Do you believe in freehand _and_ jigs?

I require a jig, as I have no skill at freehanding. However, even with a jig there's a bit of "art" involved in shaping the edge. The jig only aligns the tool to the wheel to ensure a clean bevel, it does not decide how much is removed from each spot.

As far as bevel quality goes, the only time it's really critical (assuming you've gotten a clean edge off it) is when the radius of the object you're turning is close to the radius of the wheel you sharpen with. For any other radius, you're either using just the front edge of the bevel, or riding the heel. The only other thing a consistent bevel is good for is ensuring a consistent (and thus predictable) variation in cut as you rotate the tool.

One exception - if you use a skew for truing the end of a spindle turning (or any other face perpendicular to the centerline), a nice flat and true bevel would probably be helpful (but not required).

Another exception - the vertical belt sander jigs[1] are much faster for sharpening than anything else I've seen. A few of our club members use them because of the speed.

Arch-

I'm a firm believer in the "use what fits the purpose" method. I do most all sharpening freehand- I learned that way very early from my father (thanks dad), and don't have much trouble (if I take my time) keeping angles, bevels, curves, and faces to the appropriate geometry. I'm also terminally cheap and would rather spend the money on more tools than a jig to sharpen what I already have.

Then too, there's the speed factor. I may touch-up a tool a few times during a session turning- I don't have time to change jigs for each tool, nor do I have room for multiple stations for each tool. I suppose part of this is the price I pay for still using the cheap junk that was bundled with the lathe when I got it as I don't seem to need to touch up the better tools as often.

Unfortunately, this applies almost exclusively to turning tools. I have a handful of home-made jigs for assorted other edged items. Maintaining a bevel over 3.5 foot length of sword freehand is a major pain in the posterior. Same for some of my longer knives, I need the jig to keep the stones in the proper alignment.

By the way- for the oldtimers out there- I learned on a hand-cranked water-wheel. Crank the wheel with one hand, hold the tool in the other, and don't go too fast or the wrong way or you'd get a face full of dirty water. The wheel is still in storage in my brother's shop- a lot worse for age, wear, and storage but neither of us has the heart to toss it in the bin.

Arch,

I have a Wolverine and I do freehand grinding. I use the Wolverine to "re-true" my grinds, sometimes. Otherwise, I mostly freehand grind. By the way, I think Wolverine is an excellent jig.

My choice to freehand comes from the position that, as you get around as a turners, you will frequently encounter situations where the Wolverine or other jig is not available. in those situations, you can be stuck. So, I have learned to freehand grind so that I can be flexible in any turning situation. As for freehand turning, I use a Wolverine platform mostly, but can get by with the crummy little platforms that come as stock on most grinders, and I have taught myself how to sharpen on a sanding disk mounted on a faceplate too.

My biggest criticism with jigs is when you are using several tools, the time it takes to adjust the jigs from one tool to another "forces" me into not using them. If I'm just going back and resharpening the same tool over and over, I'm more inclined to use the jig because there is very little set-up time.

Some good positive feed back is comming though. Can I comment on one point. Even with a good jig some skill is needed. This is true, i have just finnished filming a new updated grinding video and one of the points that came up is the shaping of tools. Most turners come to a point where re-shaping is necessasary and this can present a real problem. (I note that many new tools are not shaped or even sharp) California toolmaker Gerry Glaser addresses this in his manual and we have adopted this (with his permission) in our instructions. It is simple and effective and gives the craftsman a new edge to sharpen too. My line" If you dont have something to aim for you will never hit the mark.

My offer of a free CD video on grinding, bowlsaving and hollowing is still open to all who havn't applied. Please be paitent and you will recieve the updated version.

-- Cheers Ken Port Tool Designer

Arch Good question. I use a home made jig most of the time when sharpening long sided bowl gouges or oland tools. At least I think I use one for bowl gouges, I have not used a bowl gouge in so long that I am not sure. The same jig works for spindle gouges and I may use it or not depending on my mood. Scrapers, standard grinds, and skews I freehand. Other tools determine which I use by their shape. The earlier it is to morning the more I need a jig. Incidentally, I made my jig and am happy with it, however I have seen the Wolverine and the Woodcut jig used and they both seem excellent.

At a recent turning symposium, a well-known British woodturner made the assertion that with the use of fingernail jigs, you cannot get a consistent angle all the way around the tool's edge (esp. with a spindle gouge)--and that only by free-hand grinding could you achieve a constant angle. By implication, a constant angle is better than one that isn't.

Wonder what those of you experienced with jigs and/or free-hand grinding think about this claim?

thanks

Mike

I must say that doesn't happen with me. If there is somewhere I have to take my tools, I take my grinder. If I'm somewhere else turning and using someone else's tools, I sharpen the way they do on their jigs. If they sharpen freehand, I will have them sharpen the tools.

Peter Teubel Milford, MA

I recently took a class from another well known British turner who said that with the consistency of using a jig, a turner would be silly to not use one.