Reply To: Basic Sharpening of Turning Tools
Welcome! / Forums / General Woodworking Discussions / Tools and Tool Maintenance/Restoration / Basic Sharpening of Turning Tools / Reply To: Basic Sharpening of Turning Tools
Hi Henry,
Welcome to the site!
I picked up a lathe a while ago when I was offered a deal by a retiring turner. One thing I found out when getting started is that ‘sharp’ has a very different level when turning. Whereas I’d sharpen and strop my planes and chisels to a razor edge, a turner would just sharpen on a pretty course grinder and go to work!
I don’t have my grinder out all the time so I sharpened a roughing gouge on my diamond plates and it worked just fine. I’m not sure what type of steel it is but all turning gouges are much thicker than carving ones so it takes a little while longer if you need to get the whole bevel. I went up to the extra fine plate (1200 grit) and it worked wonderfully on the lathe.
If you use a grinder, I don’t think the jigs are essential if you’re prepared to spend some time practicing getting the right angle while holding the tool on a regular tool rest. Paul shows a similar technique in (I think) the video on preparing the iron in the plane making series.
To me, it looks like the jigs make sharpening gouges more reliable but you can get the same effect by practicing to hold the tool at the right angle. All the jigs do is hold the tool for you, anyway. You might not get the bevel perfectly formed if you handhold (at least at the start) but I can’t see it making a noticeable difference most of the time. With most kits I think you can get the jigs later if you decide you want them.
Hope this helps!
George.