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Q: Try as I might, I can’t seem to get a good edge on my bowl gouges. Are bowl gouge sharpening jigs worth looking into? A: Bowl-gouge sharpening jigs do a great job. The jigs give many turners a [...]

Wicked Sharp For the ultimate edge, use a leather strop. By Alan Turner I have a special set of chisels that I only use for paring. To do a good job, they have to be wicked sharp— and stay [...]

Grind a new 25-degree bevel. Grind all the way up to the leading end. Make sure the end is square within a few degrees. To prevent overheating, frequently dip the chisel in water as you approach [...]

Bowl Gouge Sharpening Do it by hand, just like you turn. By Alan Lacer How do you make a velvety smooth bowl with evenly thick walls and crisp details? Well, it’s not done by sanding the heck out [...]

Can I Sharpen My Router Bit?   Q: I’ve got a carbide router bit that’s caked with pitch and leaves a rough cut. Can I rescue it or should I buy a new one? A: A bit can be brought [...]

Saw Sharpening Jig I made this jig to hold a dovetail or other backsaw when filing and resetting the teeth. To use, insert the saw blade, teeth up, and clamp the jig in a bench vice.…

I make it a point to avoid blogging about sharpening. It is the simplest thing to do that is made confusing by too much talk and too many commercial products. I honestly do not care how you [...]

The most embarrassing jig I’ve ever owned has been photographed, measured and pondered more than any single piece of fine furniture I’ve built. It’s a stupid little block of wood with stops on it [...]

Sometimes it’s not you. Sometimes, it is the tool that is causing the problem – especially if we are talking about burnishers. The following scene has been repeated so many times during the last [...]

When steel and an abrasive intersect, the typical result is utter confusion. Today we have more choices in steel than ever before. The same goes for abrasives. And so wading into the issue of [...]

I don’t get too worked up about sharpening equipment. With a few exceptions, any abrasive gets your tools sharp. And I find that the less I write about abrasives, the happier I am. But I’m going [...]

When I was taught to sharpen in 1992, the flat back of the iron was holy ground. We were taught to flatten it completely and polish it like a mirror. Never mind that none of the old tools we were [...]