Sharpening

Sharpening Product Finder

• Plane Blades and Chisels Need a Flat and Polished Back

  by Chris Gochnour

  A sharp-cutting plane blade or chisel depends upon the meeting between two flat, polished surfaces. That's why you need to pay as much attention to the backs of ...

• Video: A Tool Kit for Sharpening Handsaws

  with Chris Gochnour

  Find out which tools are required to revive a dull handsaw

• Sharpening Machines

  by Tim Albers

  It's easy to be attracted by the host of machines on the market that promise to help make the task of sharpening tools faster, easier, and more accurate. These ...

• Video: Using the FastTrack Honing Guide with Diamond Paste

  with Aimé Ontario Fraser

  Learn how to maintain the same honing angle for each iron

• Inside Sharpening Stones

  by Garrett Hack

  Garrett Hack delves into the history and manufacture of natural and man-made sharpening stones. He offers suggestions on which type of stones to get, along with ...

• Handplane Tune-up

  by David Charlesworth

  Frustrated because the new handplane you bought doesnt give you the fine shavings you expected? David Charlesworth shares a trade secreta new handplane should be ...

• A User's Guide to Waterstones

  by David Charlesworth

  The more proficient you are at sharpening a blade, the more likely you are to keep your tools sharp. And sharp tools will help you raise the quality of your projects. ...

• Honing Guides Aren't Just for Wimps

  by Mario Rodriguez

  Developing honing skills requires a great investment of time and discipline unless you use a honing guide. In this article, Mario Rodriguez assesses four popular ...

• In Search of the Perfect Benchstone

  by Brian T. Derber

  Brian T. Derber and his students evaluate a variety of benchstones to see how they measure up to Derber’s experience sharpening on razor hones. They looked at five ...

• A New Angle on Whetstones

  by Gerald Polmateer

  Gerald Polmateer takes a look at the care and use of oilstones and waterstones and the advantages and disadvantages of each. He discusses storage, care, and use, ...

• Grinding Wheel Primer

  by Jerry Glaser

  Jerry Glaser says good results on a bench grinder depend on having the proper grinding wheel for tool steel. You’ll also need a means of keeping the wheel dressed, ...

• The Humble Scraper

  by Stephen Proctor

  “Scraper” seems a poor term for such a fine tool, a tool capable of the finest of cuts and the heights of accuracy, writes Stephen Proctor. He outlines the various ...

• Jointer Talk

  by Jim Cummins

  After Jim Cummins set up one of his jointers for finish work, he realized how his work habits influence the machine’s performance. He details how he reads his machines ...

• The Backsaw

  by Ian J. Kirby

  “Backsaw” is a generic name for any handsaw with a metal stiffening strip along its top edge, opposite the teeth. Ian J. Kirby says it’s a versatile tool for cutting ...

• Japanese Blades

  by Toshio Odate

  Toshio Odate describes his early training as an apprentice in Japan and the painful, but lasting, lessons he learned there. Then he describes Japanese blades, how ...