I have the same workshop setup with diamond plates, but I built a great stand that holds the tool, all the plates, and has a drawer for everything else. It was absolutely worth it.
I have spent a small fortune on sharpening systems in the past twenty years. I do not have your system, but I have heard it works well. I to have a dedicate work station for sharpening. I call mine "the bottomless pit".
Great topic. I’ve built up a box of chisels (several in each of the sizes I use daily as a builder) and just sharpen them in one session occasionally. A wet grinding wheel is the ultimate, but I just use a cheap Bosch corded belt sander that is too wimpy for work duty, with a worn out 120 grit belt. Simply clamp it onto a saw stool and grind the chisels using the round end of sander for concave (dipping chisel as needed into a jar of water to keep the steel cool) then stone and leather strop the edge super keen. It takes 30min/1hr to sharpen a dozen or so chisels.
I’ve been using this system for my chisels for a few years after learning from old school guys like Paul Sellers and realizing I’m not a good free-hand tool sharpener. Get you back flat and shiny and never touch it again. Do the rest of your sharpening on the bevel. I sharpen up to 3000 on these wheels. When you see scarf buildup (darkening of the plate), use some windex and a paper towel, or, if needed, a brass brush to clean things up and your plates will be good for a lot longer. You are an expert, way above my level, this is the one time I’ve ever felt I had advice to give.
Hey Spenser, got to say really like all your content, tips and knowledge you give. Awesome stuff.. I know you said you don’t want to be a sharpening guru.. I’ll only suggest a few little tricks that are a tad bit more work but barely, and will give you even greater results with speed that your looking for.. First would be to use some kind of oil/ lubricant. The difference is night and day and it doesn’t have to be a ton of it to be sloppy flying around all over and cleans up super fast. Secondly having two bevels creates an ultra crisp edge even finer then the standard bevel your using. I typical like the main bevel at 25 degrees and my Cut bevel at 31. The main bevel is the one your using for the whole part of the face. The cutting bevel would be a 1/8 maybe only at the tip. It does a lot for the chisel. First you only have to focus on the little edge to get it super sharp and not worry about the whole face. And one more thing would be to use one or two more higher grits if you really only wanted a edge that’s like no other.. Everything else your doing is spot on great ..keep up good work
That hallow spot on the back of the chisel doesn’t need to be ground flat. Absolute minimal grinding on the back side is best. Watch Rob Cosmans videos on sharpening chisels and hand plane blades.
Love your content- I’m a water stone guy for my “good” chisels and plane irons. I use Krenov style wood planes with Hock irons. I suggest trying hollow grinding them to greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to get a surgically sharp edge.
I use a diamond stone even on my beaters . I also spray a little soapy water on them floats junk away . I hv pretty expensive two cherries. I only use 1200 stone on and pretty much only flatten the back. I build a lot of cabinets and other finish jobs and found a sharp chisel is a useful tool. I sharpen my pencils with them ( four sided method). Just a great tool. As long as you’re good with that system then that’s the one Spence ! Prayers to your family , God bless !
Bought the machine because of an older video of yours and I sharpened my Marples chisel roll in nothing flat and yep they are perfectly sharp for the finish carpentry work we do
I've owned one for years and really only starting using on a regular basis when I purchased the CBN wheels. Just get all your chisels together and work through each grit and it is amazing how many get sharpened, and how quick.
Work sharp is good but it was better when they had a table and post accessories. The post took Tormek accessories .I got a CBN wheel for the machine, works great.
Spencer I've watched your videos for some time now and have always enjoyed them. You provide a wealth of information. On another note ..... I see you are wearing a Titleist cap...do you play a Pro V1 or V1x???
Spencer, may I ask what angle you grind to and do you ever use a microbevel? Have you discovered the magic of grip mat under the strop paddle? I know you said you are not a perfectionist, but in all your top class carpentry, have you ever thought about different bevels for hardwood and softwood? Thank you for your presentation.
I tried the TayTools one but my drill press is not square enough. Looks like this will take care of it. And it says it only works for plane blades of 2". However, looks like StumpyNubs just built a small tabletop for it so you can use angle guide from the top. Ordered!
You only need to flatten the back about 1” and should never have to touch it again until you’ve used up that first flat spot. Only need to sharpen the bevel afterwards.
After watching your excellent video, I decided to purchase the WS 3000. According to Work Sharp, it has been retired. Also, Rockler and Amazon say it is no longer available. Do you know another source?
I ordered a ws3000 after watching your video. From your link to Rockler. I ordered the disks from another supplier, received the disks and got word from Rockler they have discontinued the WS3000 and I can't find one anywhere. So now I have disks but nothing to run them. That's unfortunate for me. You might put the word out so others don't end up falling for this.
Don't think heat is likely to be a problem if you're careful. It's a slow turning disc, not a high-speed grinder. BTW, I also have an old Makita sharpener with the wet horizontal wheel. Works for me!
Your channel is excellent, but I cringed when I saw the back of the chisel put on that 80 grit!😮 After the first time the back is flattened, it never needs anything more coarse than a polishing grit of 1200 or finer. Thanks for the excellent video though, and I hope I’m not coming of as a troll, because I really value all of your expert advice on the channel.
Sorry Spencer, you should really look at the Tormek. I have the Work Sharp and you need the Tormek system. Mine is 20 years and out performs all dry sharpeners for jigs and accessories.
For all your insistence that you just want to get done quickly, you're going way farther with your initial setup than is needed. Cutting happens at the edge, so that is the only part of the chisel that truly requires a high polish. If you have a hollow on the back, that is only a problem if it extends to the edge. If the back is bellied out, that is a problem that must be fixed by grinding, but that's about being able to use the back as a flat reference, not about sharpness. Polishing even just the millimeter of steel closest to the edge is sufficient to achieve a sharp edge. Sharpening the rest of the bevel to your preferred angle is a waste of time unless you are using that as a reference for quick touchups in between worksharp sessions. Polishing to remove all the mill marks from the back is even more a waste of time.
For a chisel than I may use for decades, I just like to start off with a solid baseline to work from in the future. Part of it is just my own OCD and the way I do things in general. Doing just what is required is just not how I'm wired... even when it costs me more time than it should.
It needs to be perfectly flat, that is what you will.ise as a reference surface when using the chisel. If it is not flattened it is way more difficult to use well
It has to be flat first before strop can make the edge shine. any gouges or sanding lines that are in the back side will show up in your work. the goal is to have a flat edge at the bevel with your finest stone. In my opinion if you if your finest stone is 1,200 grit or 10,000 grit that's all that should touch the back side to remove burs. Unless it's a brand new chisel or the back side needs work to bring it back to the level of your finest stone, sandpaper, or diamond plate. the using the strop on the back side is done sparingly just enough to remove the burr and to align the edge to a point that can't be seen by the human eye. Just a couple strokes on the strop is all that is needed. any more and you are curving/ beveling the part of the blade that is supposed to be dead flat. however that beveled edge can be stropped as much as you want and can even bring back a dull edge, i keep a strop with my chisels and do a little stropping when i put away chisel to keep me out of the sharpening station.
It’s faster. Depending on how big the burr is it can take a lot of passes. I think he’s overdoing the backside with the sharpener. Just one pass on a 1200 diamond stone is enough to cut the burr off. Then not even 5 passes on a strop and that’s it.
I have the same workshop setup with diamond plates, but I built a great stand that holds the tool, all the plates, and has a drawer for everything else. It was absolutely worth it.
I have spent a small fortune on sharpening systems in the past twenty years. I do not have your system, but I have heard it works well. I to have a dedicate work station for sharpening. I call mine "the bottomless pit".
Great topic. I’ve built up a box of chisels (several in each of the sizes I use daily as a builder) and just sharpen them in one session occasionally. A wet grinding wheel is the ultimate, but I just use a cheap Bosch corded belt sander that is too wimpy for work duty, with a worn out 120 grit belt. Simply clamp it onto a saw stool and grind the chisels using the round end of sander for concave (dipping chisel as needed into a jar of water to keep the steel cool) then stone and leather strop the edge super keen. It takes 30min/1hr to sharpen a dozen or so chisels.
I’ve been using this system for my chisels for a few years after learning from old school guys like Paul Sellers and realizing I’m not a good free-hand tool sharpener. Get you back flat and shiny and never touch it again. Do the rest of your sharpening on the bevel. I sharpen up to 3000 on these wheels. When you see scarf buildup (darkening of the plate), use some windex and a paper towel, or, if needed, a brass brush to clean things up and your plates will be good for a lot longer. You are an expert, way above my level, this is the one time I’ve ever felt I had advice to give.
Quick tip! Put cardboard spacers between the diamond wheels! 80 grit on top of 600 will eventually destroy the 600.
Hey Spenser, got to say really like all your content, tips and knowledge you give. Awesome stuff..
I know you said you don’t want to be a sharpening guru.. I’ll only suggest a few little tricks that are a tad bit more work but barely, and will give you even greater results with speed that your looking for..
First would be to use some kind of oil/ lubricant. The difference is night and day and it doesn’t have to be a ton of it to be sloppy flying around all over and cleans up super fast. Secondly having two bevels creates an ultra crisp edge even finer then the standard bevel your using.
I typical like the main bevel at 25 degrees and my
Cut bevel at 31.
The main bevel is the one your using for the whole part of the face. The cutting bevel would be a 1/8 maybe only at the tip.
It does a lot for the chisel. First you only have to focus on the little edge to get it super sharp and not worry about the whole face. And one more thing would be to use one or two more higher grits if you really only wanted a edge that’s like no other..
Everything else your doing is spot on great ..keep up good work
That hallow spot on the back of the chisel doesn’t need to be ground flat. Absolute minimal grinding on the back side is best.
Watch Rob Cosmans videos on sharpening chisels and hand plane blades.
Love your content- I’m a water stone guy for my “good” chisels and plane irons. I use Krenov style wood planes with Hock irons. I suggest trying hollow grinding them to greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to get a surgically sharp edge.
Great video. Those boys have a great boss. Btw hope your wife is doing well and your kids.🙏🏻
I use a diamond stone even on my beaters . I also spray a little soapy water on them floats junk away . I hv pretty expensive two cherries. I only use 1200 stone on and pretty much only flatten the back. I build a lot of cabinets and other finish jobs and found a sharp chisel is a useful tool. I sharpen my pencils with them ( four sided method). Just a great tool. As long as you’re good with that system then that’s the one Spence ! Prayers to your family , God bless !
Bought the machine because of an older video of yours and I sharpened my Marples chisel roll in nothing flat and yep they are perfectly sharp for the finish carpentry work we do
I love my Worksharp 3000 to sharpen Chisels and Hand Plane blades
I bought the work sharp several years ago and I'm thrilled with it. Great investment
I've owned one for years and really only starting using on a regular basis when I purchased the CBN wheels. Just get all your chisels together and work through each grit and it is amazing how many get sharpened, and how quick.
I have the Worksharp and it’s fantastic.
I really appreciate the "as quickly as possible" part.
I love my Tormeks. They are lifetime tools.
Never tried a work sharp. I have a t4 and t8 tormek. Love them.
Let’s see your new shop.
Work sharp is good but it was better when they had a table and post accessories. The post took Tormek accessories .I got a CBN wheel for the machine, works great.
Will anyone start making a similar version soon. I was thinking of buying one then saw on the WS website that it is a retired product?!!
Like a samurai 🙌🏼
Spencer I've watched your videos for some time now and have always enjoyed them. You provide a wealth of information. On another note ..... I see you are wearing a Titleist cap...do you play a Pro V1 or V1x???
Spencer, may I ask what angle you grind to and do you ever use a microbevel? Have you discovered the magic of grip mat under the strop paddle? I know you said you are not a perfectionist, but in all your top class carpentry, have you ever thought about different bevels for hardwood and softwood? Thank you for your presentation.
I tried the TayTools one but my drill press is not square enough. Looks like this will take care of it. And it says it only works for plane blades of 2". However, looks like StumpyNubs just built a small tabletop for it so you can use angle guide from the top. Ordered!
You only need to flatten the back about 1” and should never have to touch it again until you’ve used up that first flat spot. Only need to sharpen the bevel afterwards.
After watching your excellent video, I decided to purchase the WS 3000. According to Work Sharp, it has been retired. Also, Rockler and Amazon say it is no longer available. Do you know another source?
I ordered a ws3000 after watching your video. From your link to Rockler. I ordered the disks from another supplier, received the disks and got word from Rockler they have discontinued the WS3000 and I can't find one anywhere. So now I have disks but nothing to run them. That's unfortunate for me. You might put the word out so others don't end up falling for this.
Man, that's terrible. I had no idea when I posted the video. Hopefully they have something better they are releasing because I really like the unit.
I checked a local Rockler and they had some in stock, try calling the closet store from you and they can ship it to you
@@MilesofTilebiz thanks for the advice. The local store had one, wouldn’t ship but I drove a couple hours and picked it up. Thanks!
Sounds great to me!
Nice but my Makita Blade Sharpener seems better for me, it is wet grinder. Dont you worry about heat? Good vid as always
Don't think heat is likely to be a problem if you're careful. It's a slow turning disc, not a high-speed grinder. BTW, I also have an old Makita sharpener with the wet horizontal wheel. Works for me!
seems like work sharp has listed the WS3000 as retired.
Rockler has them.
@@daveparker5569 Not as of 25-OCT. Listed as "oversold".
@@daveparker5569 not selling now!
What do you store and transport them in? Thanks.
❤Atta Boy Spencer
WS3000 was discontinued 😕
Your channel is excellent, but I cringed when I saw the back of the chisel put on that 80 grit!😮 After the first time the back is flattened, it never needs anything more coarse than a polishing grit of 1200 or finer. Thanks for the excellent video though, and I hope I’m not coming of as a troll, because I really value all of your expert advice on the channel.
👏👏👏👏👏
How to sharpen chisels Rob Cosman
Chisels should be honed like an ice skate.
😮
Sorry Spencer, you should really look at the Tormek.
I have the Work Sharp and you need the Tormek system. Mine is 20 years and out performs all dry sharpeners for jigs and accessories.
i suggest keeping that fine metal dust off of skin as much as possible...other than that thanks for being an example of a level headed professional
For all your insistence that you just want to get done quickly, you're going way farther with your initial setup than is needed. Cutting happens at the edge, so that is the only part of the chisel that truly requires a high polish. If you have a hollow on the back, that is only a problem if it extends to the edge. If the back is bellied out, that is a problem that must be fixed by grinding, but that's about being able to use the back as a flat reference, not about sharpness.
Polishing even just the millimeter of steel closest to the edge is sufficient to achieve a sharp edge. Sharpening the rest of the bevel to your preferred angle is a waste of time unless you are using that as a reference for quick touchups in between worksharp sessions. Polishing to remove all the mill marks from the back is even more a waste of time.
For a chisel than I may use for decades, I just like to start off with a solid baseline to work from in the future. Part of it is just my own OCD and the way I do things in general. Doing just what is required is just not how I'm wired... even when it costs me more time than it should.
I doubt it
Sadly, Work Sharp WS3000 is discontinued
belt sander ez
Work sharp 3000 has been discontinued
Guess I don't understand why you grind the backside at all. Why not grind the beveled edge and then hit the backside with the leather.
It needs to be perfectly flat, that is what you will.ise as a reference surface when using the chisel. If it is not flattened it is way more difficult to use well
@@jamiecurrie2028 I don't think I've ever had a chisel where the backside wasn't flat other than when someone took that surface to the grinding stone.
It has to be flat first before strop can make the edge shine. any gouges or sanding lines that are in the back side will show up in your work. the goal is to have a flat edge at the bevel with your finest stone. In my opinion if you if your finest stone is 1,200 grit or 10,000 grit that's all that should touch the back side to remove burs. Unless it's a brand new chisel or the back side needs work to bring it back to the level of your finest stone, sandpaper, or diamond plate. the using the strop on the back side is done sparingly just enough to remove the burr and to align the edge to a point that can't be seen by the human eye. Just a couple strokes on the strop is all that is needed. any more and you are curving/ beveling the part of the blade that is supposed to be dead flat. however that beveled edge can be stropped as much as you want and can even bring back a dull edge, i keep a strop with my chisels and do a little stropping when i put away chisel to keep me out of the sharpening station.
It’s faster. Depending on how big the burr is it can take a lot of passes. I think he’s overdoing the backside with the sharpener. Just one pass on a 1200 diamond stone is enough to cut the burr off. Then not even 5 passes on a strop and that’s it.
@rickhammer2374 depends on how flat you think it truly is... you would be surprised how far out they are, get a good set of stones, and you will see.
All these gadgets might do a decent job but the only way to get them truly sharp is with whetstones and or natural stones.
No you don't have to ground that second chisels bevel back. You only use the tip of a chisel. Completely unnecessary.