Modifying an inexpensive honing guide

Bob Van Dyke shows you how to take an inexpensive honing guide and turn it into a go-to tool for getting your tools consistently sharp.

[@jeffbrewer6605]

Hint from a long-time metalworker. The kind of filing that this project requires is much easier and more accurate if the file is held in the vise or clamped to the edge of the workbench and the workpiece is applied to the stationary file.

[@attilabori4734]

Well said Jeff, i would've stuck a sandpaper strip on to a piece of wood (or any straight surface)held in vice and push/pull this jig upside-down with fully opened/closed jaws...for getting a more accurate &flat surface imho. No disassembly/assembly required.. (Or make another jig to grind this jig...🤭) Ps.: hint from a short time woodworker;)

[@robertlangley258]

But then you can't see what your filing right?

[@robertlangley258]

@@attilabori4734 ......the only problem I see with your suggestion is with the work piece turned upside down on the file it would be kinda difficult to see what your doin. Especially when he was just leveling a portion of the chisel bed. It would be difficult to do this the way you speak.

[@adriaandoelman2577]

I doubt you actually watched the video and understand what he is doing… it’s not about flattening the surface at all, it’s literally the opposite. You want to remove material without damaging two spots. I’d really rather wanna see what I’m doing.

[@lintelle2382]

Great tip. Can't wait to upgrade mine... My 7th grade metal shop teach, Mr. Delgado, told us that most all files cut only in one direction - that being the forward stroke. Filing back and forth as shown in this video causes the file to load up much faster than it would if you lift the file off of the work piece when pulling it back towards your body.

[@rockywr]

I was wondering why my chisel was a bit wonky in the guide and this has been explained very well and, of course, how to correct it. Thanks very much for the detailed information and the simple but effective way of creating a decent honing guide.

[@BobBlarneystone]

long ago in junior high metal shop, we were taught to load the standard mill file with blackboard chalk to prevent clogging with aluminum.

[@FineWoodworking]

I've done that for brass as well. -Ben

[@martinoamello3017]

Or keep the file card on hand..I usually end up cleaning it up with my pocket knife just because I lose my file card or chalk. I'm not rich, but do have more time than money. lol

[@LastBastian]

Ahhh... I remember back when shop class was a thing that everyone took. ...Now it doesn't even exist around here. My son just started middle school, and there is no such thing as "shop" anymore. :(

[@TheRedhawke]

Sad, I think they want to discourage kids from learning to use their hands now days.

[@HeartPumper]

Haha genius advice, it happens that I'm a father of a 9yo girl. Lots of pink chalk here :D

[@Wormhole798]

It's amazing how much stuff from my junior high shop classes (1968-1970) I actually use, not mention from my dad and doing small projects in the HT shop aboard ship in the Navy.

[@mitchahbw]

what sort of things? 🙂

[@SonOfMrGreengenes]

I trued my Somax No.22 up by clamping a 1/4" wide piece of 16 gauge steel in the notches for the chisel and then flattening the body of the guide surface with a wide mill file. When the thin steel is clamped at the same tightness that you would tighten a plane iron it makes the surface bulge out. Then when it's flattened while it's tightened it will be flat when it's holding a plane iron. That's better because there will be a full bearing surface to support the iron.

[@jhh243]

Thank you so much for making this video! I had purchased the Eclipse design a couple years ago and only recently started using it. I noticed it was making the cutting edge "wonky" but I didn't want to go out and by the veritas system or any other system if I could make my current one work. These modifications are exactly what I needed. Thank you so much! Subscribed!

[@fringefilms]

Thank you Bob. This is such a great modification that I'm going to tackle this week. It has urked me, and ruined a spokeshave blade that ended up getting sharpened on a curve.

[@juanherrera2859]

Just got mine yesterday, painted blue. The paint can serve as a guide as you file away material on each side.

[@stevefpv4669]

Nice vid, you hit it on the head there with the honing guide issues and workarounds. Thanks. Just sad that we live in a world now where we kind of get imposed what tools and jigs we should like, buy and use just because they are mass produced and you can't even talk to the manufacturers designers to tell them that their product is crap and all other manufacturers work on similar patents and designs anyways so your choice is often forced upon you.

[@eln74]

Mr. Van Dyke tnx for sharing this ultra useful info, were the most experienced could be sure that a tool from a respectul company will not sell us faulty hardware, in a matter of saying, but the most intricate detail you just showed us is proof that sometimes we don't know why we end up throwing to the garbage can a tool that suposed to work flawlessly. It's all in the details that is. Tnx.

[@duncang55]

Great video, good explanation, I am definitely gonna be fixing mine next time I'm in the shop! Thank you!

[@JoeBob79569]

Nice job. I just got my first cheap honing guide and I definitely noticed that my chisel wouldn't fit into it properly. Time to get the file out! It seems like most companies who make cheap tools just work from plans, and don't even bother to check to see if the tools are fit for purpose. They're probably happy enough if all the parts are there and within their own specified tolerances. Once it looks like the the one from the manufacturer that they copied, they're happy. I've seen this with planes as well, when companies copy the Stanley/Bailey design, they make all the parts the same as the original, but they just don't understand what they're for, and where to put a bit of extra effort in to compensate for any flaws. I recently had to make massive tweaks to a frog adjustment that didn't even work. All the parts were there, but the catch on the frog was in front of the screw instead of sitting over it, and it was painted in the wrong places, and the casting was so rough it didn't even sit in the correct position when I tried to seat it properly. It took quite a bit of nimble filing to get it to work right. Not that I'm complaining, I love cheap tools that I can tweak!

[@solidsnake9332]

That modern day consumerism and chinese markets for yah

[@JoeBob79569]

@@solidsnake9332 Indeed, but it's not a bad thing. I mean, you can always go and buy an expensive product if required, and if you can afford it.. It's good to have options. Although it's a bit of a shame that a lot of companies who used to make quality products now get their crap made in China.

[@solidsnake9332]

@@JoeBob79569 yup buy once cry one never meant so much

[@JoeBob79569]

@@solidsnake9332 Yes, you definitely need to think it through before you buy cheap stuff. The questions I generally ask myself before buying Chinese crap are: Can I fix/improve it myself if it's crap? Is it so cheap that I don't even care if it breaks? Is it a product that I might never use anyway? And yea there are a lot of Chinese products that you should probably always avoid, like SD cards, knock-off iPhones and clothes, etc..

[@kenoliver8913]

With tools you get what you pay for (like everything else in life). If you buy cheap then expect problems. But for those of us not rich but who can't spend years honing (sic) our hand sharpening technique a fixable cheap guide is much better than no guide at all.

[@bruceround8510]

Bought the $40 kit at Rocklers. Got real frustrated with the chisels. This makes sense. Thanks

[@cna9708]

Very helpful, thank you! Mine has an uneven wheel though, so the guide is wobbling up and down on a pull which makes it kind of unuseable. Still have to find an easy way how to fix it.. or not buy the cheapes crap..

[@JohanLarssonKiruna]

Good work, but why not grind/file/mill the whole offending area down a small amount, just leaving a narrow straight strip of support near the clamping edge?

[@Don-cs7fe]

Is that a piece of wood you use as a straight edge to check the guide originally? Its edges appeared to deform under pressure & the guide wouldn't behave the same as when clamping a harder metal straight edge.

[@claudiothomasbornstein3028]

Great video and great ideas! I bought a cheap honing guide because that is what I get here (Brazil) and it wasn’t holding the thicker chisels. I used a small triangular file to remove material from the lower level of the guide because it is easier to keep the V-shape. In my case, I could not find a difference between the two sides. Both sides were straight. Also I could not see the problem of the middle of the guide bumping up, but I suppose this depends on the honing guide you have. Anyway, thank you very much for your help.

[@SinedRoda]

Excellent! Will use it with mine, thank you very much!

[@fbw47]

Just saw this...and had just received my guide and found out it wouldn't work for a 2" chisel or a 1/4" chisel, the first two I tried. I think with your mods either will work! Thanks much!

[@nealwalden3543]

The original brand of these was made in Japan, via a company called "Sonomax". Find them on ebay and you'll at least have a good one to start with.

[@lynncurello181]

Bob, Love your suggestion to fix the alignment on the guide. On a related matter, on my cheap version made by Robert Larson, there are only offset settings listed for 25 and 30 degrees for chisels and plane irons. Would you know the settings for other angles like 35,40,45, and 50 degree angles?

[@kenoliver8913]

Work it out with high school trigonometry. Inverse Tan 30 degrees times known projection gives you vertical height at the start of the projection. Height over Tan 40 degrees gives you projection for that angle.

[@bentcountershaft]

I'm going to try this tomorrow. It just might keep me from throwing that guide away.

[@robertastley6676]

Jcbhoning guide

[@PantherU]

So?

[@DennisMathias]

I wonder on the first part if you could just put a thin shim on the edges to lift the blade very slightly and miss that center. You could glue that in place.

[@DennisMathias]

I see someone mentioned similar down below but I got so excited I didn't read that til later.

[@martinoamello3017]

I went through all this with the same jig and it worked great, but time has come and gone and the wheel is worn down with flat spots. Time to buy a new one and do it all again..

[@sound1345]

hi, thanks. If anyone still reading comments can you please let me know whether it's better to get the more quality guide such as the Lie-Nielsen? Have these more expensive ones done away with these kinds design faults highlighted in this great video?

[@suspect5420]

prob i have with those is your prob there in the vid but also the bering seizing from chips, grit ext..i have grooved out some nice water stones because i didn't realize the wheel was seixing up during sharpening and ruining the stone

[@omallyman]

I like this jig, just wondering if anyone knows if there is a jig with fine threads so it wont loosen up so easily when using it? I will definitely try this modification thanks.

[@Sysiphistication]

Please excuse my novice question, I noticed that the honing guide has an abundance of silver paint on it. The plane blade area, on either side, would it be negatively effected by having less than a perfect 90° angle on it's outward edges, perhaps restricting the blade from lying flat? I'm still waiting for a guide that I ordered to arrive, I just want to be sure I will be using it properly.

[@FineWoodworking]

I wouldn't worry about the thickness of the paint. As long as the blade is sitting on the edges of the guide (and many including Bob would argue ONLY the edges) you're fine.

[@Sysiphistication]

I just rec'd the one I ordered, and it is exactly as you stated and in need of 'adjustment'. I ordered a joint file to be sure that no inadvertent touching of the corner areas would happen Thanks, for this advice.

[@Oswee]

But doesn't it means that edges of the blade will be slightly rounded which is actually the good thing to have?

[@markmelville6670]

Thanks for the video, Bob. I have a cheap Chinese version of this tool and I find that it does not sharpen chisel bevels evenly from side to side. Is there a difference in the machine quality of mine and your particular brand? Or is it my technique?

[@FineWoodworking]

This is the cheap version. If you're not getting an even grind you might want to make sure that the blade is really pushed against that straight side.

[@denziljoe]

This answered all the questions :)

[@1pcfred]

The guide I have is a bit different. This video did get me to file some of the mold flash off my guide though.

[@SteveK1953]

Thanks for the great tip, well done!

[@jakeb7244]

Oustanding video! Great fix and really good camera work. I just bought this guide; not happy with it. Will try the repairs.

[@sylvesteryetman5942]

Where can you purchase this guide?

[@Method_MOK]

good info and well executed -- thanks for this!

[@tonyy5482]

Caution: making the V longer will likely cause problems if you want hold non-bevel chisels, such register chisels, as I did today. However, this is a better explanation than the Lie-Neilson attempt at the same topic.

[@Johnny-o4k]

what are you gonna use this chisel for

[@ianroberts1997]

Fine fettling! As we say in the Uk 👍

[@julioquilesjr4740]

Great video , just got a guide for myself and will be setting it up just like you said. Not everyone can afford a 100+ dollar guide but with some good advice like yours we can make a cheap one work like a expensive one thx!

[@davetuscano5939]

I was filing a peice of steel. An older guy, a wise guy, said “you sure are good with that file Davey!”…..I said “I’m so good, I could file yer head down to yer shoulders!” 🤣

[@robertshorthill4153]

A friend has a cheaper version of one of these. He says the biggest problem is that little wheel that it rolls on -- it allows the contraption to roll from side to side and doesn't keep the blade evenly over the grit surface. I made a homemade device from scrap wood that does a way better job that doesn't have a wheel to rock from side to side. My chisels/ plane irons are always square. One can find better angle holders on KZbin and cost next to nothing -- and they work perfectly.

[@markbonham3477]

i WILL GIVE IT A TRY AND THANK YOU!

[@tallyman15]

Great video

[@gary24752]

So is an antique eclipse guide machined or cast better?

[@joefran619]

The problem I had with a cheap guide was the bearing wheel got sloppy. Had to toss it.

[@atomictyler]

just need to buy a metal clamp, aluminum file and then you can make your honing guide for your chisel work right! Sure seems like buying a good honing guide to start might be the better option.

[@mike60510]

I have a similar chisel jig; however, the inner guide for holding smaller chisels is upside down of this one. The jig will hold a smaller hand chisels, but side you want to sharpen is upside down. Totally worthless.

[@iankonwinski2556]

Thank you!

[@robertbrunston5406]

Thank you so much I didn't know about that! Thanks again.

[@jlw38257]

I have a slightly different approach to making these better. I don't disagree that the middle of the top base is not flat, and to get a chisel in the bottom takes some modifications. I hope to post a short vid soon of how I drastically improved the slack which reduced the amount of material taken off the top base areas.

[@carbonitegamorrean8368]

Beautiful toolbox. (I have removed the mirror from both of mine, never understood why a mirror, it's not a make up box.)

[@KC2DZB]

Nothing to do with cosmetics. In the days before safety glasses were required in machine shop environments, it was pretty common for machinists to get bits of metal in their eye. Gerstner provided the mirror on their machinist boxes so the machinists could see what had gotten into their eye to help remove it.

[@antonvierthaler]

Really helpful, thanks!

[@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531]

The blade bending in the middle is total bs. I've been doing this for almost 20 years and have never had that issue. I even clamped a thin vintage Stanley in one and cranked down on it. Then I played it down on a piece of granite. Put a light under it. And wouldn't u know... Completely flat.

[@nskmda]

what about that narrow single roller? wouldn't it make the guide wobble?

[@FineWoodworking]

Not if you apply the pressure on the blade, which is where you would when sharpening.

[@nskmda]

@@FineWoodworking oh, okay. because i wasn't sure if this model was a cheaper knock-off of a guide with wide roller.

[@JedediahSmith342]

Sounds mighty fine to me ⛩️🎏🙏🏽

[@simeonsmith9112]

Do not join the club of fools that believe the instructions on the side of the jig. New Narex 26mm chisel from the factory doesn't fall into 30 degree or 25 degree per the jig. Take a straight edge, rest on edge on roller and chisel. Align the chisel edge with the ruler or other so no light is seen between. Gap at heel, removing metal from razor edge; gap at razor edge = removing metal from heel. No light = metal removal the entire length. Sand away. Check and see long, thin lines the full length of the surface. Move up in grit. I stop at 1500. When I see mirror reflections from the chisel side, I'm finished.

[@TheOlsonOutfit]

great advice

[@oharrellcoins5553]

Thank you.

[@BeachBoi1000]

My chisel blade is having a bow shape on its back. I will try this method

[@JonWheeler32]

It would be better if the manufacturer handled these modifications in their original design!

[@robertmay5091]

Bought one of these honing guides this morning at a garage sale for $1.00 says ‘made in Taiwan’ on it.

[@danno1111]

What's the purpose of leaving the crescent-shaped area in the middle unfiled, as opposed to filing straight across? It seems like leaving a hump in the middle is going to keep the blade from seating flat along the entire surface.

[@edwardjones8170]

I thought the same thing! I suppose it's something to do with trying to clamp between two flat surfaces that may not be exactly parallel.

[@rousp]

If you secure the chisel on both edges it prevents it from rocking from side to side. By hollowing out the rest of the clamp you ensure that the chisel seats on the edge. The cresent shape chosen may introduce some instability lengthwise, but the dovetail construction of the clamp negates that.

[@danno1111]

That seems like a good reason, Edward - you're not counting on it seating on the bottom face, so having a rounded surface allows it to fall into the best seated position on the rails on each side, perhaps.

[@DrCRAZYde]

thanks

[@jeek78]

use those triangle needle files

[@Exiledk]

This is why one shouldn't buy cheap shit to work with. It can't be right, that one has to file or modify a product from new to have it work properly.

[@alpachino468]

2:26 Did you just call me a bastard?

[@overlyskinned]

What's aluminum?

[@kenoliver8913]

Aluminium for non-North Americans.

[@TheFalconJetDriver]

Learn to use a file! It is not a hand saw,

[@Joltinjess5]

Good video but why is Tommy Chong doing a video about honing guides? Just kidding. I have one of these and I'm going to be able to tune it up now. Thank you.

[@fulljackrackoboe]

This is a very useful video, thanks! But to me I prefer to spend some more money on a jig that does not have to be modified since it will always work better than the other one and I'll not waste my time on solutions that are not 100% accurate.

[@738polarbear]

Buy a Richard Kell honing guide and you will NOT have to fiddle about at all.

[@1pcfred]

for less than 10X the price I think I'll fiddle around a bit.

[@joepapp01]

@@1pcfred yeah seriously. $5 vs 40 euros [:eyeroll:]

[@1pcfred]

@@joepapp01 in my experience it really isn't that much fiddling anyways.

[@joepapp01]

@@1pcfred doesn't look to be. I might try one if the $5 ones from eBay just to see how functional it can be made. Cheers

[@1pcfred]

@@joepapp01 I got the stainless steel model from aliexpress for $10. Looked like the best they had. Seems OK to me.

[@robinstewart6510]

Man, just buy a decent honing guide to begin with. The Veritas Mk II deluxe honing guide set (narrow chisels to wide plane blades, made in Canada) is an excellent choice - far better than your cheap guides (even modified) and less expensive than the Lie-Nelson guide.

[@robslifting4life]

Well... look what I learned today. Stupid honing guide.

[@jjyemg2397]

If you have to do this to a honing jig it is junk. Don't buy it

[@lesstime1678]

copy,copy ,copy ,copy,copy ,,,,all copy's ,,,, nothing new,,,,,