Randall A Maxey shares his expert advice cor choosing and using honing guides
Many beginners struggle with how to achieve a consistent bevel angle when sharpening. Even those with years of experience occasionally need to form a clean, accurate bevel on a tool.
Fortunately, there are a variety of accessories available that enable you to set and sharpen a tool like a chisel or hand plane iron with confidence. After you set the proper angle for the bevel, these honing guides hold the blade securely to maintain that angle on a sharpening stone as you sharpen.
Types of honing guide
The simplest and least expensive honing guide is a clamp-style guide. These are available at most hardware stores. They feature a screw mechanism that, when turned, moves the jaws together to clamp the edge of the tool. The screw knob is usually slotted to provide a way for you to apply additional torque with a screwdriver to ensure the blade doesn’t slip during use. This style of honing guide requires that the sides of the blade being clamped are parallel and relatively thin to fit the jaws of the guide. Some chisels are too thick or have tapered sides that prevent a secure grip on the blade.
Setting the proper angle of the tool to dress the bevel is done by adjusting the length of projection from the honing guide. There are a variety of ways to help you set this angle. One is to simply place the bevel of the blade flat on the stone and adjust the position of the honing guide to maintain that angle. You can use a shop-made gauge block to help you set the angle. The one shown here features cleats that help set the correct blade projection from the honing guide.
Another way to set the angle of the blade in the honing guide is to use a digital angle gauge. The digital gauge features strong magnets to attach it to a tool blade or steel worksurface. Set it on your worksurface or sharpening stone and press the ‘Zero’ button. Then place it on the blade in your honing guide and adjust the projection of the blade until the desired angle is displayed on the gauge.
Some honing guides come with a gauge that helps you set the blade angle with no fuss. One thing to watch for when clamping a blade in a honing guide is that the cutting edge is parallel to the roller and sits square in the guide. If the blade isn’t square as you sharpen, you will be removing more material on one side of the bevel than the other, creating an uneven bevel and a skewed cutting edge. It is particularly important to make sure the blade is square on bench chisels and irons for hand planes.
Using a honing guide
For most beginners, it helps to use a honing guide to sharpen the bevel. A honing guide holds the blade at a consistent angle and maintains a square edge. Wheels or rollers help the honing guide move back and forth along the length of the stone or abrasive. Your job is to apply light pressure at the cutting edge to sharpen the edge.
Honing guides vary widely in cost. Some clamp the blade at the sides, and you’re left to determine the angle at which the bevel contacts the stone. The amount the blade extends from the honing guide sets the angle. This isn’t as hard as it might sound, but it can be a trial-and-error process at first. With the blade clamped in the honing guide, it is a good idea to make sure the blade is square to the guide. While some chisels, like skew chisels, are designed with angled cutting edges, the cutting edges on bench chisels should be square. Keeping a small square handy near your sharpening station is helpful.
Secure the blade in the honing guide and place the guide on the sharpening stone. Sight under the bevel, then adjust the blade projection until the bevel is resting flat on the stone. Some more advanced honing guides come with jigs and accessories that help set the angle with little fuss.
Further reading
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