No Southern-fried Southern boy wants to be called a Yankee, but we share the characteristics of shrewdness and thrift. Thus, each month we include a money-saving tip. It’s OK if you call me “cheap.”
This is a Matt Cremona tip, but it’s one I just had to share because it revolutionized sharpening for me. Matt didn’t invent this, his just happened to be my first time to see it. The way Matt gets the perfect angle on his blades every time is by using a jig that quickly establishes the distance from the tip of the blade to the locked position of the sharpening . Thus, if you want a certain angle on your blade, set the distance from the tip of the blade to the guide device, and you get a repeatable bevel every time. It’s not important if it’s 24 degrees or 26 degrees,repeatability is the key concept. I had been under the mistaken assumption that I could hold the chisel at a consistent angle while hand-sharpening on a stone. Wrong, resin breath! The other problem I always had with the guide was getting the blade square to the stone. The jig does that for you! Having the proper setup, a few passes with my 3/4″ chisel and I was amazed at how well it cut.
Instead of a separate assembly, I incorporated the “jig” right into the surface of my sharpening station. Right now, I have just a 25 degree block, but it will be a simple matter to hot-glue more blocks for additional angles. CLICK HERE to watch Matt and his sharpening setup.
This pretty little cedar block gives me the exact distance from bevel tip to holder for a 25 degree angle. It’s hot-glued in place.
Jim Randolph is a veterinarian in Long Beach, Mississippi. His earlier careers as lawn mower, dairy farmer, automobile mechanic, microwave communications electronics instructor and journeyman carpenter all influence his approach to woodworking. His favorite projects are furniture built for his wife, Brenda, and for their children and grandchildren. His and Brenda’s home, nicknamed Sticks-In-The-Mud, is built on pilings (sticks) near the wetlands (mud) on a bayou off Jourdan River. His shop is in the lower level of their home.Questions and comments on woodworking may be written below in the comments section. Questions about pet care should be directed to his blog on pet care, www.MyPetsDoctor.com. We regret that, because of high volume, not all inquiries can be answered personally.