Chisel hone guide question

[CPDDET]

I recently purchased this set of 4 micro chisels from Stumac. I'm very pleased with them and the dogleg shape allows great control. Cutting widths include 2mm, 2.4mm, 2.75mm and 3.25mm

 

But I need to find a honing guide that will work with them. Anyone have ideas?

 

[Bob Cleek]

Those look like really nice micro-chisels!

 

While dissimilar in size and at opposite ends of the spectrum, I'd have to say that looking for a manual honing guide for your chisels is probably a lot like shopping for a set of "training wheels" for your new Harley-Davidson.  I doubt such a thing exists short of the state-of-the-art Tormek system that doeos provide an adjustable-angled holding mechanism that will handle all sizes and shapes of micro-sized carving tools. Unfortunately, a Tormek machine will set you back around a grand.

 

 

 

 

 

Somebody may know of "a set of training wheels" for such chisels, but I've "been in town a long while" and have never seen such a thing. I would urge you, and everybody else, for that matter, to "study up" on "freehand sharpening" skills. Once acquired, you'll probably never look back and save the money and hassle of buying and using a guide. It's just not that difficult once you get the hang of "feeling" the sharpening angled face against the flat of your stone by rocking it to and froe. Sharpening is one of those things that seductively invites "better mousetraps" and a lot of them are pretty good. I think whichever method one uses is largely a matter of taste: oil stone, water stone, sandpaper on plate glass or your table saw table top, and on and on. YouTube is full of "How to Sharpen" videos and it shouldn't be too hard to teach yourself the basic tricks of the sharpening trade using the  method that works best for you. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Bob Cleek

[CPDDET]

1 hour ago, Bob Cleek said:

While dissimilar in size and at opposite ends of the spectrum, I'd have to say that looking for a honing guide for your chisels is probably a lot like shopping for a set of "training wheels" for your new Harley-Davidson.  I doubt such a thing exists short of the state-of-the-art Tormek that system provides an adjustable-angled holding mechanism that will handle all sizes and shapes of micro-sized carving tools. Unfortunately, a Tormek machine will set you back around a grand.

 

 

 

 

 

Somebody may know of "a set of training wheels" for such chisels, but I've "been in town a long while" and have never seen such a thing. I would urge you, and everybody else, for that matter, to "study up" on "freehand sharpening" skills. Once acquired, you'll probably never look back. It's just not that difficult once you get the hang of "feeling" the sharpening angled face against the flat of your stone by rocking it back and forth. Sharpening is one of those things that seductively invites "better mousetraps" and a lot of them are pretty good. I think which method one uses is a matter of taste in large measure: oil stone, water stone, sandpaper on plate glass or your table saw table top, and on and on. YouTube is full of "How to Sharpen" videos and it shouldn't be too hard to find one that provides a method that works for you. 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years of shaving with a straight razor I have become pretty adapt to honing and stopping a razor. There was, of course, a learning curve but over that time I have acquired the stones and skill to do it.

I imagine, with time, a similar skill could be attained with these chisles.

Thank you for your thoughts and insights. 

[Bob Cleek]

54 minutes ago, CPDDET said:

I imagine, with time, a similar skill could be attained with these chisles.

If you can keep a straight razor sharp on a regular basis, you've already got it down. Don't worry about it. Just treat them like your razor and they'll stay sharp forever.

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

On 9/25/2023 at 6:06 PM, CPDDET said:

But I need to find a honing guide that will work with them. Anyone have ideas?

This tool was done for this many years ago.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Gaetan Bordeleau

[CPDDET]

9 minutes ago, Gaetan Bordeleau said:

This tool was done for this many tears ago.

Perhaps you could supply more information? Such as manufacturer, availability and so on.

[CPDDET]

On 9/26/2023 at 11:56 AM, Gaetan Bordeleau said:

This tool was done for this many tears ago.

Looks like it could be an attachment for a Tormek 

[tlevine]

Take a look at this from the Carving Glove Guy.  I have used this to sharpen my microchisels for several years.  https://thecarvinggloveguy.com/image_preview.html?img=TCGG-DYSTROPKT

[druxey]

I cut a series of grooves using the gouges and veiners in a piece of softwood, then load the grooves with green honing compound. Cheap!

[allanyed]

50 minutes ago, druxey said:

I cut a series of grooves using the gouges and veiners in a piece of softwood, then load the grooves with green honing compound. Cheap!

Clever!!!!

[CPDDET]

5 hours ago, tlevine said:

Take a look at this from the Carving Glove Guy.  I have used this to sharpen my microchisels for several years.  https://thecarvinggloveguy.com/image_preview.html?img=TCGG-DYSTROPKT

Thanks Toni, I'll check it out.

[mtaylor]

7 hours ago, tlevine said:

Take a look at this from the Carving Glove Guy.  I have used this to sharpen my microchisels for several years.  https://thecarvinggloveguy.com/image_preview.html?img=TCGG-DYSTROPKT

I've bought my carving chisels (Dockyard branded) and his sharpening system.   Took a bit of practice but it does do the job.  

[EricWilliamMarshall]

The dog-leg Dockside chisels I have are built so the handle facets are parallel to the blade. So any top to bottom adjustable guide (for full-size chisels) will work. Most of the side-clamping guides will also work (assuming the bottom of the handle can rest on parallel pins that hold guide together.  Here is one of each for cheap: 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B8DJ282/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DRM941P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is how you can use the handle for clamping in the guides:

 

 

 

 

Note: for the top clamping guide, the chisel can be 'off' of 90 degrees and your sharpening will also be off!
I also second the use of scrap wood and honing compound that @druxey suggests! 
Also note, none of these guides will help with sharpening the gouges, so it is worth experimenting to learn the 'by hands alone' method.

Edited October 26, 2023 by EricWilliamMarshall

[wefalck]

The two types of honing guides are available from watchmaker supply houses.

 

The two-wheeled one is a standard tool for honing gravers. It is supposed to be used together with an Arkansas stone set between two wooden rails on which the wheels run.

 

The other type was originally manufactured by a company called Barkus, I believe, to be used together with diamond wheels on watchmaker lathes. There seem to be now Chines clones available on ebay (check the area for watchmaking tools).