Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use? - Hand Tools - Woodworking

Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

12/20/06, 9:20 PM #1

Joe
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Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

>So, I received my Blade Honing Compound from Lee Valley today (along with some great catalogs!) that I talked about the other day.

I'm thinking I'm going to use this for final honing of chisels and plane irons and/or just touch ups. But what's the best way to use it? Scribble some on a piece of maple? How much do I put on the block of wood? Do I work the iron as if I'm sharpening it? Is it that simple? Do you just polish the back of the iron (not the bevel)?

Last fall when I visited Dan Donaldson, I kinda remember seeing a piece of leather attached to a block of wood in his shop that he rubbed a plane iron on.

Maybe I'm going about this all wrong but I just thought I'd try something a little different.

Tell me how you use this stuff.

Why does something as simple as this green stuff create so many questions in my head!? :)

Thanks.

Joe

Re: Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

12/20/06, 11:45 PM #2

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA
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Registered: 1/5/04

What I do...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>I rub it (like a big crayon) on a piece of double tempered masonite. Then stroke the blade back across it, like planing backwards so to speak. Any hard surface will work. I have yet to play with it on leather.

Re: Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

12/21/06, 2:14 AM #3

Dan Donaldson
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Registered: 9/17/01

Re: What I do...

Dan Donaldson

>The piece I use is a heavy, stiff piece of vegetable tanned leather. I use it smooth side out and just rub the crayon on it. It may be soft enough to cause some dubbing for those that are having a zen experience with their sharpening and are trying for an edge that is absolutely perfect and one molecule thick at the edge, but it does a good job for me and it doesn't dub the edge enough that I notice anything. ;-)

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

12/21/06, 2:20 AM #4

Joe
Guest

one molecule?

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

>That's a bit extreme isn't Dan? I mean, kinda big? I'm going for a quarter molecule. :)

Thanks,

Joe

Re: Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

12/21/06, 2:31 AM #5

Dan Donaldson
Master Craftsman
Offline
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Registered: 9/17/01

one quark? ;-)

Dan Donaldson

>

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

12/21/06, 3:57 AM #6

Bruce, a MN Galoot
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Registered: 1/7/04

An obsidian edge

Bruce, a MN Galoot

>is reputed to be one molecule thick, which is why it is so blasted sharp. Same goes for glass.

As the story goes, Don Crabtree, an American anthropologist and premier flintknapper, needed eye surgery. He worked with his opthalmic surgeon and made the obsidian tools used in his surgery. Due to the unbelievably clean cuts, the wounds healed in record time.

bruce

Re: Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

12/21/06, 9:05 AM #7

paul womack
Guest

Re: An obsidian edge

paul womack

>is reputed to be one molecule thick, which is why it is so blasted sharp. Same goes for glass.

That would make sense, since the sharpening is done by cleaving through a crystal matrix plane.

BugBear

Lee Valley Honing Compound - how to use?

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