Veritas honing jig

Re: Veritas honing jig

Rob Lee

>Hi Tony -

Side clamping jigs work best for narrow chisels, and are only about $10-15, and that's what we recommend.

Since ours registers from the back face, and relies on friction to hold the blade, smaller blades (or blades that aren't flat) can move.

One thing to watch for, is to make sure that the clamp bar is flat against the top surface of your chisel, and is tightened evenly. Uneven clamping will produce a pivot point, and not the friction you want. A piece of electrical tape on the bar may help you clamp smaller blades more firmly.

Cheers -

Rob

Re: Veritas honing jig

Tony Zaffuto

>Thanks Rob, and I was ready to pull the trigger on a LV order today (actually thinking of items for father's day).

Re: Veritas honing jig

Derek Cohen (in Perth Australia)

>Hi Tony

This topic comes up every now-and-then. I tested a lot of different chisel types, thicknesses and widths on the Mk II guide. There were very narrow chisels (1/8") that presented absolutely no difficulty, and wider chisels that were a problem. It turned out that the problem chisels were not flat and were pivoting on a high point. The other issue of relevance is, as Rob noted, ensuring that a blade is centered and that even pressure is applied from each side - otherwise the blade will cant to one side and be honed unevenly.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Veritas honing jig

paul womack

>Side clamping jigs work best for narrow chisels, and are only about $10-15, and that's what we recommend.

I don't understand.

IMHO, when sharpening a blade ONE of the jig roller or the blade should have a surface wider than around 1", to keep the arrangement referenced to the stone.

(sidebar; if both the jig roller and the blade are wide, they must be perfectly parallel, otherwise they fight)

With a narrow (e.g. 1/4") chisel, I therefore state that you need a jig with a wider than 1" roller. Which side-clamping jigs (e.g. Eclipse #36 (*)) don't have.

BugBear

(*) The Kell does clamp from the side, but I don't think most people have that in mind when they talk about "side-clamping jigs"

Re: Veritas honing jig

Tony Zaffuto

>I agree with your comments that most people don't view the Kell jig as a side mount jig, but as you say, it overcomes the limitations of the Eclipse style. I have an Eclipse style jig, but don't use it except on plane blades that I want a bit of camber. The wheel is too narrow! I've often thought of building a adapter for it for an old stationary belt sander I have (ala Derek's design). The other issue with the Eclipse is it is sometimes hard to securely mount a narrow chisel with or without beveled sides in a manner to achieve a somewhat square edge!

Re: Veritas honing jig

Michael Brady

>I am glad that Mr. Lee responded so honestly to your post. I agree 100% with his recommendation. I have the MkII jig and feel that it is the best sharpening fixture on the market. On the otherhand it is not reliable for use on narrow chisels (such as my L-N's) that are not only narrow, but taper as well. The Eclipse type, or even the MkI, are much better than the MKII. By all means get the MKII, but spend $10.00 extra and get an Eclipse (knockoff).

By the way, Rob Lee, when is the crowned roller for the MKII going to be available?

Re: Veritas honing jig *LINK*

mikew

>Uh, it is:


Cambered MK.II lower carriage

Re: Veritas honing jig

Brent Smith

>Ahhh....that's just not fair. I just received an order yesterday and now that I've looked at the new products page I've got to place another one.

Re: Veritas honing jig

Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.

>Same Here Brent,

I was just in the Burlington store yesterday...this looks like a great idea..

Take care,

Jim

Hmmmmmmm

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>Just one more gadget?

Re: Hmmmmmmm, hmmmmmmm

mikew

>define "gadget."

Just one more thing to drain your wallet...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>And one's that's not needed as far as I can see...

Re: Just one more thing to drain your wallet...

mikew

>Then again, define needed.

Let's assume one wants or feels they need a honing jig. The MK.II is chosen as the jig of choice. And let's also assume one desires camber of greater and lesser degrees, depending on what is getting honed.

Wasted? Nah. Good addition.

Same with the skew angle registration doohickus. Repatable results--which is kinda the point of a jig...

It's one of those choices things--we all make them. And fault can often be found with any choice. How do your sharpen? Let's start there.

Take care, Mike

Re: Just one more thing to drain your wallet...

Tony Zaffuto

>Very good point Mike. Since I started this thread, let me lead by example. First, I do about 50% of sharpening free hand now. Learned by "skewing" chisels, blades on the stone. I use oilstones--med. india, antique black fine stone and sometimes followed on my 8000 grit LV waterstone.

I have an old Eclipse style jig and the first LV jig. My jig preference is the old LV jig. Works fine if you take your time to make sure you set your chisel up properly. I don't use the Eclipse style very much. Mine is a "knock-off" and works okay on plane blades that are thinner, or on chisels that have sufficient blade length, but on narrow chisels, that are a bit thick (meaning, pretty much used with blade length wore off!), the Eclipse style does not secure well.

Anyhow, I've watched with interest the roll out of the LV jig: it has a lot of feature that I would use (but would I???). I also like the simplicity of the Kell jig (do the job it would be bought for).

Jigs are to make your life simpler, not make the job a hand take longer than if you didn't use them at all! If you use it, I don't view it as a drain on my wallet. We all got tons of those doodads that caught our eye and "boy can I use that!" sets in and our wallets are drained.

As far as what would I like in a jig? Simple registration, wide wheel and secure lock down on the item being sharpened, with a sharpening item width range of 1/8" through 2-7/8" and usable on items from short spokeshave blades through very long paring chisels!

Re: Hmmmmmmm

Mark Nowicki

>Here is what I would use to achieve a camber on my plane blades ( if I had a sharpening gadget with wheels).

One shot = smoothing plane camber

two shots = jack plane camber

six shots = scrub plane

Whole bottle = shaving all body hair off with scrub plane blade to prove how sharp it really is.

Skoal

Mark Nowicki

Re: Veritas honing jig

Vlad

>Hi Tony,

In a hurry (son has hockey) and haven't read the other comments so I may be repeating things.

The old jig needed a lot of improvements in my opinion. The new jig with the two thumb screws on either end is significantly better - make sure they are equally tightened. Although I have had issues with getting a perpendicular edge to the sides - perhaps I'm too picky. Returned one and showed the salesperson who retained it for ??? The replacement was better but not perfect - perhaps it's me. I've recently used it significantly and like it.

Overall I think it's a very well thought out jig and would recommend it.

V.

Well, I have a drawer full of different ones...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>That are all going to go away. The only one I use now is a Ellispe (sp) when needed. I say needed when a blade must be truly flat and square to it's sides i.e. miter, plow and T&G blades. Everything else I do freehand sharpened. BTW I don't believe the LV jig is the referance standard for jigs to be measured by.

ROTFLMAO!

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>I perfer Makers Mark mysely...;^)

Re: Well, I have a drawer full of different ones..

mikew

>That's OK. You don't need to think anything about the LV jig[s].

I too freehand. Except for planes like what you mention, as well as my H&Rs and pattern maker's planes whos radii must match the soles. Then the MK.II, and with a cambered roller which I have been using since the MK.II hit my doorstep over a year ago.

But it is an each your own thing. It does help when one has experience with a tool before it gets dismissed.

Take care, Mike

Re: rotflmao, too!

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>For me, anything but tequila works!

I'm not sure I understand how the Veritas MKII with the dune buggy roller would work for my H&Rs. However, following the toast and flinging the empty glasses into the fireplace, you could always pick up the shards, find your can of 3M77 and stick some SiC w/d paper to the inside or the outside of what's left of the glass, and hone them with that.

Re: Veritas honing jig

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native now in Jax Fl.

>I haven't read this entire thread as I free-hand sharpen now. Fiqure if I'm not getting things as sharp as they could be now, than I will sometime in the future. In the meantime, I feel that I'm getting edges sharp enough for my needs.

Here is a pic of a honing jig that I built some time ago when I thought I needed one. Pretty simply affair really and I will say that it worked well, but I can do just as well strickly by hand so I don't bother fooling with it any longer. I keep it around just for the sake of keeping it.

Todd O.

Stone Holder

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native now in Jax Fl.

>Heres a pic of the stone holder I use when flattening the backs of flea market fresh chisels and plane blades. Nothing fancy, but it works well, is easy to store, and was cheap.

T.O.

Re: Well, I have a drawer full of different ones..

Brent Smith

>I don't think there really is a reference standard for sharpening. Every woodworker has their own way of sharpening. People tend to find their way, and some people tend forever after to look with disdain on anything new that comes on the market. Thirty years of sharpening, and just about every jig that's come down the pike,has taught me one thing...there can always be an easier way. I prefer freehand, but with the introduction of A2, and the time it takes to get an edge on it, a jig certainly can come in handy. I bought the Mark II when it came out and find it to be the best jig I've used.

Re: Stone Holder *LINK*

Ian Smith (Sydney Australia)

>Hi Todd,

I use a similar stone holder to yours, and I use the Veritas Mk. II honing guide.

It is part of my hand sharpening station which includes a place for flattening waterstones. You can read a full description of my sharpening station by following the link below that will take you to the Australian Woodwork Forums.

Regards,

Ian.


My Sharpening Station