HOME CARPENTRY; John Barnard; 1940 publication.
Method of Sharpening Tools on Oil-Stone. - The great difficulty which the amateur will experience in setting a tool on the oil-stone lies in keeping the bevel at the same angle with the stone throughout the operation. As he moves the tool backwards and forwards along the stone, he is apt to give it a different inclination when close to him than when at a greater distance, the angle at which the tool is inclined being greater when in the former position than the latter. In order to counteract this variation of angle it is evident that the tendency to be aimed at is the raising of the hand slightly as the tool moves further from the person instead of allowing it to take different angles of inclination during its movement over the stone. The elbows should be squared, the hands and arms should have freedom. The tool should be grasped with the right hand so that the first finger only is held above. The fingers of the left hand should lie together and straight upon the upper side , their tips fairly near the edge of the tool, the thumb being underneath. The tool will thus be held firmly and well under control.
Mechanical Aids in Sharpening Tools. - The amateur should not be disheartened if, for some time, he should fail to obtain a sharply defined bevel, and a good cutting edge upon his chisels and plane-irons. Although the sharpening of edge-tools is generally acknowledged to be a difficult matter for beginners there is no reason why the proper method should not be acquired.
If however, in spite of carefully following the instruction given above, after some practice he is still unable to obtain satisfactory results he may desire rather than send his tools to a professional man, to obtain one of the excellent contrivances which have of late years been introduced to help him in this respect. These appliances are designed to hold chisels and plane irons whilst they are being sharpened either on the oil-stone or grindstone. When the tool is put into the holder and brought to the right bevel with the adjustment screw it is a simple matter to bear it on the stone and by moving it forwards and backwards to obtain a perfectly uniform bevel and a keen edge. This appliance is sold at a very moderate price, but the amateur, with the exercise of a little ingenuity, should have no difficulty in making of hard wood or similar appliance which will serve its purpose quite well until he has learned to manage without its assistance.
Caveat; Whether one chooses to freehand sharpen or rely on a honing guide is a matter of personal choice. For the vast number of woodworkers who are restricted to the weekend only to refine their woodwork skills, the shorter learning curb needed to master a honing jig, compared to that of freehand sharpening, does make the honing jig alternative a much more practical solution..