The Rule of Three: Sharpening 101

Awash in options. The choice of sharpening media is legion. The key is to choose from one system a grinding, honing and polishing item (maybe two polishers) – and stick with them.

Grind, hone, polish: the basics of all sharpening.

Among the fundamental skills necessary for good woodworking, I’d put knowing how to sharpen your edge tools at the top of the list. Even if you consider yourself a power-tool woodworker, I’ll bet you have at least a chisel (or two) and a block plane in your kit that need sharpening from time to time.

There are many different ways to sharpen: waterstones, sandpaper, mechanical solutions, oilstones, and more. Now I’m not about to stick my head in the lion’s jaw and recommend one system over another (and I’m certainly not going to tell you whether or not to use a jig).

I will tell you that I use traditional waterstones, and that…