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In our latest video, we’re comparing water stones, oil stones, and diamond stones. Get a basic overview, then learn the pros and cons of each sharpening method. Click here for more articles [...]

I use hand planes quite a lot and give each one a special role to play. My ensemble of metal planes includes long and short, wide and narrow, expensive, but also dirt cheap eBay bought and later [...]

For the ultimate edge, use a leather strop. I have a special set of chisels that I only use for paring. To do a good job, they have to be wicked sharp—and stay that way. My secret weapon isn’t a [...]

We compared 14 methods to find the fastest way to prepare this useful tool.

Tool: Veritas Side-Clamping Honing Guide Shop Now  Manufacturer: Veritas MSRP: $39.50 When I saw that Lee Valley has release two new honing guides last month I knew that I have to give [...]

Tool: Dia-Flat Shop Now  Manufacturer: DMT MSRP: $220 Flat stones are essential to good sharpening. The Dia-Flat from Diamond Machining Technology (DMT) is certified flat to within [...]

A few years ago I found a broken and grime-covered segment of a slip stone buried in the soil outside our front porch. Thrilled by this unexpected surprise, I immediately decided to restore the [...]

Sharpen your hand-tool skills with this useful project. I recently obtained a nice piece of leather about 1⁄4” thick that I wanted to use as a strop for plane irons and chisels. And, I was [...]

We’ve all been there: You reach for your saw in the middle of a project, and before you start the cut, you drag your finger along the teeth and say to yourself, “Meh…they’re sharp enough.” [...]

Understanding the Why is just as important as the How. Hand tools are a pleasure to use-if they’re sharp. Once you have a sharp tool in your hands, you’ll begin to realize why some [...]

When stropping my plane and chisel blades for that final honing, I always want to be sure that there is little to no chance that a freshly sharpened blade will slide off of the strop and [...]

Sharpening the bevel of a drawknife can be a challenge. Lap the flat side then use this method to do the bevel side. Using 3⁄8” or 1⁄2” or 3⁄4” PEX …