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Survey on honing gouges

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From prior threads I understand there is a extensive variation in the portion of tools honed by turners and don't want to start a debate on the pros and cons of honing. People have different opinions and preferences.

The teacher at the high school shop where I help teach turning requested that we start honing the gouges 3-4 times prior to regrinding. He hopes to save steel, even though we've been using the same gouges for all 8 years I've been helping there. (only adults sharpen)

I suggested that very few turners use a hone as their primary method of sharpening their gouges, though some may improve the edge or freshen the edge from time to time. Then it occurred to me that I was expressing my bias and really had no idea what portion of turners use honing as a primary sharpening method.

Q1: Not including improving or freshening the edge, do you primarily sharpen your gouges with a hone, as proposed by the shop teacher?

Thank you. I'm reluctant to start a discussion, but would appreciate your opinion as well.
Q2: Do you think honing 3-4 times prior to grinding will extend the life of a gouge?

Thanks again. (And John Lucas, please don't do a study on how long it takes to wear out a gouge using the two different methods. You've got better things to do. :D )

Dean
 

Bill Boehme

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I mainly use a Tormek which is sort of like honing. After about 14 years I can hardly tell that any steel has been worn away. Sometime I will touch up an edge with a diamond hone instead of going back to the Tormek. I know that this doesn't really answer your question, but there's more than one way to skin a ca..... many different solutions to this question. It's like when I was in the Army. I was told that there are three ways to do things: the right way, the wrong way, and the Army way. You will do it the Army way. :D
 

hockenbery

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Q1- I rarely hone any gouges

Q2- hone between grinding probably extends the life of a gouge. Unless you roll the edge and have to grind it more then it shortens the life.

Extra credit - I always sharpen skews on a stone and hone them. When using them a lot I will true the edge on the tormek every couple of months then the stones and hone. I like the leather wheel on the tormek for honing.
 
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When you use the word hone do you mean with a leather or with a diamond card for example if by the first then only the skew will be hones on a leather. I have always taken it as honing is on leather strop and a diamond card is just hand grinding, but that is another subject.
Otherwise I do use a diamond card in some instances between my main grinding on a grinder as that is all that is needed. As for how many times I will use the card depends on how the edge of the tool is as I have been known to use the card up to 6 or 7 times before having to resort to the power grinder this mainly depends on type of turning and wood being turned.
 
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I do very little honing on gouges and yes I know you can get a much finer edge but for me the time trade off just is not worth it. The one exception for me is on my hollowing tools. Would honing extent the life of the gouge ? I guess if done correctly with out rolling or blunting the edge, then yes.
 

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I don't hone most of the time but will for a final cut. I do hone the inside of the flute with a diamond fish hook sharpener ever time I sharpen. I polishes the inside of the flute and gives me a better edge. It only takes about 3 seconds to do it. 5 if I'm really fumbling to pick up the the hone. The reason I don't hone all the time is I use a very short main bevel. This makes it hard to hone and not round over the bevel. Hone once or twice won't usually do it but if I hone all the time the edge gets less and less acute. When I used a full length bevel it was easier to get a perfect hone because the tool had 2 points of reference about 3/8" apart. On my gouge it's more like 2mm.
 
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I never hone gouges, just not worth the effort. If I am turning a 'difficult' piece of wood, then some times I will take the gouge to the 600 grit CBN wheel. I do hone my skews though.

robo hippy
 

odie

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I never hone... Not a honer, is that a word? lol


It's a harmonica......now, if I can only remember where I lift mine.....:rolleyes:

51PnC8%2BxwBL._SX355_.jpg
 

john lucas

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Ever since I started using my homemade V arm and platform setting jigs to use Oneway sharpening system and the wolverine jig I remove so little metal at each sharpening that my gouges seem to last forever. I first started honing to save the steel. When my sharpening skills got better along with my V arm setting jigs my tools last for very long time. so I don't hone anymore to save my tools. I hone to improve the edge. I sharpen on a 180 grit CBN and hone with a 600 grit Trend diamond hone.
 
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The question is what do you want to do ??, if the edge is rounded over by use (looking under a microscope) then sharpening should remove enough metal to have that edge sharp again.

In my opinion you can take your time and use something like a slip stone or get back to turning using a grinding wheel to do this metal removal, sharp either way if you do remove the rounded edge.

My goto ⅝ bowl gouge is better than 20 years old, and yes it has gotten quite a bit shorter, you think it would be longer if I had used the slip stone ??, maybe, as I would have been spending time to remove the steel, rather than turn :D
 

Bill Boehme

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The teacher at the high school shop where I help teach turning requested that we start honing the gouges 3-4 times prior to regrinding. He hopes to save steel, even though we've been using the same gouges for all 8 years I've been helping there. (only adults sharpen)

I don't think that I would say that using a diamond "hone" three or four times between grindings means it is the primary means of sharpening. And, while I agree with Derek that using a diamond card really isn't honing, regardless of what you call it, the real issue is touching up the edge by hand if the results are as good or better than going to the grindstone.

FWIW, I just noticed in the December 2017 issue of American Woodturner, the article titled, "A Dozen Truths for New Woodturners" by Kurt Hertzog says, "Sharpening is worth every moment you spend on it ". The point being that sharp tools are important.
 

john lucas

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I'm not sure the definition of Honing but most people who restore an edge using a diamond card call it honing. Stropping of course is using a charged piece of leather. As far as Honer Harmonica's. My wife and I went to Fall Creek Falls state park about 40 miles from us. While we were there we heard there was going to be a champion harmonica player at the Amphitheater. So we hung around. turns out it was Buddy and his # 1 rival was also in the audience. They both got up and played together. Awsome. Always loved this.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV4YJwRStKI
 
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Thank you all very much. I realize this was a question with challenging nuances and appreciate your responding as asked.

Yes, I was referring to a diamond hone, either card or Lacer style plate.

Leave it to this bunch to come up with a tangent far more fun than the OP. Is there an American male who was alive in the 60's who didn't, for at least 5 minutes, 'play the harmonica?'

New survey--which harmonica player was most instrumental, pun intended, in getting you to try one out yourself?
 
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I hone the flute of gouges to get a better surface, but only every 1/2" or so of steel. Often the flute hasn't been polished so well, and this gives a better edge off the CBN wheel in my experience. An edge is the intersection of two surfaces, so to me this just makes sense. I use a 600 grit CBN hand hone.

I also very occasionally hone a 3/8 gouge for the very last finish cut. I use a white Spyderco tear drop shop, which I understand is around 4000 grit. It does improve the edge, but the edge doesn't seem to last long.

As for Dean's harmonica player survey: James Cotton. I was chatting with forum member Tom Albrecht a while back and he even bought a drink for James many years ago!
 

Emiliano Achaval

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I'm not sure the definition of Honing but most people who restore an edge using a diamond card call it honing. Stropping of course is using a charged piece of leather. As far as Honer Harmonica's. My wife and I went to Fall Creek Falls state park about 40 miles from us. While we were there we heard there was going to be a champion harmonica player at the Amphitheater. So we hung around. turns out it was Buddy and his # 1 rival was also in the audience. They both got up and played together. Awsome. Always loved this.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV4YJwRStKI
Holy smokes!! I have never seen a harmonica player like this guy!! Amazing!
 

Emiliano Achaval

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I'm not sure the definition of Honing but most people who restore an edge using a diamond card call it honing. Stropping of course is using a charged piece of leather. As far as Honer Harmonica's. My wife and I went to Fall Creek Falls state park about 40 miles from us. While we were there we heard there was going to be a champion harmonica player at the Amphitheater. So we hung around. turns out it was Buddy and his # 1 rival was also in the audience. They both got up and played together. Awsome. Always loved this.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV4YJwRStKI
John: the AAW has one of your youtube videos as video of the week. I see you posted that one a few years ago. Are you still locked out of that account, I see you have not answer people there... There has to be a way for you to reset your google password to get back in... Aloha
 

Emiliano Achaval

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I still want to buy a CBN hone from Ken Rizza but just haven't convinced myself to spend the $ yet.
I got one, I forgot from who... Yes, very expensive, but comes in handy to sharpen my hand chase threads tools, I really bought it to sharpen my 2 Alan Lacer skews after watching one of his videos that a club snow bird member donated.... Bob Satterfield... Getting cold in the mainland, he should be heading to Maui soon, lol
 

odie

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New survey--which harmonica player was most instrumental, pun intended, in getting you to try one out yourself?

For me, it was blues harmonica.....but, I suppose I was culturally challenged in order to do it right! I don't remember the names, but I bought an album of various blues harmonica masters......and, I just had to try this for myself. :D

-----odie-----
 
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