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Work Sharp™ – The Wood Tool Sharpener

WorkSharp 013a.jpgTempered plate glass, adhesive-backed PSA sandpaper, precision honing guide for sharpening bevels at 20°, 25°, 30° and 35°. Looks like I’ve got everything I need to get started with some hand sharpening on my workbench, right? Well, sort of.

The truth is, I’ve just finished watching a demonstration of the new Work Sharp™ sharpening system. This innovative new product combines all of the best features of sandpaper sharpening with the quality, ease, and repeatability of a top-of-the-line slow-speed wet grind sharpening system. And for about $100 less.

Work Sharp uses an air-cooled, dry sharpening set up (featuring air flow portals and a series of heat sinks) to keep your cutting tools cool without the mess of a wet system. Its 1/5 hp motor turns a horizontal wheel at 580 rpm, but unlike conventional horizontal wheel grinding systems, where you grind from above, Work Sharp is unique in that you set your chisel flat on a platen below the cutting wheel and use a simple “plunge- pull” technique.

Another unique feature is a slotted, see-through wheel that replaces the tempered glass wheel and allows you to see the cutting edge when sharpening carving and lathe tools. It looks like a great new system and I’m looking forward to putting it to use soon myself. Check out the video on Work Sharp’s website for a demonstration.

Posted on Friday, March 2nd, 2007 at 11:21 am. Filed under Power Tools, Sharpening, Work Sharp™.
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4 Responses to “Work Sharp™ – The Wood Tool Sharpener”

Rolf Weidelich said,

I find it interesting that people are willing to make claims such as “(featuring air flow portals and a series of heat sinks) to keep your cutting tools cool without the mess of a wet system” without doing any testing to varify the accuracy of the claim. Dry sharpening, even on a vitrified aluminum oxide wheel generates enough heat to change the properties of the sharpened tool. The loss of temper may be limited to a very small portion of the sharpened edge, but it still loses more than a wet stone resulting in the tool becoming “dull” more quickly. I was at the Toronto Home Workshop Show this past weekend and had a Lee Valley rep. tell me that their version of this same tool is as good as a wet sharpening system, such as a Tormek, and that “your finger will tell you it is getting too hot as you push down on the disk”!

(posted on March 5th, 2007 at 10:28 pm)

Joel Hess said,

Rolf,

First of all, let me stress that I’m a big fan of the water-cooled systems like Tormek. It’s such a good system that I’ve never considered the “mess” to be a detriment. The truth is, I sharpen by hand and will continue to use diamond plates and leather strop as my method of choice.

The WorkSharp system uses aluminum oxide sandpaper on a slow-speed wheel (580 rpm), not vitrified aluminum oxide grinding wheels, so it seems to me it would take some concentrated grinding to overheat a tool. That said, I think the air-flow portals and heat sinks could be a bit of overkill. But since this system is still priced less that most other powered sharpening systems, I don’t see where that is a detraction.

Plus, the plunge/pull technique, when used on well-tuned and slightly dull chisels and irons, is another deterrent to heat buildup.

My post was not a review. I haven’t used it yet, but I did watch the demonstration and it looks like it could be a good option for woodworkers who are looking for the next great thing in sharpening! I’ll give you more of my opinion about the system when I get a chance to bring in my own slightly dull chisels and put it to the test.

Thanks for your feedback. -Joel

(posted on March 6th, 2007 at 9:36 am)

Rolf Weidelich said,

Clarification, I did not state that the discs on this machine was vitrified aluminum oxide, I said even aluminum oxide disks generate heat that can remove temper. Sand paper disks such as those used on this machine and the Lee Valley product have worse heat generating characteristics then vitrified aluminum oxide. Bottom line, nothing comes close to wet sharpening. This system can be sold with a claim that it sharpens very well, it is easy to use, it is cheaper, and creates less mess, but that the draw back is a slight loss of temper (restricted to a small amount of steel at the sharpened surface - does not damage temper in the entire tool) and that sharpening will be required more frequently than with the wet systems. I too was tempted to buy the Lee Valley system which is $410 CDN, versus $600+ CDN for the Tormek.

(posted on March 6th, 2007 at 10:30 am)

Randy Maxey said,

For those interested, a question was raised on WoodNet about the Work Sharp system. One of the factory reps responded and seemed willing to answer any questions.

I have seen the Work Sharp system and was intrigued enough by the capability and price point that I can see it having a place in my shop. I have not yet had the chance to put it through its paces but as soon as I do, I’ll post my thoughts.

Here’s the thread on WoodNet: Work Sharp Tool Sharpener” at Rockler for $199

(posted on March 19th, 2007 at 8:37 am)

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