Mike Stafford
One of the most important skills any turner (or woodworker for that matter) is to learn how to sharpen tools. In wood turning a sharp tool makes every aspect of the craft more enjoyable. The ability to easily remove large amounts of wood with a large bowl gouge or wispy shavings with a small detail gouge can only be accomplished with sharp well shaped tools. Effortless cutting and good tool control is facilitated by the sharpness of your edge. The ability to make the cuts you want to make are enhanced with a sharp edge.

Sharpening takes practice and skill even with a Wolverine jig. I ground away a lot of steel before someone finally explained how to best use the jig.

I understand the allure of using some of the carbide scrapers which allow a novice to quickly begin removing wood and turning objects. In my class I always have a set or two of those carbide scrapers just in case I have someone who shows up with absolutely no turning experience and demonstrates no ability to follow directions. I would rather they learn to use the gouges but in a week in a class with other students it is hard to devote enough time to one student who will not follow directions. Better to arm them with a carbide scraper and let them enjoy the week. Very few of the students like I am describing will go home to a lathe so it is important for them to leave with the enjoyment of turning.

If you have access to a turning club join it and find a friend who can help you along the way. It is cheaper to learn how to things correctly than to pay with expensive high speed steel grinding dust on the floor, dull tools and frustration over how hard the enjoyable craft of wood turning has become.