There are many ways to sharpen your woodworking tools. Most are kept sharp through the use of a coarse whetstone to erode the metal to a thin cutting edge. The higher quality natural stones are more expensive, but you can get good results from less expensive, synthetic stones. As part of the sharpening, whetstones are lubricated with water or oils to be sure the steel won't overheat and to keep fine fragments of metal and stone from clogging the abrasive surface.
Typically, whetstones are sold as rectangular blocks - known as bench stones - for honing everyday tools or as small knife edges or teardrop section stones for sharpening gouges and carving chisels. Blades can also be honed on a totally flat metal plat that has been dusted with abrasive powder.
Oilstones: The majority of artificial and natural sharpening stones are lubricated with light oil. Novaculite, normally considered to be the best oilstones available, are only found in Arkansas. This compact silica crystal occurs naturally in a number of grades. The rough, speckled-gray Soft Arkansas stone does away with metal quickly and is used for the preliminary shaping of edged tools. The white Hard Arkansas stone places the honing angle on the cutting edge, which is then polished and refined using the Black Arkansas stone. Even finer is the rare translucent type.
Man-made oilstones are produced from sintered aluminum oxide or silicon carbide. Classified as fine, medium or coarse, synthetic sharpening stones are much cheaper than their natural equivalents.
Waterstones: As it is comparatively friable and soft, a sharpening stone which is lubricated with water cuts faster than an equivalent oilstone. Fresh abrasive particles are exposed and released continuously while a meta blade is rubbed across the exterior of the waterstone. However, this soft bond also makes a waterstone at risk of inadvertent damage, especially when honing thin chisels that may score the exterior. Naturally occurring waterstones are so pricey that almost all suppliers of tools sell only the man-made varieties, which are just about as efficient.
Diamond Stones: Very hard-wearing coarse and fine grade sharpening 'stones' are made of nickel plated steel plate which is embedded with monocrystalline diamond particles and bonded to a rigid polycarbonate foundation. These quick-cutting honing tools, offered as slender files and bench stones, can be used dry or lubricated with water. Diamond stones will hone carbide and steel tools.
Metal Lapping Plates: Available as alternate options to standard sharpening stones, oiled steel or cast-iron plates sprinkled with progressively finer fragments of silicon carbide deliver an absolutely flat polished back to a plane or chisel blade and razor-sharp cutting edges. For the ultimate cutting edge on steel tools, finish with diamond-grit compound spread on a flat steel plate. Diamond abrasives are also used to sharpen carbide-tipped tools.
Typically, whetstones are sold as rectangular blocks - known as bench stones - for honing everyday tools or as small knife edges or teardrop section stones for sharpening gouges and carving chisels. Blades can also be honed on a totally flat metal plat that has been dusted with abrasive powder.
Oilstones: The majority of artificial and natural sharpening stones are lubricated with light oil. Novaculite, normally considered to be the best oilstones available, are only found in Arkansas. This compact silica crystal occurs naturally in a number of grades. The rough, speckled-gray Soft Arkansas stone does away with metal quickly and is used for the preliminary shaping of edged tools. The white Hard Arkansas stone places the honing angle on the cutting edge, which is then polished and refined using the Black Arkansas stone. Even finer is the rare translucent type.
Man-made oilstones are produced from sintered aluminum oxide or silicon carbide. Classified as fine, medium or coarse, synthetic sharpening stones are much cheaper than their natural equivalents.
Waterstones: As it is comparatively friable and soft, a sharpening stone which is lubricated with water cuts faster than an equivalent oilstone. Fresh abrasive particles are exposed and released continuously while a meta blade is rubbed across the exterior of the waterstone. However, this soft bond also makes a waterstone at risk of inadvertent damage, especially when honing thin chisels that may score the exterior. Naturally occurring waterstones are so pricey that almost all suppliers of tools sell only the man-made varieties, which are just about as efficient.
Diamond Stones: Very hard-wearing coarse and fine grade sharpening 'stones' are made of nickel plated steel plate which is embedded with monocrystalline diamond particles and bonded to a rigid polycarbonate foundation. These quick-cutting honing tools, offered as slender files and bench stones, can be used dry or lubricated with water. Diamond stones will hone carbide and steel tools.
Metal Lapping Plates: Available as alternate options to standard sharpening stones, oiled steel or cast-iron plates sprinkled with progressively finer fragments of silicon carbide deliver an absolutely flat polished back to a plane or chisel blade and razor-sharp cutting edges. For the ultimate cutting edge on steel tools, finish with diamond-grit compound spread on a flat steel plate. Diamond abrasives are also used to sharpen carbide-tipped tools.
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With the right woodworking advice you can improve your woodworking skills and take on increasingly complex projects. The DIY Woodworking site is a great source of information on tools, equipment, plans, projects, and woodworking classes.
