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Thank you so much to Kim for coming out to my shop and teaching us all how to sharpen! You can find Kim on instagram @McIntyreFurniture https://www.instagram.com/mcintyrefurniture or take a class from her at Pratt Fine Arts Center: https://www.pratt.org
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Recommended Sharpening Starter Set:
Norton Water Stone https://amzn.to/3JR4ZTA
Norton Flattening Stone https://amzn.to/4987UBD
Entry Level – ATLIN Honing Guide – https://amzn.to/4p0x6yQ
Leather Strop & Compound – https://amzn.to/3WK3g5q
Small Square – https://amzn.to/4hNUehB
Thin Ruler – https://amzn.to/3JzozDV
Michael’s Setup:
Norton Waterstone Flatstone – https://amzn.to/4oUzzKO
Water Stone – (not the exact one but very similar) https://amzn.to/4ovPNum
Rockler Diamond Stones (all three grits) – https://www.rockler.com/rockler-diamond-sharpening-stones-choose-grit
KM Tools Honing Guide – https://kmtools.com/products/katz-moses-universal-sharpening-jig
Small Square – https://amzn.to/4hNUehB
Kim’s Setup:
Rob Cosman Standard Diamond Stone: https://robcosman.com/products/rob-cosmans-diamond-stone-standard
Shapton 6000 Grit Ceramic Stone – https://amzn.to/4nKWA23
Shapton 16000 Grit Ceramic Stone – https://amzn.to/3WGrOML
Lie-Nielsen Honing Guide – https://www.lie-nielsen.com/products/honing-guide-bladesstandard
Rob Cosman’s Yellow Stuff (Bora HoneRite Gold) – https://robcosman.com/collections/sharpening/products/hone-rite-gold
Sharpening Ruler – https://robcosman.com/products/rob-cosmans-sharpening-rule-2-0
Recommended Tools
Suizan Japanese Chisels – https://amzn.to/47tJe5t
Good Mid-Level Western Style Narex Chisels – https://amzn.to/3JzFQwK
High End Lie-Nielson Bevel Edge Chisels – https://www.lie-nielsen.com/ nodes/4099/bevel-edge-chisels
Flexcut Carving Knives – https://amzn.to/3JosOSN
pfeil “Swiss Made” Caving tool set – https://amzn.to/47tcGbI
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For AlmFab gear, tools, and plans visit https://www.almfab.com
Kim rocks! So skillful and knowledgable. Really helpful video – thanks guys.
A bit of advice on removing chips, even very small ones: your first step should be to get rid of the chip as quickly as possible, so begin on a coarse stone and grind at a very steep angle close to 90 degrees. In order to remove a chip you need to shorten the blade back to the line just behind the chip. This means you have to grind away all the steel in front of that imaginary line. The most efficient way to grind steel is to approach it from its thinnest side. If you have ever used an angle grinder you may know that they can devour steel rapidly if they work at a thinner edge but they can be very slow if working a larger surface. If you skip this step then you run the risk of thinking the chip is gone, getting the rest of the edge beautifully sharp, only to discover that the chip is still there. The best way to feel whether the chip is truly gone is to drag the dull edge along the tip of your thumb nail. If there is any chip whatsoever you will feel it. There’s no risk of cutting yourself either because you have just been dulling the crap out of the edge by grinding it close to 90 degrees on a coarse stone.
Great content, Mike. Kim, you're amazing. This video was cool because I've seen topical sharpening content for plane blades, chisels, and so on, specific to that profile (tool). This vid is awesome because you get to see a master maker and the consistent techniques (i.e., the Sharpie trick) across all the various tool applications, and how to get reasonable results – with patience. Makes me think of a Parks and Rec scene riff:
"She can sharpen all the tools… you probably think I meant, 'She can sharpen a lot of the tools.' But I did mean she can sharpen all of the tools."
Apologies to Ron Swanson/Nick Offerman.
This is the part I dread. I'm looking at a ton of dull tools in my shop. I attempt to sharpen each tool as I need it.
another trick michael, for planes in partiuclar. When the chip breaker is found to be out of square with the blade. Paul sellers taught the trick, sometimes you have to hit it with a mallet to bring it back to flat. Changed my entire view on all my planes, as they werent working properly and after giving them a good smack they were flawless lol.
I’m not an expert at sharpening, but I think the biggest thing is just practice. Don’t view it as a chore, just do it when you don’t have time to do other stuff. Got a few minutes during the week before dinner? Sharpen some stuff in the shop. Waiting for some glue to dry? Sharpen some stuff. It’s a skill and skills take time. You’ll always be a little better than the last time you tried.
Thank you.
Dude having the wooden blocks set to mark the angle is so smart that it hurts
In the future, only flatten plane soles with the blade installed. The pressure from the lever cap will actually cause the sole to flex, so if you flatten without the blade installed, the sole will only be flat without the blade installed.
Check out Jason Lonon's technique for sharpening bent gouges. I find it easier to get consistent results using his method for holding the gouge.