HSS chisel honing best way to learn/resources?

[SliceOfLife]

So, I'm comfortable honing straight edges (flat chisels, razors, most knives) and curved faces (Smiling razors, some knives, axes), but curved tools like drill bits and in this particular case wood-turning chisels are going to be a new one for me. Got an old shopsmith lathe setup that I bought a year ago and haven't really done much beyond testing and lubing it; and a ton of 2x2" maple stock to play with; so I'm thinking I'm going to learn to turn. Got some resources that go over tools/setup/safety, but the one thing I'm thinking I'll need to learn before doing much is methods of sharpening those curved high speed chisels/shaping tools for use when turning.

Any woodturners who have recommendations on good resources for learning/adapting honing techniques for chisels like these (Maybe gouges are what they're correctly called?) My default would be slow speed grinder with a wheel that I have rounded the corners off of instead of leaving it squared off, but is that actually best?

 

[rhgg2]

I'm not a woodworker but Suehiro have a bunch of different radiused whetstones for this purpose:

Whetstones for Carving Knives | Suehiro Corporation

www.suehiro-toishi.com

Whetstones for Gouges | Suehiro Corporation

www.suehiro-toishi.com

 

[Empire straights]

So, I'm comfortable honing straight edges (flat chisels, razors, most knives) and curved faces (Smiling razors, some knives, axes), but curved tools like drill bits and in this particular case wood-turning chisels are going to be a new one for me. Got an old shopsmith lathe setup that I bought a year ago and haven't really done much beyond testing and lubing it; and a ton of 2x2" maple stock to play with; so I'm thinking I'm going to learn to turn. Got some resources that go over tools/setup/safety, but the one thing I'm thinking I'll need to learn before doing much is methods of sharpening those curved high speed chisels/shaping tools for use when turning.

Any woodturners who have recommendations on good resources for learning/adapting honing techniques for chisels like these (Maybe gouges are what they're correctly called?) My default would be slow speed grinder with a wheel that I have rounded the corners off of instead of leaving it squared off, but is that actually best?

View attachment 1762571

Rounded edged slipstones is the way id go. A fine India and a hard ark both in a 5" slipstone would probably be the way to go.

 

[psfred]

I hope we are looking at the bottom and not the top of those gouges...

Bevel must be on the bottom in turning gouges, since you ride the bevel on the rotating wood to control cutting. I hone mine on a diamond stone followed by a 1K grit something, and for HSS often use my bench grinder with a white (very fine) grit wheel and touch up on a 1K. Absolutely do NOT use that rock hard gray snagging wheel that comes with grinders, way to hard and way too coarse to give you an edge.

Hone the bevel to sharpen, wipe the burr off the inside of the channel with a hard ark gouge stone (tapered with rounded sides).

A flat bevel on the bottom side is pretty much required to control the cutting edge since gouges must cut, not scrape, in order to work properly.

Lots of info on Lumberjocks

 

[psfred]

Took another look, and those pictured are carving chisels (hammer ring on the back). If they are what you have, you need to buy a set of lathe tools instead, carving chisels ain't gonna work. The bevel is on the inside on carving chisels.

 

[J B Addis]

I'm not a particularly advanced woodturner but I've done reasonable amount. Like @psfred said, turning gouges are outcannel, with the bevel on the convex face. In my experience turning cutters are much less demanding as to edge precision than true struck or pushed chisels. I usually just freehand gouges on a belt grinder with a worn 600 grit belt then deburr with black compound on a buffing wheel, which leaves a somewhat convex bevel. They cut easily, making true shavings and not the dust resulting from a scraping action, and leave a respectably smooth surface, which is all one can ask. A lot of people use special jigs with grinders, but I haven't found it necessary. I'm used to sharpening assorted cutters freehand however, so if you aren't confident, buying or building a jig might be sensible.

Woodturning is a great skill to possess during this season, makes it easy to knock out a dozen or more easy gifts for whichever friends and family you aren't sure what to get or don't feel like spending money on, and everybody likes a hand turned tree ornament. Actually, it's getting on time to get the lathe going again myself.

 

[Empire straights]

Took another look, and those pictured are carving chisels (hammer ring on the back). If they are what you have, you need to buy a set of lathe tools instead, carving chisels ain't gonna work. The bevel is on the inside on carving chisels.

I thought they were gouges.

 

[psfred]

They are. However, they are carving gouges, not turning gouges (can we have a little more confusion, please?). Using those on a lathe will result in terrible catches and damage to operator and machine, to say nothing of making a mess of the object being turned.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Picture is just an example of the way the lathe tools are curved. I got a set that came with the Shopsmith that I'll be using to start. Sorry for the confusion... I think I just googled curved chisel and grabbed the first picture that looked kind of right.


Ahh the bevels are on the outer edge? I didn't even look close enough to notice that. The tools have been sitting so they need a bit of restoration and I figured I'd investigate the honing process before I even cleaned them up. That makes it much much easier. Thanks.

 

[2bit_collie]

For bowl gouges I use a Tormak machine. Slow speed grinding wheel that is partly submerged in water so the tool never heats up. They make special fixtures for bowl gouges that allow you to rotate the tool around the shaft axis so as to maintain a constant bevel angle. There are also tapered wheels for removing the burr from the inner edge.

 

[Tanuki]

Skew chisels, scrapers, and cutoff tools are just as useful and important as gouges - or more so.

I have a Craftman fine grit specialty grinder, 400 and 600 'grit' EzeLap continuous diamond plates, and now a set of Fine and X-Fine DMT Wave plates (no longer in production, but still available if you search).

The grinder has a tool guide and a water reservoir. I use them both when I have major beveling to do. Gouges do take some free-handing on this basic grinder.

In my experience you will frequently be renewing your edges, so a slow, precise honing process means less turning time.

1) HSS can take high temperatures, but don't let your tools get finger burning/wood smoking hot.
2) I seldom let my gouges get so dull as to need the Craftsman grinder or a hone with a grit/rating below 400. I take them to the plates or to the Waves for a quick touch up as soon as I notice the edge degrading.
3) I use a tiny spritz of Krud Kutter or Dawn Ultra solution as honing fluid.
4) The Wave hones are a solid step up from flat plates and slips for both out- and in-cannel. They are not robust surfaces, though. They are best at the final, light touch perfecting of the edge, not for a major metal removal. And useful for quick removal of a minor burr.
5) I would have to be doing high value turnings and lots of them to justify a Tormek, both the price and the learning curve.
6) I have spent more on MT2 stuff and a Nova 4-jaw chuck/accessories than I have on chisels and sharpening. Lots of toys for turners out there.
7) My slips don't see a lot of use.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Those dmt waves look real interesting. Thanks for the suggestion.