Diamond sharpening stone and honing guide

[Mel769]

Hi long time lurker here and I have a question if anyone can advise that would be great. Can anyone recommend me a diamond sharpening stone (or stones) and a honing guide. I have a few chisels, a No.5 stanley plane, and a block plane that I need to sharpen. I use the tools on occasion and have relied on my bench grinder and oil stone up till now. I dont want to spend mega money, but something thats at least mid-range or better. The honing guide would need to take a No.5 plane blade and smaller. Thanks all

 

[gregmcateer]

Take cover, spectators!!

 

[Fitzroy]

I will soon be cast in to the flames of sharpening heresy, but I admit I use a honing guide. There I said it!

I don’t think there is a mid range guide. It’s either a £10 job from screw fix, faithful etc, or the Veritas Mk2 at £60ish. I use the veritas and think it’s a great tool.

Regards diamond stones I have a set of cheap ones, £10 each, from ITS. To be honest I don’t get on with them. Although they are 200x75mm they are not large enough for a long stroke with the guide and they are hard to use evenly.

Personally I have gone back to wet and dry paper on a marble tile. Grits 240, 320, 400, 600, 1200, 2000, then a leather strop with autosol.

Fitz

 

[Cabinetman]

Sorry everyone I couldn’t resist!
I would persevere without a guide and keep your oil stone, once you get the hang of it it’s a doddle. If it makes life easier for you, you don’t need to use the whole stone just concentrate on an inch and a half at one end ,put your blade on some oil then lift it back to a dry patch, lift your hands slightly till you see the oil pushed out then push up and down at that angle. After a few strokes wipe the oil off the blade and feel to see if there is a burr pushed up on the flat side of the blade, then making sure that the blade is flat onto the stone a few strokes will get rid of this burr and it’s probably quite sharp enough for what most people need/want. Ian

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I love my diamond stones from ITS. When I use a guide, which is usually only for something like a shoulder plane blade, which really needs to be square, I use a Veritas mk2, but good luck buying anything from them at the moment! Why not improvise with a small wedge of hardwood made from an offcut?

 

[okeydokey]

Veritas mk11 easy to use and well made.
Diamond stone or wet and dry

 

[Mel769]

Thanks for the response, I ended up with ITS diamond stones and a guide. Im not atall a pro when it comes to sharpening and should do it more often. Anyhow having never used a diamond stone or a guide before in my life I will see how i get on with them; hopefully the experience will propel me to better things, and neater woodwork generally. Without sounding big headed, ive made some half decent functional (maybe rough cut) stuff for my shed over the years including shelves, workbench, the shed itself, drawers ectc ect; all these items ive made with handtools (and power tools) that have not exactly been "that" sharp. So im on a mission now to put in the extra effort with sharpening my tools regularly to improve my works and make life easier for myself, more haste, less speed and all that, Thanks