What is the best method to sharpen a skew?

[davidcaskey]

I have been trying to figure out the best method of skew sharpening. I have tried the Oneway system and this gives a hollow grind. After reading several reviews of hollow grinds, I have become somewhat paranoid that I might not have as good of control.
I tried stones and a system of a sanding wheel which give a flat grind, but I don't know if this is something that is worth the extra effort.

Any opinions?

 

[George Guadiane]

I have been trying to figure out the best method of skew sharpening. I have tried the Oneway system and this gives a hollow grind. After reading several reviews of hollow grinds, I have become somewhat paranoid that I might not have as good of control.
I tried stones and a system of a sanding wheel which give a flat grind, but I don't know if this is something that is worth the extra effort.

Any opinions?

Use a gouge?
(I just couldn't resist)

 

[MichaelMouse]

Diamond stone is great for HSS and other hard stuff. Hollow grinding is for the days of oilstones. Made it easier to get a new edge because you didn't have to take away so much metal, just heel and nose of the bevel. Diamonds work so well that it's unnecessary. Regular or ceramic stones will freshen a microbevel on the edge only. I wouldn't worry unduly about control across the bevel, as the geometry of the skew puts greater importance on support along it. You'll enter with a higher angle than you use for planing anyway.

Powered sandpaper is a good way to get the angle and initial on the tool. Or one of the flat grinders. If you choose to half-gouge your skew by rounding along the edge as some do, it'll require some sort of pivot and angle jig.

 

[Bill Grumbine]

I grind the skew on a high speed grinder to get the initial bevel. From there I take it to a diamond "stone" and refine the edge as well as the heel. Once that is done, I strop it a few times on a piece of birch veneer plywood charged with white diamond compound. I do these last two steps as part of my demos, shave some hair off my forearm, and then commence to make shavings fly. For a while there my left forearm just above my wrist was as bald as my head. The first step on the grinder only needs to be done once in a while. The other two need to be done when ever you go to the lathe, and periodically after that. They only take a minute or two to get a razor edge.

Good luck with it.

Bill

 

[john lucas]

I do just like Bill. I've tried a lot of different ways to sharpen a skew and find this the best and quickest. I sharpen with the diamond hones quite a few times before having to go back to the grinder. The first few times I can sharpen with just the ultra fine diamond hone. Then a few times later I'll use the fine and then the ultra fine. When I have to work too long using the medium hone it's time to re grind.