Need good sharpening tools.

[skarhand]

Hey guys. I have a couple questions rolled into one thread here, lol.

I recently acquired both a couple draw knives and a wood lathe(with cutting chisels) all of which need to be sharpened. So the main question is, what should I look for for sharpening these items? Is there a "one sharpening set fits all" kind of thing I can look for, or will I need different tools for chisels vs drawknife?

I have been wanting for a while to get a good whetstone to sharpen some knives up. if it turns out that a good 2 sided whetstone is all I need, is there any that you would recommend in perticular?

Thanks,

Joshua

[Dalton Knapper]

I tend to shape my edge correctly with a coarse stone, then switch over to wet/dry sandpaper, using it wet of course. Specifically for planes and chisels, I like to go all the way down to say 400 grit, but for a draw knife, I can slice anything I want with a nice medium whet stone with water. I would love to have an India stone like all the knifesmiths use. The key is to get your blade symmetry correct first (shape) and then sharpen from there. I think planes and chisels require a pretty polished edge while other tools like a drawknife can be stone sharpened. I am no edge scientist, so you may want to look for opinions.

[Bloodhound]

I have tons of sharpening tools and obsess over blades. My basic kit would be a set of 4 dmt stones, (black, blue, red, and green) a lansky puck, a gransfors bruks puck, and a strop. I have lots more but you can do nearly anything with that. Although I soppose when I was young and poor I got nearly any blade shaving sharp with just 2 stones as well.

[RBLusthaus]

Not sure if you only want primitive, or if you will use tailed tools as well - - but there is no one size fits all sharpening setup, IMHO. 

A slow speed grinder (1750rpm) (2 wheels -  go with the 8 inch) and the Wolverine system and accessories is outstanding for lathe tools. This is what I use and would absolutely recommend it.  I think the Wolverine system cost me about 80 bucks -  but that was 5 years ago or so.   To this you have to add the grinder (Woodcraft).

Traditional Stones or Water stones or the Scary Sharp sandpaper (on glass or marble or your table saw top) is a great method for plane blades and chisels (small flat sharpening) if you go primitive.  You would need to learn to sharpen freehand or also use some kind of blade guide.  There are many out there and they are not expensive.  The workshop 3000 is great if you want some power. 

I have always had a hard time sharpening drawknives - - so I bring them in to an old school knife grinder every other year or so for a good going over - - an in between I butcher them with my water stones.  I clamp the knife solid, and move the stone over the blade.  Lapping the back of a draw knife is tough time consuming work.   

There are also even more expensive systems - and these systems do advertise a one sized fits all machine - - but you would be in to them for close to $750 before you had all the accessories you would  need to do all you want.  See Jet, Grizzley or (cant remember the better cos name offhand) for slow speed wet grinders.

Russ