Sharpening edge tools with sandpaper and a honing guide makes great sense. It’s quick, inexpensive and the results can’t be beat. So in order to get the maximum efficiency from this simple technique, I put together a sandpaper sharpening platform.Take a look at the drawings below and you’ll understand how it goes together. First, you’ll need to find a glass supplier who will cut a piece of 1/4″-thick plate glass to size and soften the sharp edges.
The glass is clamped to a plywood base using a pair of rabbeted cleats. But before installing the glass, I drilled a hang hole in one end and cut a set of angled notches in one edge, as shown in the detail drawing. These notches are used to quickly set the tool and honing guide to a couple of standard honing angles.
Sandpaper is the final ingredient. I added a couple of pieces of self-adhesive, aluminum oxide for the initial coarse honing. The remining space is filled with four grits of wet-or-dry silicon carbide paper atached with spray adhesive.
That’s all there is to it. Happy honing.
Have a great weekend,
Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith
great tip! I use sandpaper to sharpen my carving chisels from time to time. I broke my piece of glass though, and I alwasy seem to rip the sandpaper. but you can get a nice edge on it.
ReplyDeleteEthan: Yeah I hear ya, Wouldn't have thought bout using Sandpaper.
ReplyDeleteThis would help me out LOTS, would be cheaper for me to keep my Knives and chisles sharp.
Handi
Hi Handi,
ReplyDeleteHavnt been on here in ages,
Great tip thanks, did you ever get around to making that workbench?
@TJ: Sup dude? been awhile, was wonderin where you've been.
ReplyDeleteno I've not got a chance to get the workbench worked on, Little scarce on money. Gas bill was 700+ Bucks over a 2-3 month span.
Been makin payments, hopefully it will get cought up before summer hits or before it's over so I can get started on some Projects I've been wanting to do!
Handi