind is the only way to go and that it makes subsequent sharpening easier, while others inisit that it weakens the blade.  I have the wherewithall to do either, although for now I am sharpening flat.

   Any thoughts?

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Jan 31, 2007 03:26pm | #12

   You have the arguments down.  I'm a fan of the hollow grind in most cases.  For me it makes it easier to register the bevel on a sharpening stone so that freehand honing becomes really feasible.  (It is really noticeable if you start to rock the bevel on the stone.)  And, when I am doing a project with lots of chisel use that can be an important time saver that encourages me to touch up the honing when first it is needed.  My secondary bevel is what I was taught as a "micro-bevel"--just enough to firm up the edge, but no so much that it isn't removed easily when rehoning. 

   The only chisels I don't use the hollow grind on are heavy mortise chisels where, right or wrong, the chisels get used sometimes as levers.  There I let the "secondary" bevel grow so the the bevel becomes a bit convex.   

   While we are debating sharpening issues, I'll throw down my preference for oil stones.  Oil on wood isn't a good thing, but neither is water after it has collected any sharpening swarf.  But, oil doesn't freeze, and more particularly, a light film of oil on chisels doesn't encourage rust, a slight film of water can. 

   All of these things are pretty much matters of personal preference.  It my case they derived from having instruction from Maurice Fraser at the Craft Student League in Manhattan.  If you learned from someone else, then what you are comfortable with may well be different.  And, that's fine too. 

2. 
   EdHarrison | Jan 31, 2007 04:44pm | #13

   Hollow grind with a hand grinder, then oil stones and leather strop for final honing, pretty much same as the above poster describes.  My mantra now is Simplify, simplify, SIMPLIFY.  You'll get a lot of opinions on this, but my vote is to be able to put an edge on the tool quickly so that you can use it and not make a science project out of the sharpening process.  Good luck, Ed

    

3. 
   joinerswork | Jan 31, 2007 09:34pm | #14

   Joe,

   You are mistaken.  Steve and I have perfect unity on the idea of how to sharpen.  Everyone else is just plain wrong, stupid, or both.  Ha, ha, just kidding,  all you  flat-bevelling, waterstone-flattening, slurry making, tripoli-polishing enthusiasts out there.  Y'all pro'lly use biscuits to join boards together, too.  Heh,heh.

   Ducking now,

   Ray