I’ve got two questions to put to the knots community today. Here’s the first:
I like almost all aspects of the Veritas sharpening jig except for one issue – my chisels or plane blades don’t stay at 90 degrees to the jig and I have to keep adjusting them. I could tighten the knurled nuts that fasten the hold down with pliers but that’s not a good way to treat knurled nuts.
Does anyone else have this problem? How have you solved it? Thank’s in advance.
Replies
Mike,
Make sure that you have tightened the knobs evenly so that the clamping bar contacts the blade all the way across, not just at one corner. If all else fails, some non-slip tape or sandpaper should help.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Hi Mike
When I first began using the LV Honing guide I was aware that uneven pressure from the two hold down knobs could or would lead to a skew bevel. Along with others, I viewed this as a weakness in the design of an otherwise superb tool.
These days I see it differently. While I use a honing guide for BU plane blades, I prefer to freehand for BD plane blades and chisels. My experience here has helped me conceptualise that the honing guide is just a method of holding a blade while it is being guided by one's hand. So, if you were freehanding the blade, and a slight skew began to develop, then you would re-adjust your pressure - add more to one side.
In this vein, consider the hold down knobs to be your steering wheel. Use them to steer the bevel where you want it to go. We don't always want a straight bevel. Think about the bevel as you hone. Sharpening should not be a mechanical process - not all blades are the same. Some are not parallel sided.
In short, what you are observing is a normal function. Recognise this and use it to your advantage.
Regards from Perth
Derek
You're aware of the nibs inside the jig there, alongside which the tool is set before tightening? And if so, a normal tightening should be enough to allow the tool to be sharpened. You might be applying a bit much pressure?
Denny
When I first used the jig my blades would get out of square even if I was careful to equally tighten the thumb screws. I have found that if I gently tighten them with a pair of pliars that the blades would stay straight. I am sure if you over tighten the jig will break. Bob
You're talking about the Mark II jig with two knurled nuts, right?
1) As Derek said, make sure you apply even pressure to both nuts so that the blade is firmly held across its width. If the pressure is uneven, the blade will only be held by one edge.
2) Make sure the pressure surfaces, where the clamp contacts the blade, are clean and free of burs or oil. Also make sure that the blade itself is clean.
3) Make sure that the threads on the nuts and studs are clean and lubricated. This will enable you to convert more of the tightening torque into pressure on the blade.
For what it's worth, I don't experience this problem. If I carefully tighten the nuts by hand, it takes some effort to move the blade. If I need to adjust its position slightly (to square the end of the blade with the mechanism, for example), I tap the protruding back end of the blade or handle against the bench top, or with a small mallet. I actually have to tap fairly firmly to get the blade to budge.
-Steve
Had same problem then found:
Bring the knobs down evenly and at the same time. The blade will not have even pressure and slip if you tighten one first and then the other. Then tighten alternately like lug nuts on a wheel.
I also tweak the knobs with torque wrench :0
BB
mike,
Two questions: What is your sharpening medium, i.e sandpaper on glass, oilstone, etc.? And is/are the blades ground B4 and are you just honing them?
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
The other factor I've found helps is to make sure that the blade is centered in the jig -- it is hard to apply even pressure to the blade if it is not centered. There is a scale which helps center the blade when one attaches the gizmo that sets the angle is attached.
i certainly experienced the problem you mention. It was early on in my experience and the remedy seems to have been mentioned but i'll go over the steps i use:
Start with a clean tool and clean jig. As others mentioned the surfaces cannot have any debris or oil on them. Centering the tool is also important, be sure to use the scale on the top to do this (read it correctly, because it is used for centering the increments are not read 1:1). Not all edged tools are created evenly; it took me a long time to come to terms with a certain wide chisel I own because the long edge was not square to the factory grind. And last but not least, tighten the nuts down evenly. I open the jig enuf to slide the tool through then snug the nuts up just to keep it from falling out. I give a sight through the jig at a window or light to see that there is NO gap left or right between the jig clamping bar and the tool.
Hope this all helps
except for one issue - my chisels or plane blades don't stay at 90 degrees to the jig and I have to keep adjusting them
I think you're generating excess skew forces whilst honing.
I have used this jig (to sharpen skew blades); it has a single, weak hold down. The blades stay put.
View Image
BugBear
Telemike,
Ive been using the MK II honing guide fairly regularly for two years. And I experience exactly your problem. This is a good tool, arguably the best on the market of its type, but there's room for improvement. Ive tried all the tweakings that have been suggested. Throughout a range of straight chisels, straight plane blades, skewed blades and deeper mortise chisels the results are variable. I own the cambered roller and the skew registration plate as well. There is technique required with each of these accessories and for each blade style. I mostly get it done. But slippage, both fore and aft and from side to side can and do occur all too frequently. Ive talked with Lee Valley about this and am on my second tool. It works the same.
In addition to the previous posters warnings about evenly tightening the adjusting screws, to include sighting down between the top and bottom clamp bars and around the blade being clamped to make sure things are not katty whompus and making sure they are tight Ive also tried the following. The main parts of the jig are die cast. Thats good to keep cost down, if not so sexy looking these days with all the CNC goodies to be found in other consumer products. This process invariably leaves surfaces that are not perfectly flat and sometimes have forming ridges/deformities. LV paints or powder coats the tool and the mating die cast surfaces. Ive been suspicious that the mating surfaces, do to these two conditions do not provide as much good contact as would be promised by the possible surface area. And so Ive carefully filed these surfaces to get through the paint/powder coat and eliminate die cast formed ridges (which were there). Results, however are mixed, so Im not recommending this.
Its my belief the tool has room for improvement. Lee Valley needs to hear this or a competitor needs to heed this and things will get better.
TomR
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