Tips for Sharpening Woodworking Tools

It’s an old cliche, but it’s true: dull tools are more dangerous than sharp tools. Instead of being able to gently and easily slice wood, as you can with a sharp tool, you’ll have to force a dull tool to do what you want it to do. That’s an accident waiting to happen.

Stones

There are lots of different stones available it the marketplace. But it’s hard to beat diamond stones. They’re durable, they stay flat, and they can be used to sharpen nearly anything, even carbide. Yep, you can sharpen carbide on a diamond stone, and in this video we’ll show you how to sharpen router bits and carbide lathe tool inserts.

What else is covered?

In addition to router bits we'll give you lessons on sharpening bench chisels, lathe chisels, and plane irons. This includes techniques that will help ensure you're sharpening at the correct angle, along with information on which grit of stone to use.

Want to dig deeper?

Sharpening is a big topic. So big, we offer a sharpening techniques class. Check it out for some great online instruction.

More info

If you want to know more about DMT and their sharpening products, visit their website.