Have a look at this Jacob!

[Corneel]

The Veritas MK2 is especially troublesome. Too heavy. Too complex. And easy to skew the iron accidentally.

 

[mark w]

Mark the mistake you are making is in assuming that because you can't do it then neither can anyone else.

I didn`t say I couldn`t do it, I can do it. Assumptions, assumptions, Jacob.

The Veritas MK2 is especially troublesome. Too heavy. Too complex. And easy to skew the iron accidentally.

Never found it too heavy, never had any of the other problems, maybe you need to be really skilled to use a jig, now there`s a thought!

Bradlye Wiggin's manages ok without kiddie bike stabilisers

What about when he was a kiddy?

 

[bobbybirds]

The Veritas MK2 is especially troublesome. Too heavy. Too complex. And easy to skew the iron accidentally.

See, now this is not true for all... I use this jig exclusively and find it a super easy and reliable jig. It had a slight learning curve, but in no time at all it had me making wonderfully sharp edges and accurate bevels. I never have a problem using it. Just like any method, if you take the time to understand and learn it, you will do well with it. Even though I am now sharpening almost exclusively freehand, this is my go to jig when I need to completely redo a bevel.

I am not saying your statement is false in your preference of a jig, but in general there are many more people who love this tool than dislike it. Unfortunately the nay say'rs of any product are always more vocal than the people that just happily carry on with their day content with their quality product.

Again though, I am quite content not using any jig anymore. Not for ever having issues with a jig, but not using one has become quite simple and liberating in that I can grab almost any blade and a stone a just get it done and move on...

 

[Jacob]

...

Bradlye Wiggin's manages ok without kiddie bike stabilisers

What about when he was a kiddy?

It's generally recognised that stabilisers don't help at all. Kids learn faster and better without them. "Balance" bikes or old fashioned scooters are a better starting point.

 

[Cottonwood]

...

Bradlye Wiggin's manages ok without kiddie bike stabilisers

What about when he was a kiddy?

It's generally recognised that stabilisers don't help at all. Kids learn faster and better without them. "Balance" bikes or old fashioned scooters are a better starting point.

Despite that possibility, there is the fact that, normally, children develop-physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially etc etc. "Developmental milestones" I think is the sociologists industry term these days. Maybe B Wiggins DID need a pair of stabilisers when he was little, its generally regarded as kinda normal at that age (5 or6?). But no one (including Mr Wiggins I suspect) would claim to have learned to ride a bike properly until they get beyond the need for them-and it would also look kinda strange to watch him whizzing round France with a pair of stabilsers on his bike..... :lol:

 

[Jacob]

.... its generally regarded as kinda normal at that age (5 or6?). ....... :lol:

My grandson (5) is pedalling about on his first lightweight with 5 gears. He started at 3 ish with a balance bike. Stabilisers aren't that normal - at least, not where parents/grandparents do a bit of cycling themselves!
But you can see the logic - they are bought by people who don't know any better, a bit like sharpening jigs!

PS http://www.islabikes.co.uk/ - a bit pricey but 2nd hand you mostly likely get your money back as they grow out of them fast. Wish I'd had one when I was little. I started on me mums shopper. Huge iron thing with a basket. Couldn't sit on the seat and reach the pedals. Stabiliser, like sharpening jigs, had not been invented.

 

[nicguthrie]

Sad that yet another sharpening war erupts, and actual sharpening was not even really the topic of the post! Then again, it was directed at Jacob, and about a sharpening jig, so I see what started it...

Gonna stand on my soapbox here;

The really sad part is that this whole tendancy to erupt into "My side is better than your side" stems from a part of the human psyche that we seem as a race to be completely unable to get a handle on as yet. Whether or not to use a jig when sharpening gets right under the skin of those with a "Law" based mentality, where there must be a right and a wrong (like my missus, she's right, I'm wrong, it's simple) and whips things up to the point that, if religion or politics was involved, war would break out. (And don't say calm heads would prevail, wars have been fought over far lesser things, at least as excuses)

The truth of the matter, from the point of view of one of us more chaotically minded types that prefer principles in general is simple - The correct way to sharpen a tool is until it's sharp. Use any method that takes your fancy or provides optimum efficiency to you personally.

I use a worksharp 3000 to reference my bevels, repair an edge or even to polish up a messed up bevel on one of my chisels that I really like pretty. When I'm working at a job and like to just keep my head down and stay in the zone I use a small diamond stone to touch the edge up as it blunts a bit, freehand. Neither is superior, neither is actually faster in reality, inasmuch as would make any real difference in a working day.

Accept that there's three sides to every story, there's your own, the other guys, and somewhere in the grey area between, there's the truth.

Get's off soapbox.

And yes, sharp shiny tools is a part of my hobby, not the main part, but I'd happily enjoy an hour sharpening and maintaining all my stuff occasionally - it's not all about the tools, but it pretty much all involves them

Nic.

 

[Corneel]

Oh come on Nic. You don't need to compare a heated argument on a forum with the principles of war. Forums are made for discussions. Without discussions these forums would be utterly dull.

 

[mark w]

The whole point of directing this at Jacob was for entertainment value, its either this or sit in front of the telly during the evening.

 

[iNewbie]

...

Bradlye Wiggin's manages ok without kiddie bike stabilisers

What about when he was a kiddy?

It's generally recognised that stabilisers don't help at all. Kids learn faster and better without them. "Balance" bikes or old fashioned scooters are a better starting point.

Depends on the child - same as learning: auditory, visual and kinesthetic.

If we go by your methods Jacob we'd not even bother with a Balance Bike because its an AID - as is a stabilizer! Throw 'em on a bike with cogs and let'em learn via trial and error, eh? :wink:

 

[Corneel]

This a good balance toy for kids who are not old enough to be able to learn bicycling. Stabilisers on a kids bike do nothing for develloping the kid's balance.

 

[Jacob]

.....
If we go by your methods Jacob we'd not even bother with a Balance Bike because its an AID - as is a stabilizer! Throw 'em on a bike with cogs and let'em learn via trial and error, eh? :wink:

Err, thats more or less what we did. I can remember being launched off down a hill on me mums bike. Luckily the basket broke my fall!

 

[RossJarvis]

The whole point of directing this at Jacob was for entertainment value, its either this or sit in front of the telly during the evening.

I knew it, I knew it. If it gets out that there's a sport of "Jacob Baiting" (hammer) , the Labour Party will ban it, or else they'll have to make the telly more interesting!

 

[iNewbie]

This a good balance toy for kids who are not old enough to be able to learn bicycling. Stabilisers on a kids bike do nothing for develloping the kid's balance.

Didn't do me any harm - I didn't have a balance bike. As I said earlier: depends on the child.

 

[Corneel]

Doesn't harm indeed. Kids like to play with the bike with stabiisers. Doesn't help them to develop balance skills though. After a while it doesn't matter either way.The kid grows up, his motoring skills improves and he/she can learn to ride a real bicycle.

Just like adult man in fact. They can learn freehand sharpening skills too, if they are so inclined, or see the need. It would have been a lot less painfull if we had learn that skill at young age.

 

[Cottonwood]

Has anyone ever stopped to think about the old childhood games such as cup in a ball, hoop and stick etc, very good at developing hand/eye coordination, which is the basis of all manual skill in crafts and trades

 

[iNewbie]

Doesn't harm indeed. Kids like to play with the bike with stabiisers. Doesn't help them to develop balance skills though.

Lean over on a bike with stabilisers and you'll soon learn about balance skills...

 

[nicguthrie]

Oh come on Nic. You don't need to compare a heated argument on a forum with the principles of war. Forums are made for discussions. Without discussions these forums would be utterly dull.

True, sorry I was a bit heavy handed, started as a flippant short comment and sort of evolved, I'd had a hard week! The principle still stands, there's no wrong and right in the great Jig/no Jig, Grinder/no Grinder debate. So long as the tools end up sharp enough to be efficient. I happen to like mine both shiny and sharp

Nic.

As for balance, mine was always terrible, but then I learned how to pedal around fast in a hand-me-down one of these

 

[Cheshirechappie]

As for balance, mine was always terrible, but then I learned how to pedal around fast in a hand-me-down one of these

Ah - an eco-quadbike!

But did it help you to sharpen your drawknife?

 

[Corneel]

Ah yes, drawknifes! I am quite new to the world of drawknifes. Not an easy tool to use.