A Good Grinder/Sharpener

**TomG** · 11-25-2005, 11:28 AM

I have to occasionally sharpen hand chisels. I'm nowhere near the Tormek league.

What's a decent grinder/sharpener you would recommend, preferably < $150?

Tom G

"And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom ... and in all craftsmanship, ... and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work." Exodus 35 NASB

**tbragsdale** · 11-25-2005, 03:23 PM

None of them. I spent a frustrating amount of time not sharping my chisles. I got the Scary Sharp

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5983

and I actuley now know what people are talking about "sharp"

Not a advertisment or anything, just a suggestion.

TBR

**arcticfox46** · 11-25-2005, 09:15 PM

I went to a glazier (store that sels glass) and bought (4) 9x11 pieces of 1/4 inch thick glass and had the edges ground so they are not sharp. I then used a spray adhesive and glued a sheet of sandpaper to each piece of glass. I put stick on rubber pads on the four corners on bottom of each glass.

I use the veritas honing guide. Works greaton chisels and planes. Scary sharp.

I use 600 grit / 800 / 1500 / emery cloth. That polishes the edge to a mirror sharp edge. Really a lot easier and faster that at first you might think.

**rhull** · 11-25-2005, 09:51 PM

A slow or dual-speed grinder is great for HSS tools, but I found out the hard way that it only takes 1-2 seconds to ruin regular tool steel on a grinder.

**TDHofstetter** · 11-25-2005, 09:57 PM

For quick-and-dirty sharpening & shaping, I use a benchtop belt sander. For REALLY SHARPENING, I use Scary Sharp or diamonds or my (pretty new) Japanese water stone. Preference? Whichever comes into my mind when it's time to sharpen.

-- Tim --

That wasn't a fart -
I was just exhausting some of the smoke
that's been blown up there.

**woodchuck1954** · 11-26-2005, 02:15 AM

If I got knicks, I use 250grit, scary sharp. Then I have a combo 1000/4000 Japanese Water stone. The stone came in a package from Lee Valley with the new :MK2 sharpening guide. GREAT GIZMO. The cost was $68. Great deal.

**guyos** · 12-24-2005, 04:36 PM

Articfox please advise me: I have the Veritas Markll Honing tool, it works great apart from the bevels sometimes not really square, although the blade is set square in the jig, think I can live with that.

One question however - when honing should the roller run on the sandpaper, or kept on the bare glass while pushing the blade on the paper?

When I run the roller on the paper, it gets scratch marks, are they damaging? your advice will be much appreciated please.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Guyos

**rrich** · 12-24-2005, 10:55 PM

Tom,
How does $45 sound? (Plus new wheels)

I purchased a Harbor Freight 6" grinder with goose neck lamp. I discarded the wheels that came with the grinder and replaced them with Norton wheels. This is a good stable grinder. My only complaint is that the thing seems to spin forever after the power is turned off. (Yes, the bearings are very good.)