Hey all, newb here. I’m building my first workshop in my basement with hand tools only (might add power tools later) and looking for some advice.
I’m still undecided on a sharpening setup, so wondering what other people like. How fussy are water stones, and how do you manage keeping them true? Do you have any cool tricks or things you want to show off?
It’s funny how one hobby spirals into another, innit? You can’t really be a wood carver without also learning about sharpening and honing.
I’m a spoon carver, so I hone my blade every 5-10 minutes of carving with a piece of leather hlued to a block of wood (store bought, not home made) with some honing compound (green waxy stuff) rubbed on. For honing my hook knife (for carving out bowls of spoons) I rub the blade against a wooden dowel, again with honing compound rubbed on.
When I actually need to sharpen a blade, I use a two sided sharpening stone and some water. Works on everything from hatchets to scissors.
Carving is what got me into wood working.
But yeah, it’s different going from honing blades with a compound to needing to sharpen them.
I don’t mind the process of sharing, but I’ve never really been exposed to it and I don’t know much about it.