Eclipse honing guide

[ac445ab]

Hi all!
My name is Giuliano and I am Italian.
We have our forum about woodworking at this address:
http://forum.il-legno.it/
I recently purchased an Eclipse honing guide from ebay.

I noted that one of sides is curved. What is its function? Such curved surface appears to be not as efficient as a straight surface in retaining plane blades and chisels. May be it has a special function?
Thank you!
Ciao,
Giuliano

 

[MooreToolsPlease]

First of all, welcome to the forum!
I'm pretty sure that the curved side of the eclipse guide is shaped this way so that the chisel is pinched into the straight side.
By doing this it will always register from the straight side.
Hope this helps

 

[David C]

Spot on.

David C

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Giuliano

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[DaveL]

Hi Giuliano,

Welcome to the forum.

You links have been blocked by our spamulator, as you are a new member, it will stop once you have a couple more posts to your name.

I noted that one of sides is curved. What is its function? Such curved surface appears to be not as efficient as a straight surface in retaining plane blades and chisels. May be it has a special function?

Answers already given above, I have not seen many still in the box. 8)

 

[ac445ab]

Thank you for your replies and welcome.

My interest is mainly about hand tools, so many times I have to honing plane blades and chisels.
I have a Stanley guide and an Eclipse.
Some days ago I used a my friend's MKII guide and I enjoyed its solidness and comfort. I am valuating its purchase. What you say?

Ciao,
Giuliano

P.S. excuse me for my approssimative english

 

[Alf]

Giuliano,

Welcome to the forum. Don't worry about your English - it's easier to understand that some of the English posts!

As for the honing guides, unless you find the Eclipse and the Stanley aren't doing what you need I should save your money for the time being. The Eclipse is a very useful guide for most things and the Stanley, although a little trouble to use, is very good for shorter blades that the Eclipse might have trouble with. Of course that's no reason not to get the MkII if you want it. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[ac445ab]

Giuliano,

Welcome to the forum. Don't worry about your English - it's easier to understand that some of the English posts!

As for the honing guides, unless you find the Eclipse and the Stanley aren't doing what you need I should save your money for the time being. The Eclipse is a very useful guide for most things and the Stanley, although a little trouble to use, is very good for shorter blades that the Eclipse might have trouble with. Of course that's no reason not to get the MkII if you want it. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

Hi Alf,
I am very glad to hear you. You are famous on italian woodworking forum, mainly for your job regarding combination planes :wink: .
I agree whith you. Is better to spend money when it is necessary!
No problem whit plane blades. Stanley and Eclipse guides work well.
Now I recently acquired some Atsu nomi chisels. The 1" is very thick and do not fits in Stanley guide and falls in the eclipse. I tried the manual grinding and honing, but it is very hard to mantain the right angle.
In the MKII fits well and so....
Also I have to honing a pig sticker mortice chisels serie and may be I could have similar problems with Stanley and Eclipse.(I have not tried).

Ciao,
Giuliano

 

[DomValente]

Giuliano wrote

You are famous on italian woodworking forum

Or infamous even

Dom

 

[Alf]

I think I preferred Giuliano's version... :lol:

I wonder... Thick narrow chisels aren't exactly what the MkII's best at. Aren't the one's by Richard Kell(?) supposed to be the bee's knees for that sort of thing? More expert guide users than me about to answer that one. I could go into a mutter about how this just proves one should learn to freehand hone but I'll spare everyone. :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

Hi all!
My name is Giuliano and I am Italian.

I am jealous of your country's food!

I would very much like to see a scan of the instructions I see in that box.

As has been commented, to find a model that old (I think it's old) in the box with instruction i rather rare.

BugBear

 

[Paul Chapman]

(I think it's old)

I would guess it's pre-1970. From memory, all Eclipse stuff from 1970 onwards (which is when I started buying it) was in blue packaging.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[ac445ab]

I am sorry to delude you! That in the photo is not mine.
It is still available on ebay: :wink:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ECLIPSE-HONING-GU ... dZViewItem

I am jealous of your country's food!

Unfortunately I cannot ship you a Pizza Margherita or a Spaghetti dish.
For best quality you have to come here. :wink:

Ciao,
Giuliano

 

[bugbear]

I am sorry to delude you! That in the photo is not mine.
It is still available on ebay: :wink:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ECLIPSE-HONING-GU ... dZViewItem

I suspect that andy21466 will get that - his feedback shows him paying top prices for good condition "interesting" tools.

I am jealous of your country's food!

Unfortunately I cannot ship you a Pizza Margherita or a Spaghetti dish.
For best quality you have to come here. :wink:

Ciao,
Giuliano

Yes, I've done that, and enjoyed it greatly - I worked (as a contractor) for 3 months for a company in Bologna...

BugBear

 

[Smudger]

Hi all!
My name is Giuliano and I am Italian.

I am jealous of your country's food!

I would very much like to see a scan of the instructions I see in that box.

As has been commented, to find a model that old (I think it's old) in the box with instruction i rather rare.

BugBear

It may be rare, but there's another one with exactly the same picture for sale at the moment - and lay off all of you, please - I need it for my 1/8" cutter! In fact IF I get it and IF it has the box and instructions you can have them.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Don't be tempted to pay too much for it, Smudger. The Axminster one for £5.50 would be just as good. In fact, some of the Eclipse clones are better in that they take wider blades, which is useful for honing scraper blades. I bought a cheapo one from Pennyfarthing Tools recently for about a fiver and it's just as good as my Eclipse one.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Smudger]

Thanks for that, Paul, I've got an Axminster one kicking around somewhere, never used.

 

[Harbo]

I have an Eclipse one and the problem with it is that the roller is very narrow and the guide has a tendency to roll.

The Kell is much more stable, with the rollers on the outside of the tool being sharpened - but it is quite expensive about £30?

Rod

 

[Paul Chapman]

I have an Eclipse one and the problem with it is that the roller is very narrow and the guide has a tendency to roll.

The narrow roller can also be an advantage. By using finger pressure on the blade near where it contacts the sharpening stone you can influence the way the blade is sharpened. To achieve a straight edge, keep the finger pressure at the centre of the blade. To achieve a curved or cambered edge, alternate the finger pressure on one side then the other. It's a knack quickly learnt.

Cheers :wink:

Paul