Request for thoughts on this sharpening kit
DanielBottari
| Posted in Hand Tools on
Hey,
Fairly new to woodworking.
Looking to buy equipment for sharpening my chisels and came across a kit which has a double-sided diamond stone (400 and 1000 grit), leather strop and honing compound, and a board which has recesses to get accurate bevel angles using a honing guide:
Rider Sharpening Station Kit | Axminster Tools
I’m wondering if people with a lot of sharpening experience could let me know:
1) whether a very fine grit stone would be better than strop for polishing
2) whether a diamond stone is a good choice (not got much knowledge of pros and cons of different stones)
3) whether the kit is a good purchase overall for a decent sharpening set-up (I’ll be buying a honing guide as well).
Thank you!
Replies
I’d take recommendations you receive here and check out their YouTube videos. For what it’s worth I vote for Rob Cosman.
I don't like kits. Kits favor the seller, not the buyer. I don't like stopping straight blades, such as chisels and plane blades. Totally not necessary, and a stone does the job better. Especially on newer steels. I do strop carving tools.
I use a 1,000 and 4,000 diamond stone, and finish on a Spyderco ultrafine ceramic stone. I use a Lie Nielsen honing guide. The whole process takes about a minute for all 3 grits.
Thanks, why is stropping not necessary for chisels?
Is the Lie Nielson honing guide sufficient to set the bevel angle on its own, or do you need a protrusion stop/jig to help?
Thanks for letting me know what you use - I'm going to have a look around at how much individual purchases would cost me.
stropping rounds the edge over.
Not really a buy. The grits seem like what I'd use to keep chisels sharp. Not fine enough for plane blades, IMO. I use an oil stone and strop for chisels. You can use the untanned side of an old belt, a piece of raw leather or anything of that nature for stropping chisels -- you're just trying to remove the burr, not achieve a mirror finish.
With chisels, if you sharpen on a wheel so that they're hollow ground, you will learn to "snap" the blade on to the stone so that just the very front and very back touch. No need for a micro bevel on a chisel, unlike a plane.
For plane blades, I echo john_c2 about using two finer grade stones with a honing guide. Some honing guides have a knob to turn to adjust for the micro bevel, a handy feature.
Thanks for the information about stropping, that's really helpful. Good to know that a micro bevel is not necessary as well.
Definitely will be getting a honing guide.
I have four diamond stones, a strop, and 8000 grit water stone. The diamond stones cut very quickly but I need the 8000 grit water stone to get a polished edge.
The extra coarse diamond stone is for excessively bad tools.
I stopped using the strop, it may have been me, but it my blades are sharper without using the strop.
I am going to consider ceramic stones for my next purchase.
There are previous post on this - you may want to search and review the other post.
Thanks, could I ask why you chose a water stone for polishing?
I'll have a search for previous posts, thanks.
You want a high polished mirror finish that is achieved with the 8000 grit waterstone.
My blades never seemed sharp enough using an Extra Fine Diamond stone.
You only need the mirror finish on the secondary bevel.
Be aware you will need a lapping plate to keep the water stone flat.
As esch stated I round the sharp edge when using a strop. Lay the back side of the blade flat on you finest stone to knock of the burr.
Thanks, that's really helpful to know about the 8000 grit waterstone, and the need for the lapping plate.
Asking about sharpening is going to get you as many different answers as there are stars in the sky, but I will pass on my experiences after 50 years of making shavings. I have used everything from Arkansas, Medium quality waterstones(King, etc), premium waterstones, ceramic, and diamond plates, my current system is plate glass lapping plates and 3m film.
What I recommend for a new woodworker would be this.
https://taytools.com/products/three-sheets-5-16-x-5-x-12-float-glass-and-7-sheets-3m-psa-lapping-film-for-scary-sharp-system?_fid=9e5e3642b&_pos=34&_ss=c
It is an economical way to have many different grits available anytime you need them. I put a different grit on each side of the glass plate so I have 6 grits available for only $50. Lapping films don't need to be soaked like many(not all) waterstones, a spritz of water is all they need, they don't need to be flattened like all waterstones, (the more economical stones tend to need flatting more often, the glass plates are larger than most stones making them ideal for using jigs like the Lie-Nielsen (a very good jig by the way although I use the Veritas Mk.II)
I do use diamond plates for heavy work such as flattening, chisel and plane backs, I don't feel even my extra fine diamond stone can polish an edge the way a quality waterstone or lapping films can, but only buy a top brand like DMT to insure that they are truly flat, many cheap imports are not. A combination stone would be fine for this purpose.
I never strop anything, an edge properly done off an 8000 grit stone will outcut one that has been rounded on a strop in my experience. Carving tools being the only exception.
Again as a beginner the Taytools package is hard to beat, a reasonable investment, all the grits you need. If you decide this is a passion for you and gain experience you can then decide if you want to invest in premium stones like Shaptons, but I think you will find very few advantages for hundreds of dollars invested.
Regardless on what type of stone you get I also recommend a silicone mat to contain the mess and protect your bench. You can buy them from woodworking suppliers or for a fraction of the cost on Amazon just labeled differently. Get one large enough to accommodate multiple stones but not too large to be unwieldy. Here is an example.
ZLR Silicone Dish Drying Mat for Kitchen Counter Large - Multi Usage Eco Friendly Drying Matt Kitchen Counter - Easy to Clean Heat Resistant Dish Drying Pad - 12" x 16" - Gray https://a.co/d/8zCWte1
If you do use the lapping films I recommend sticking to pull strokes with your jig, at least until you get some experience, pushing a sharp blade can cut the film at times if you aren't careful. I also feel the wire edge forms quicker and better using only pull stokes, pushing the blade seems to break it off at times sometimes leaving microscopic irregularities in the edge, at least in my opinion.
Thanks so much for the float glass/lapping film recommendation and all the information about it you have given me.
Really tempted to go for this in addition to a honing guide and either make or buy an angle-setting jig.
I really like the idea of the three-piece (of float glass) set, and the tip of putting a different piece on each side for a 6-grit sharpening set up is really good.
I guess the only thing I'm wondering is how long the lapping films typically last, i.e. (roughly) how many chisel sharpenings would you get before a need to replace a piece?
I did a wee google search and they it does seem to be a really good option. I did see an article about the films by Paul Sellers saying that 'rarely can you hone a chisel without gouging through the surface'. I'm guessing that's not actually the case if they are so highly regarded, but wondering if you might comment on that?
Thanks again for all your help
Most hobbyists won't wear out films for years, but they aren't expensive to replace, especially if you get a diamond plate for the heavy work.
As I mentioned you can cut the films, but this is easily avoided by only applying pressure on the pull stroke. It is only when you apply pressure when pushing the sharp edge forward that you are in risk of cutting the film.
Thanks, it does seem like a really cost-effective option. I'm going to go for it.
Ah yeah, so you did - thanks - I'll be sure just to apply pressure on the pull stroke. Cheers :)
A few last tips then.
I was taught to sharpen using the 2x progression rule. Meaning if I'm starting at 1000 my next step is 2000 then 4000 and so on. I know others say that isn't necessary and skip grits but sharpening is all about making progressively finer scratches in the metal, because deep scratches at the edge create weak points. I find it much quicker to remove these deep scratches with a few quick passes on gradually finer abrasives than jumping from 2000 to 8000. This is easy to do with the lapping films because they are so economical.
With this in mind layout your plates so that you can have have 3 successive grits exposed at once. When sharpening work through your progression then flip all 3 plates at once and work through the progression again until you reach your finish grit. With the films I would think this would be 1 micron, the approximate equivalent of 12000.
(if you really want to get lost in the weeds take a look at the Lee Valley abrasive grit comparison chart I attached and you will see how difficult to compare abrasives. The same numbers mean different things depending on manufacturer, country, medium, etc.)
Thanks so much for the final tips. For some reason, there is no reply button beneath that message so I thought I'd reply to this one again so you see it.
The information about what sharpening literally is is really interesting. I've actually saved your reply and the tips for the set-up using gradually finer grits on my computer, alongside the chart - i love learning about this stuff in depth. Its great to know the 'why' behind everything I'm doing.
I'm in the UK so can't get the exact deal you recommended (shipping would be more than the item!). I have found similar options.
Including this one, which features polycarbonate plates rather than float glass. Will be more durable I imagine, but will do a but a little digging to see how they compare in flatness.
https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/scary-sharpening-set-standard
You can buy the components separately, so I might just get the plates and sheets. You'd said all you need was a spritz of water - perhaps the HoneRite fluid is unecessary and just added in to bump up the price?
There is probably something I’m missing but $105 for 6 sheets of sandpaper, 3 polycarbonate rectangles and a can of honing fluid is anything but cheap. I can get a 3 oil stones system for that price and it will last a lifetime . Btw, polycarbonate is strong but soft, so is the paper backing of the sandpaper, I would go through a kit per year + the paper changing/plate cleaning etc…
HoneRite is a worthwhile product, not because it sharpens any better but it adds an anti-corrosive element to the water reducing rusting. I use it myself but didn't for years and survived. I didn't want to throw too much at you at once.
“[Deleted]”
I might suggest you consider touching up your chisels after completing an operation like cutting dovetails. If your sharpening tools are already out and at the ready it is quick and easy and has the advantage of having your chisels ready to go if you need them for a quick operation in the future. Just a thought.
My go to system is grinding the bevel on a 8 inches grinder, then a India or any synthetic medium oilstone, then a hard white Arkansas stone. If I have spare time, a shot on the black Arkansas and if I spend more time a leather strop with green Tripoli. And yes I have water stones, diamond plates etc…they collect dust.
Frankly, I'd avoid any of the Axminster "Rider" brand stuff, which seems to be be made to meet a low price rather than to meet a good standard of functionality. Read the buyer reviews on their website for a variety of "Rider" products. Axminster sell a lot of good stuff but also a lot of "meh".
All edge tools - especially those used for precision work such as that of cabinetmaking or "fine woodworking" - benefit from being very sharp. Sharp enough for basic carpentry work isn't ideal. A 1000 grit edge can cut but won't necessarily leave a precise and very clean result. Sharpening to 8000 grit or even finer is worth it for fine furniture making, as others here say.
Personally I prefer to use a jig to keep the sharpening angle right. For grinding I prefer a motorised belt grinder to a motorised wheel grinder but both are good for initial shaping before sharpening; and some fancier belts or wheels can get you sharp enough so that you need only hand-sharpen the last small micro-bevel, taking very little time to do so, for the final super-sharp edge.
My fancy machine sharpening gubbins is a Sorby Pro-edge machine but there are several alternatives, including an all-singing, all-dancing Axminster thing.
https://robert-sorby.co.uk/product/proedge-system/
https://www.axminstertools.com/axminster-professional-ultimate-edge-v-speed-sharpening-system-230v-107658?queryID=08a206d181090f861b25a4069cd369d1
To avoid the expense of machine sharpening, though, you can hand sharpen from scratch. Any significant re-shaping, though, will take you ages! But if you're just refining an already established shape from blunt to sharp, hand sharpening can be quite fast - and sufficient.
There are lots & lots of sharpening media and jig-gubbins. If you want the least capital-cost option, I recommend 3M papers on float glass. Here's a website showing the individual parts of such stuff as well as kits:
https://workshopheaven.com/hand-tools/sharpening/scary-sharpening/
Diamond stuff worth having will have a much higher initial cost. You may also need to use something else in addition for the final super-sharp edge as the finest diamonds don't really go fine enough (apart from diamond dust/paste on an expensive steel lapping plate, perhaps). A lot of fancy waterstones and their like will also cost you a lot to buy and set up.
Some hand sharpening stuff can also be very messy to use and store, water stones being the most messy and tedious (with a constant need to re-flatten the waterstone with an expensive diamond plate).
Some develop the skills to hand sharpen accurately without a jig - or so they claim. :-) Personally I would buy a decent tool-holding jig to ensure that your edges don't end up being made of 101 micro-facets, all at slightly different angles to each other. I like the Veritas sharpening jigs but there are lots of perfectly good and far less expensive items (although you might have to fettle them, make your own angle-setting jig, etc., as is probably the case with the Axminster "Rider" item).
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/sharpening
https://www.axminstertools.com/axminster-rider-honing-guide-340147?queryID=abfa3717330ba573fdc95c59b5ecbfc2
Frankly, I'd avoid any of the Axminster "Rider" brand stuff, which seems to be be made to meet a low price rather than to meet a good standard of functionality. Read the buyer reviews on their website for a variety of "Rider" products. Axminster sell a lot of good stuff but also a lot of "meh".
All edge tools - especially those used for precision work such as that of cabinetmaking or "fine woodworking" - benefit from being very sharp. Sharp enough for basic carpentry work isn't ideal. A 1000 grit edge can cut but won't necessarily leave a precise and very clean result. Sharpening to 8000 grit or even finer is worth it for fine furniture making, as others here say.
Personally I prefer to use a jig to keep the sharpening angle right. For grinding I prefer a motorised belt grinder to a motorised wheel grinder but both are good for initial shaping before sharpening; and some fancier belts or wheels can get you sharp enough so that you need only hand-sharpen the last small micro-bevel, taking very little time to do so, for the final super-sharp edge.
My fancy machine sharpening gubbins is a Sorby Pro-edge machine but there are several alternatives, including an all-singing, all-dancing Axminster thing.
To avoid the expense of machine sharpening, though, you can hand sharpen from scratch. Any significant re-shaping, though, will take you ages! But if you're just refining an already established shape from blunt to sharp, hand sharpening can be quite fast - and sufficient.
There are lots & lots of sharpening media and jig-gubbins. If you want the least capital-cost option, I recommend 3M papers on float glass.
Diamond stuff worth having will have a much higher initial cost. You may also need to use something else in addition for the final super-sharp edge as the finest diamonds don't really go fine enough (apart from diamond dust/paste on an expensive steel lapping plate, perhaps). A lot of fancy waterstones and their like will also cost you a lot to buy and set up.
Some hand sharpening stuff can also be very messy to use and store, water stones being the most messy and tedious (with a constant need to re-flatten the waterstone with an expensive diamond plate).
Some develop the skills to hand sharpen accurately without a jig - or so they claim. :-) Personally I would buy a decent tool-holding jig to ensure that your edges don't end up being made of 101 micro-facets, all at slightly different angles to each other. I like the Veritas sharpening jigs but there are lots of perfectly good and far less expensive items (although you might have to fettle them, make your own angle-setting jig, etc., as is probably the case with the Axminster "Rider" item).
Lataxe
Thanks Lataxe,
Really helpful to know what grits are needed for a finish appropriate for fine furniture making - that's definitely what i'm after.
Thanks as well for letting me know about diamond stones and their limitations.
I am leaning towards the float glass and 3m papers option, seems like a sensible way to get into the hobby, aand yes, I will be getting some kind of honing guide and either making or buying an angle-setting jig :)
@gulfstar - not sure why I can't reply directly to your comment - there has been no reply button for a couple of replies on this thread.
Yeah, the more I think about it, the more it seems like a bit of a rip off. You can buy polycarbonate plates cut to size online for a fraction of the cost.
Would float glass be a better option then for a sharpening surface? I was thinking the polycarbonate would be as flat but less likely to be accidently broken and transported easier if need be.
The reply option has a limited number of iterations and it was reached.
I would not go with polycarbonate my concern is flatness. Float or Plate Glass, as it's called on this side of the Atlantic, is extremely flat but I doubt very much polycarbonate is.
The softness of the polycarbonate would be a secondary concern but may be an issue.
Maybe Lat_axe who lives in your neck of the woods and is a font of knowledge when it comes to tools and sources may have a source for a similar package. If he happens to pop back in.
ah, thanks. I thought that might have been the case.
Thanks for sharing the concerns about the polycarbonate re: flatness and softness. I did a little searching and others have said the same thing.
Ah, nice to have people from all over. I have a found a float glass package from a good site. It's perhaps not quite as good value for the glass and sheets (these sheets are larger though), but the HoneRite, spray bottle and anti-skid matt will be bumping up the price a bit.
https://workshopheaven.com/workshop-heaven-scary-sharpening-kit-basic/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4aTZgpGzgwMV5ZVQBh17zg-DEAQYAiABEgL8ffD_BwE
I may just purchase the glass, anti-skid matt, and individual 3M sheets individually if this works out more cost effective. Thank for the info on HoneRight - might well get some if it has those advantages over water.
I'm going to get the Veritas Mk.II guide as well.
I actually can't wait to sit down and spend an evening setting everything up and getting my chisels sharpened. Will be really satisfying.
Thanks again for your help :)
If you go with that package it looks like you will have 4 different grits, so I would cut the sheets in half and attach the 40 & 30 micron to one side of the glass plate and the 9 & 3 to the other. Doing this will still let you work your way through the progression with as little fuss as possible. Keep in mind you don't need to start with the coarsest grit every time. Once you have established a good edge you should be doing mostly touch UPS. When I'm cutting a number dovetails or mortices I may sharpen 2-3 times, as soon as I feel resistance, but it's a quick touch up requiring a few quick strokes probably starting with 9 micron and then 3 followed by a couple light strokes on the back to remove the wire edge on the 3 micron and I'm quickly back to work.
Thanks, yeah I was thinking I would use both sides in a similar way to how you are suggesting. Love the idea of quickly sharpening up and getting back to work for easy precisie cutting.
I am considering buying things individually and getting a few more grits for progressive sharpening. I might get this sample pack, which contains a mix of lapping and microfinishing films:
https://workshopheaven.com/3m-sharpening-film-sample-pack/
I'd cut these a little under half the width (4 inch wide strips) and then fit three on each side, e.g 40, 30, 15 or 12, 9, 3, 1.
Which 6 grits do you tend to use?
I take it flattening the back of the chisel has to also be done with pressure only on the backstroke?
I would use the 15 micron over the 12, but I do use the 1 micron to finish and remove the wire edge.
As for flattening the backs, since I already had a full set of diamond stones that is what I use. I've been doing this for 45+ years so most of my tools were tuned years ago, or the new ones I buy to upgrade are premium brands like Lie-Nielsen or Veritas(the luxury of not having college tuition to pay for anymore) who are renowned for needing very little tuning, so I don't have any experience flattening backs on films. I think you will be fine using both strokes because the forces used are different, you won't be pushing the sharp edge downward into the paper.
Plastics and glass are extruded and probably straight enough but not perfect, and polycarbonate is soft, it will likely deform but you probably won’t notice. A ground surface, either stone or steel, even aluminum could be made truer and more stable. The straightest plate I found is a 8 X 3 hard Arkansas Stone, and it comes with the grit so you don’t have to change the sandpaper, just sprinkle honing oil and go.
The kit seems a little short on the basics to get a "sharp" edge on chisels. I learned from experience and going through more purchases than necessary (and selling many of those) that there are no shortcuts. Learn one way and practice till you get the edge you need to cut properly.
With the exception of forming a new edge on any of my tools (which I now do on a slow speed grinder), I do hand sharpen chisels using a Lie Nielsen guide (others exist that are less expensive than this guide).These are the stones I have: 220, 320, 600, and 1200 mesh diamond stones for the initial steps. 3000, 4000, 8000 grit Shapton Gladstone's for the final finishing.
I would read a book like Christopher Schwarz's "Sharpen This". Christopher is an expert and I've learned a lot from his books and videos on sharpening. It's an inexpensive book.
I'd read and watch a lot of sharpening, especially hand sharpening resources. There's a lot to learn and no easy way to equip yourself because there is no easy way to a sharp tool. I would build my equipment with separate stones and a guide rather than a kit. I've never stropped, just got better at sharpening over time. Pick a method, keep practicing, and don't switch methods over time unless there is a technique which would improve your current method. One other thing - unless the back of a chisel is completely flat, nothing else you do will make that tool really sharp.
Hey,
Thanks for letting me know the grits that you use in your set-up. That's really helpful information.
Thanks for the book recommendation too. I did a little search and that one did come up, along with The Perfect Edge, by Ron Hock, which looked good.
Yeah, the first video I watched was by a guy called Matt Estlea, it was pretty comprehensive and also emphasised that the back needs to be completely flat to create a sharp edge
Daniel, sharpening is truly a most fascinating, frustrating and satisfying part of woodworking--and absolutely essential to the craft. A double edged sword, so to speak. My experience over 40 years is that you will just have to try out one method---much good advice above---and spend time with it. Over the years you will almost certainly try out different equipment, materials and methods, but with each minute you spend sharpening, you will get better and better and derive great satisfaction over the years from the experience of working wood with sharp tools. I often use jigs and guides, but believe it is also a valuable exercise to aspire to learn to sharpen freehand when the situation allows. Sort of like acquiring the "muscle memory" to cut precise dovetails by hand, you'll be amazed at the degree of accuracy you can acquire over time.
The online sharpening videos from Paul Sellers and Rob Cosman are a great place to start.
Enjoy the journey!
Thanks very much :) I love taking my time with a job and doing it really well, and I can imagine there is immense satisfaction is getting your tools razor sharp for fine woodworking.
I think I will use a honing guide at first at once I am much more practiced and used to the hand position for the required angles, give freehand sharpening ago.
Looking forward to getting my new chisels sharpened and taking my time over it! Really love this forum.
Sharpening techniques with chisels ......
Personally I use the very least ruler-trick micro bevel on chisel backs that I can make - on bench chisels and mortise chisels at least. The dead-flat backs right up and including the edge are reserved only for the paring chisels that get jigged on an already flat part of the work to make what they cut co-planar with that flat part.
Using the ruler trick saves an enormous amount of chisel-back flattening, as chisel backs on many chisels are usually far from flat when you get them out of the packet. There are exceptions, Veritas and perhaps Lie Nielsen .... but most chisel backs seem to come with some bow or cup (or both) in them.
In practice, I use paring chisels jigged to a flat workpiece infrequently. Most chiselling seems to be done in other modes; or can be done flat enough with that tiny ruler-trick back-bevel in place. But I suppose it depends on what chisel work style one develops and what chiselling work needs to be done for variou styles of work.
There are two Uboob vids making the case for both (chisels with ruler trick - Stumpy Nubs & chisels backs dead flat - Cosman). They're worth a look.
ah, Ill look into the ruler trick. That follows on nicely from the last post I replied to about the necessity for complete flatness! Thanks!
I'll check out those two videos too - Ive seen videos by both those guys but not those specific ones, so thanks for the recommendations.
I just want to say a big thanks to all that have commented, I've learned a lot and as a consequence moved from the original kit I linked to and am pretty sure what I am going to go with :)
This is a really great forum. I hope you all have a wonderful New Years, whether partying, sitting in or building things!
At least one has suggested using the ruler trick. I tried that once a long time ago. I suppose it does save some time but, in the long run, I found it complicates things. Whether it's a chisel or plane blade, getting the back completely flat (without the extra bevel) is a one-time job. Once it's done, adding a secondary bevel on the top of the blade makes resharpening and honing east and fast anyway without the slight bevel on the back which was created by the ruler trick. Plus it won't work on plane blades anway as they must be dead flat on the back.
Getting the back of a chisel or plane blade dead flat across the whole area may be "a one time job" but it may take so long that it's never truly completed. :-)
And, in any case, to get an edge really sharp requires either a lot taken off the top bevel or ..... a back bevel, with a plane blade at least.
When a plane blade wears, it wears both sides of the edge. In fact, the wear bevel (on the side of the edge that faces down in the plane and therefore rubs along the wood being planed) can often be greater than the wear on the top-facing side of the edge.
Many don't bother with a back bevel. Me, I was first converted by Brent Beach then had the beliefs reinforced by this fellow:
https://www.fine-tools.com/pdf/sharpening-chisel-and-plane-blades.pdf
Will the back of your tool stay flat? Hmmmmm. If it doesn't but distorts, a back bevel (ruler trick-teeny or larger) will avoid any non-flat-back issues.
But there's no perfect way. If you can get your edges sharp enough without a back bevel - Huzza!
I just had to get a few chisels razor sharp to square-up the rounded corners left by the router in the back of two hickory doors. The first went directly to the hard Arkansas stone with a splash of honing oil, it still had enough camber on the bevel face so there was about 3 cycles of honing the bevel and back flat on the stone. The next two had gone through honing many times, one had a chipped corner, so I ground a new concave on the 360 grit CBN grinding wheel and went straight to the hard Arkansas instead of the usual medium grit India, it took a few more strokes but they came out razor sharp.
Nice. I love the shot of the chisel triumphantly stuck in the wood after being sharpened! The wood looks beautiful (especially the bottom left photo with the curved part), and the piece looks great from what I can see!
Gulfstar is definitely one of the true craftsmen you can find here and his advice is generally spot on, but I will use this opportunity to illustrate one never fail adage regarding woodworking; There will always be multiple ways to accomplish a goal, the trick is to find the one that works for you.
That applies not only to sharpening, but cutting dovetails, mortise and tenons, and any other type of joint you can use to join two pieces of wood. Most woodworkers consider a tablesaw the center of their shop, yet many highly skilled craftsmen don't even own one and consider the bandsaw as the essential tool in their shops. There is no wrong way to do something with wood if it works for you(and is reasonably safe). That said never be afraid to try new ways to accomplish your goal. You never know when you may find a technique that works better. Many many years ago I learned to sharpen much the same way as Gulfstar does today, but through trial and error, and a lot of money spent, I have found a way that works better for me and hopefully it will work for you but never stop asking questions and trying new methods it is part of what keeps the art/profession/hobby of woodworking so fascinating and enjoyable.
'There is no wrong way to do something with wood if it works for you(and is reasonably safe)'.
I love that as principle for the art/profession/hobby of woodworking. It feels a moto for keeping exploration and creativeness at the heart of it what you are doing, which seems like a wonderful way to work, and potentially discover all sorts of new or adapted ways of doing things.
Thanks for all the advice on sharpening (including the post on grit preferences and thoughts on flattening with lapping film above), and for the ideas about the way to approach woodwork generally.
I think I'm going to save a lot of the posts in the thread as there has been so much useful information for learning, and I feel much better informed now.
In the next couple of days I will get my sharpening set-up orderee. Whether it remains my permanant one, or a first step in working out a more refined personal system, I'm very happy with it and think it will be a great start.
Cheers.
Good Luck