Work Sharp 3000

    One of my favourite philosophers, Dirty Harry, said a man's got to know his limitations. 

    When I started to work in the wood shop seriously and really concern myself with the quality of the products that I created I faced several challenges. (all at the same time of course).

   

    One challenge was lack of skills.  Continued work, practice and study is slowly addressing skill development.

    Another challenge was tools.  I beginner buys many tools that he doesn't need and many that are just cheap, poor quality tools that should have been left in the store.  Knowledge, experience, Lee Valley, the Internet and careful budgeting have helped me solve many of those troubles.

   A challenge that I was unable to over come was dull tools.  I tried water stones, the Scary Sharp Method and bought various DVD's and books by experts.  I invested hours in trying to learn how to get a really sharp edge on my tools.  I would buy the DVD, faithfully watch it several times, or read the books over and over.  After I had studied on the system I acquired the gear to execute the method and would end up unhappy with the result none the less.  I believe that the short coming was always with me, not with the system or with the teachers prompting the systems. 

  About 18 months ago I bought a Worksharp 3000, mostly in desperation; after seeing the demonstration several times at a local wood show.  I don't know why I was not able to hold a constant angle while using any or all of the other methods, I do know that is why my tools were not sharp or perform well on a consistant bases. 

  On of the first things I discovered after getting familiar with the Worksharp was  that I owed more really good chisels than I realized,  because I was able to sharpen nearly all of them to a performance level that I had never achieved before. You know the situation, you need a 3/4 bench chisel I still use sand paper on marble to flatten plane bottoms but I use the Worksharp to sharpen the blades.  I even bought the add on accessory to sharpen plane blades wider than 2 inches.  I am sure that true experts are able to sharpen and hone their tools to a higher degree of sharpness with water stones, etc. than I can with the Worksharp, but.....I can now sharpen my tools to an edge more than sufficient to my needs.  Also I can sharpen and hone my tools quickly so that I do not find myself struggling with dull tools because I don't want to interrupt the flow of my work to resharpen a tool in use.  Probably the greatest asset the Worksharp brings is the very short learning curve.  In one afternoon I was able to get good results on many chisels. 

  While my shop is in chaos, the drywall guys are finishing the rest of the basement as a family room I been able to clear a small space on my bench where I will set up my sharpening station  and touch up all my edge tools.  I also plan to try out the new Drill Doctor that I bought a while ago.  

    Anytime in the work shop is good time.