Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Sep 27, 2021 04:00pm | #1

   The gear you have is fantastic for putting an edge on woodworking tools. Absolutely no need to buy ANYTHING else. You just need to work on your technique. To begin with, 100 strokes on a single stone is way overkill. 8, maybe 10, and 3 or four on a strop.

   Can you walk us through your process with a single chisel?

1. 
   user-7565791 | Sep 28, 2021 06:14pm | #7

   I want to thank all you guy's for all your help, I am 91 and still love to work in te shop. I start by laying out my stones, on the 220 grit I lay in a water unit, until the bubbles stop, the other I just spray water on then, and add water as I go. as I said I use veritas MK.11 honing guide with the angle guide & ten I go ahead and sharpen the chiesels, I do lapp the stones before I start. John Griffin

1. 
   user-7624188 | Sep 29, 2021 02:53pm | #12

   I hope that I am still woodworking and sharpening by the time that I am 91. You, sir, are my hero.

2. 
   [email protected] | Sep 27, 2021 05:20pm | #2

   Get leonard Lee's book on sharpening.How many strokes ???? I have a similar set of stones for 30 years.The objective is not to wear a hole in the stone.You have probably worn a hollow in each stone.PLEASE PLEASE buy the book ,read it.Also there are good videos on the topic.FWW has articles also.Also Rockler and Woodcraft have Saturday sessions.

3. 
   _mj_ | Sep 27, 2021 05:21pm | #3

   Stop using the strop. All the work you put in with your last stone is being rounded over. Work your sharpening process and skip the strop. Only pull the chisel away from its edge on the finest grit.

1. 
   user-7624188 | Sep 29, 2021 03:02pm | #14

   I completely agree with skipping the strop and the rounding over for the initial sharpening; just use the stones and you should be good to go.

   I do, however, like to use a strop and honing compound if I need a quick tune up on the edges of my blades and chisels after the initial sharpening has dulled. I find that proper stropping has reduced my need to frequently get out the water stones. Once the strop stops being effective, it's time to bring out the stones.

   If stropping just isn't your thing, then do a quick free-hand tune up on both sides of the blades using your 8,000 stone. That also works well.

2. 
   user-7565791 | Oct 01, 2021 03:59pm | #20

   I don't know what you mean on your last sentence when you say only pull the chisel away from its edge on the finest grit. Pull away what do you by that. John Griffin

4. 
   bobr2 | Sep 27, 2021 06:14pm | #4

   Agree with _MJ_. How many strokes depends on how dull they are but 100 is too many except possibly on the coarsest grit if you have a back nick in the edge. Try the 8-10 recommended above. If that doesn't work another 8-10 strokes on each. I like diamond stones and use DMT. The main reason I like diamond is they don't get out of flat with use. I have the veritas guide and it works great. I find about 30 strokes on each grit will resharpen even a pretty dull chisel. Touching up a sharp edge is in he 8-10 strokes range.
   When you are sharpening, you can feel a fine ridge (burr) on the back edge of the chisel much like the burr you form on a scraper if you use those. If you don't form the burr, you aren't grinding all the way to cutting edge. After the finest stone, flip the chisel over flat on it's back and take a few strokes on the finest stone to remove the burr. That's my technique and I'm sure someone will say it's wrong, but it works for me. Good luck. Sharpening can take a while to master (which I am not), but the veritas guide makes it much easier. There are many articles here on the website as well that can help.

5. 
   beasleysevin | Sep 27, 2021 07:43pm | #5

   Three thoughts. First, are you lapping your stones flat before using them? Second, 100 stroke is way too many. Third, the Mark II has a knob on the side to set a micro bevel. If you set it last time and forgot to return it to "normal", you will not get the desired result.

1. 
   user-7565791 | Sep 28, 2021 06:17pm | #8

   Good God I forgot about that justment, thanks for reminding me. John Griffin

2. 
   user-7565791 | Sep 29, 2021 08:53pm | #15

   I have a question for you regsarding the Mark 11 sharpening unit. After I have sharpened all my chiesel's and I use the Mark 11 unir at 3 should I use it for my # 6, block plane also with my shoulder plane. Again thanks lot. John Griffin

1. 
   beasleysevin | Sep 29, 2021 09:09pm | #16

   I use my Mark II for sharpening everything. I do all my chisels and planes using it. Just make sure to set the angle correctly. The included instructions are pretty clear. Be sure to lap your stones flat before doing plane blades or you may grind a curve into your planes since chisels tend to wear the center of the stones more than the edges.

6. 
   rob_ss | Sep 27, 2021 09:46pm | #6

   Sometimes it's about practice.
   Do you get a mirror polish on the back of your blade? If not then defo it's either non-flat stones or technique.
   Nothing wrong with those stones in principle.

7. 
   esch5995 | Sep 28, 2021 07:34pm | #9

   As mentioned above I you are definitely working too hard at this. I would approach this in an orderly manner.

   1. flatten your stones

   2. you don't mention the brand of chisel but all but a few of the very best need to have the backs flattened before use. Without a flat back you can never achieve a truly sharp edge. Rub the the backs flat again at the stones progressing through the grits until at least the first 2-3 cm is smooth and polished right up to the edge. The emphasis is on the edge here not so much the entire blade. If you have the first cm flat and polished but there is still a low spot in the middle that will work.

   3. Starting with your 1000 grit stone(you shouldn't need to use the 200 grit unless a blade is nicked or you need to reestablish a primary bevel for some reason, set your Mk.II for 30° (I'm assuming by now you have a well established primary bevel of 25° if not you may be sharpening to the incorrect angle) take a few strokes, no more than a dozen, you should feel a burr or wire edge across the entire blade width. If you do move on to the next grit, if not take another 3-4 passes. Repeat this until you get to your finishing stone. Take 5-6 PULL strokes on your finest stone then carefully take 2-3 pull strokes with the back of the chisel flat on your finest stone to remove the wire edge. You should now be ready for shaving.

   A couple of other points. I am not familiar with the Norton but are you sure all your stones don't require a thorough submersion before use, most man made mid-grade stones do?

   Lose the strop I know it has a loyal following but I'm not one of them.

8. 
   bilyo | Sep 28, 2021 08:03pm | #10

   I'll put one slight twist on all of the good advice above. Invest in one more tool; a 10 power magnifying glass (called a loop). Then, stop counting the strokes. After you have developed a burr using the first grit and you have a good even scratch pattern on the face, move on to the next grit. Now grind until you have removed all of the scratches from the first grit (here is where the loop helps). It helps if you can make the scratches at a slightly different angle compared to the first grit. Now continue in this way through all of the grits. If you can still see scratches from the previous grit, you aren't finished with the one you are on. Good luck.

9. 
   DRBWWing | Sep 29, 2021 09:50am | #11

   Did anyone mention don't go to next grit until you feel a burr?

   Do 10 strokes, feel for burr. On coarse grits that may be all. Finer grits are harder to feel, you have to trust that 15-20 strokes will do it.

   When you get to 1000 you should do a secondary bevel. Increase the angle of the jig a couple degrees.

   I agree about leather strops & dubbing, but not solid wood strops.

1. 
   user-7624188 | Sep 29, 2021 02:56pm | #13

   Absolutely. The burr is a must. To save myself time and effort, I use a dry piece of paper towel and run it over the non-beveled side of the blade to determine if I have created a burr by grinding and then honing the bevel. If you have raised a burr, you will hear and feel a slight scratching sound when running the dry paper towel across the flat side of the plane blade.

   You can use the paper towel trick to then listen for that scratching sound once you try and remove the burr to make the blade sharp. There should be no scratching sound. You will then be sharp.

2. 
   barton_meeks | Sep 29, 2021 09:44pm | #17

   So, do you remove the burr after each grit? Some seem to indicate only removing the burr in the last step on the finest grit, for those folks, how do you know when you are done with a particular grit if not raising a new burr for each grit?

1. 
   bilyo | Sep 29, 2021 09:55pm | #18

   See comment #10 above. Removing the previous scratch pattern will replace the coarser burr with a new finer one.

2. 
   user-7624188 | Sep 30, 2021 12:32am | #19

   I don't remove the burr after each grit, only on the last stone (8,000)