Chisel and Plane Blade Honing Guide Angle Jigs with measurements; Veritas, Marples, and Eclipse.

[Jacob]

But some work better than others.
https://www.google.com/search?q=wer...IOTc4MWowajSoAgCwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Not again.

Déja vu all over again.

 

[BentonTool]

But some work better than others.
https://www.google.com/search?q=wer...IOTc4MWowajSoAgCwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I have always considered the Veritas Mk 2 honing jig to be unnecessarily overly complicated... too many bells & whistles. A design searching for an application...

The KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid) is generally best (IMHO).

For those who wish to use a honing guide, you can not go wrong with the Eclipse-style guides, which are inexpensive and have a tremendous capacity, or a top-clamping model, such as the original Veritas guide... or the Marples (or a similar guide; Millers Falls, etc.), which will accept unusual chisels such as skews.

Personally, I often sharpen freehand.
That being said, I typically fall back on the honing guides when I want an exceptionally sharp blade (e.g. when using an 8000 grit water-stone for my smoothing plane irons).

I have yet to reach the skill level while sharpening freehand that I can consistently avoid rounding-over the edge when engaged in that particular pursuit... in that scenario, the honing guides avoid frustration.

 

[Jacob]

.....

I have yet to reach the skill level while sharpening freehand that I can consistently avoid rounding-over the edge when engaged in that particular pursuit... ,,....

To avoid rounding over is very easy; you simply choose not to do it.
Instead you choose to do the opposite. Could call it "rounding under"!
Start your pass with the tool at the chosen angle (usually 30º) and as you thrust it forwards over the stone you dip it very slightly, to end up at a slightly lower angle.
The edge gets honed at 30º at the start of the pass but as you go forwards the back of the bevel gets taken off at a slightly lower angle - what modern sharpeners would call the primary bevel, but slightly rounded convex.
Might sound tricky but it takes a few seconds to get the idea and becomes natural and easy.
It's very much easier than trying to hone a flat bevel, which doesn't serve any purpose anyway.
It is the way in to freehand sharpening. The other essential is to bring up a burr. If it doesn't happen quickly don't waste your time, go on to a coarser stone. Then back to finer - as fine as you want, plus stropping if you want scary sharp.
For most ordinary purposes the Norton India "medium" grit is good enough.
So it's three things:
rounding under (very slightly):
bringing up (and taking off) a burr:
a little and often (never let the edge go blunt).

 

[Eshmiel]

To avoid rounding over is very easy; you simply choose not to do it.
Instead you choose to do the opposite. Could call it "rounding under"!
Start your pass with the tool at the chosen angle (usually 30º) and as you thrust it forwards over the stone you dip it very slightly, to end up at a slightly lower angle.
The edge gets honed at 30º at the start of the pass but as you go forwards the back of the bevel gets taken off at a slightly lower angle - what modern sharpeners would call the primary bevel, but slightly rounded convex.
Might sound tricky but it takes a few seconds to get the idea and becomes natural and easy.
It's very much easier than trying to hone a flat bevel, which doesn't serve any purpose anyway.
It is the way in to freehand sharpening. The other essential is to bring up a burr. If it doesn't happen quickly don't waste your time, go on to a coarser stone. Then back to finer - as fine as you want, plus stropping if you want scary sharp.
For most ordinary purposes the Norton India "medium" grit is good enough.
So it's three things:
rounding under (very slightly):
bringing up (and taking off) a burr:
a little and often (never let the edge go blunt).

Do you juggle too? Possibly whilst balancing atop a 10 ft pole?

Ignore my sark. I do admire your skill and agree with another poster about the KISS principle. But there's also play ...... . Speed and efficiency are often low in the requirement list when playing.

 

[Jacob]

Do you juggle too? Possibly whilst balancing atop a 10 ft pole?

Ignore my sark.

People do seem anxious to talk themselves out of the possibility of simple sharpening processes.

I do admire your skill and agree with another poster about the KISS principle.

Less skill required compared to the modern sharpening rituals. Any fool can do it. It's easier. That's why I keep going on about it.

But there's also play ...... . Speed and efficiency are often low in the requirement list when playing.

I'd rather be doing woodwork than fiddling with expensive but useless jigs, however many brass knobs they have!