Honing Lathe Tools

[Simoli]

Now that I have a little more experience under my belt its time to get a little better at keeping my tools sharp. Right now when my tools are dull I take a trip to the grinder and touch them up. While in a class taught by David Marks not too long ago he kept touching up his tools with a diamond stone. I was wondering if others do that and what grit do you use?

 

[Bernie Weishapl]

Yes I do hone all the time. When turning say lidded boxes I may turn 3 or 4 of them before going to the grinder. I use the same one Alan Lacer uses. It 2" X 6" X 1/4" and 600 grit. I got it from Craft Supply.

 

[John Nicholas]

Honing

I use a slip stone and one of those plastic handled diamond hones from Craft Supply.

John

 

[bob393]

Honing is the best way to make your tools last.
I only go to the grinder when they are dull and woun't take a an edge with a hone.

 

[dkulze]

The inexpensive little diamond hones work wonderfully for lathe tools. Medium, fine, and superfine all work well, though I end up with medium and fine used more and only use the superfine when making tough cuts.

A quick tip is that you should have the tool flat on the bevel when sharpening. This will leave a shiny line on the top and bottom of the bevel (from the curve left by your grinding wheel) when you touch up. This lets you know you're doing it right.

And, technically, what we're talking about aren't hones (though that's what the manufacturers call them). They are actually sharpeners that abraide the edge just like a grinder does. Actual hones realigne the metal flakes in the tool, rather than abraiding them. This is what leather and steel hones do.

Officer Dietrich, Sphincter police.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Fairly regular turner of a two-three hundred pieces a year, and not a regular hone type, but rather a left and right grind and back to work. Carbon steel tools at over twenty years and HSS over fifteen and still only an inch or two shorter on my rougher and second size bowl gouge, which get the worst of the treatment as far as grit and grunge. A light hand is all it takes, hone if you like. Diamond is the best for hard steel. I've a cone and a 1x3 flat.

 

[john lucas]

I don't hone either,unless I need a particulary sharp tool for a special piece of wood. I find that if I hone a bunch of times I actually change the shape of the edge a little and then I have to remove more metal to get the edge back to true. This is probably isn't the same as if I sharpen on the grinder every time. However my tools last a long time so I don't see that honing actually saves much tool.

 

[Brian Hahn]

And, technically, what we're talking about aren't hones (though that's what the manufacturers call them). They are actually sharpeners that abraide the edge just like a grinder does.

Well, according to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, a hone is "a fine-grit stone for sharpening a cutting implement".

 

[gsieracki]

I tend to hone them about two or three times before heading back to the grinder. So I don't lose the edge shape I also use jigs to sharpen. One of these days I might actualy learn to freehand grind.

Gerry

 

[Simoli]

I ended up buying a fine diamond stone (actually metal with the diamond dust). It worked great for the first time out. Now I need to learn not to CA wood dust on my fingers :mad: .

 

[Matthew Clarke]

Jim,

Like many of the other responders, I use a flat diamond sharpener to hone my tools two or three times between sharpenings on the grinder. Make sure that the hone touches the heel of the bevel and the tip of the tool. What you are actually doing is forming a microbevel on your tool. It makes the cutting edge of your tool stronger. Also, use a light touch. If you press too hard on the diamond plate, you will only damage it.

Matt Clarke

 

[Gretch Flo]

grinding or honing

Well, according to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, a hone is "a fine-grit stone for sharpening a cutting implement".

I too have been confused with what people are saying/meaning. Grinding is self evident. Honing=getting rid of the burr, or resharpening? I gather Dietrich that you could "hone" a few times til the curve left from the curvature of the grinding wheel has become flattened????
I usually just go to the grinder. Maybe if I hone between my tools would last as long as Michaels!!! I go through one Ellsworth tool a year (I use 3 at a time and use the Sorby jig), and depending on the wood and size bowl sharpen at least twice-3 times per bowl. Self taught so I may (probably) be doing wrong things!!! Gretch

 

[Brian Hahn]

Grinding vs honing

Grinding is a coarse sharpening technique. It removes a lot of metal fairly quickly. It is also good for shaping or re-shaping the cutting profile. It leaves a very rough and jagged cutting edge. The edge is adequate for woodturning tools like bowl gouges.

For finer cutting edges, the next step is usually a series of bench stones to refine the cutting edge, similar to the way we use a series of sandpaper grits to smooth wood. Many times that provides an adequate edge. Spindle tools like the skew and spindle gouge are usually sharpened to at least this level.

Honing uses even finer-grit stones and produces a still finer edge, just like using Micro-Mesh sandpaper on wood.

The final step for a razor sharp edge is stropping on a piece of leather that has been charged with a very fine abrasive like jeweler's rouge. (Another correction to Dietrich's mis-information.) Woodcarvers usually sharpen their tools to this level.

 

[dkulze]

Consider me corrected.

Repeatedly.

Dietrich

 

[MichaelMouse]

Brian, try Chromium Oxide for your stropping. Beats rouge all hollow. Of course you are in error in assuming any woodcarver would ever let his tools get beyond one or two grits from the stropping compound. Unless he dropped one on the gravel while carving alfresco. :mad:

Gretch, the objective is to remove as little steel as possible when I step to the grinder, where I hone, rather than reshape. On the other hand, even I, a cheap type, will give a quick touch-up before the final pass(es), where a sharp tool is worth two grits and twenty minutes. Small expense when prorated over the life of the tool.

 

[Dave Roller]

I use a flat diamond sharpener (often), but only on my skews, which, by the way, I do not sharpen on the edge of a grinding wheel. I tried the Wolverine Skew attachment, but it did not work well at all. Now, I sharpen them occasionally against the side of a piece of MDF to which I've glued 100 grit cloth-backed sanding material. I do this on my lathe. This gives me a flat surface which is recommended for skews. I have a leather barber's strop hanging nearby, and if I'm getting ready to make my last cut, I'll sometimes hit it with my skews.

However, I agree that the hollow ground surface is much easier to keep sharp with stones and diamonds. But I like the full length bevel.