I've traditionally sharpened my chisels and plane irons by hand, but when they're not square, I sometimes resort to a honing guide. I've been using a Wood River honing guide for my router-plane blade, but it's been a frustrating experience—it doesn't grip well and isn't user-friendly at all. I've heard good things about Veritas honing guides, but there are so many options that it's overwhelming. For those who use honing guides, which ones do you prefer and why?
1 Answer
From my experience, the Veritas side clamping guide is a solid choice and pretty affordable. If you set it up using a 30° stop, it really speeds up the process. I tried freehand sharpening once, but I ended up wasting time correcting my mistakes. Stick with the guide if you want to keep your edges squared up!
I don't have a stop either; I just use my combo square, so I hear you on that!