Jim C Bradley
Member
- Messages
- 4,945
Hi Everybody,
In an earlier thread Glenn mentioned I purchased a Work Sharp. I did. I really wondered if I was being stupid (I do that so well). I assume you all know that so many things promote so much better than they produce. Well anyway I did buy the WS with a couple hundred dollars and some prayer. Since I am such a brave soul I tried it with some magnificent Harbor Freight chisels I purchased for rough stuff...like a little chiseling and prying or there is probably a nail in there somewhere stuff. I'm sure you know what the blades looked like.
I went through the first two stages (out of four) of sharpening. Then I did the 30 degree bevel. At that point those two chisels were sharper than I can do on good chisels. Except for my father, the Bradley family do not have the sharpening gene. OK these are cheap chisels---approx. a buck a piece---so I did not sharpen any more.
I got brave and dug out one of my father's old chisels. This chisel is up towards a hundred years old. It was in good shape and sharp. Well the WS made it so sharp, that what I though was sharp was really dull.
Then I went to work on my good chisels---WOW!
By the way I do not have any connection with WS or anyone who sells them.
After I opened the box and started applying the abrasive I saw an arc shaped scratch on one surface. I am virtually positive I put it there when moving the glass on the jig I made to apply the abrasive disks properly. I called WS to ask it the disk was OK to use. I was transferred to a very nice lady who asked me some questions like: how deep the scratch was, how near the edge it was, etc. She said that the disk should be fine to use. She said that since the unit was new she would send me another disk just so I would feel comfortable with it. The disk arrived three days later.
Now that is what I call superb customer service!
Some thoughts if you purchase a WS: Start with an old or cheap chisel. It takes five minutes and a few jerky movements to get used to the feel moving the chisel. I works much better if the sides of the chisels are smooth (better than the HF units). In fact I think it was the rough edges that caused my initial jerky movements. WS instructions say to remove the coating on a new tool before processing it. This was no problem with the HF tools. However, the good chisels use VERY good coating. That stuff is on there to stay. I tried alcohol, paint thinner, razor blades, laquer thinner and a few words and was getting no where (paint remover did the trick---learned that from a member). Since the coating was doing such a great job protecting the tools, I decided to only clean off the first inch and a half from the cutting edge.
Enjoy,
Jim
In an earlier thread Glenn mentioned I purchased a Work Sharp. I did. I really wondered if I was being stupid (I do that so well). I assume you all know that so many things promote so much better than they produce. Well anyway I did buy the WS with a couple hundred dollars and some prayer. Since I am such a brave soul I tried it with some magnificent Harbor Freight chisels I purchased for rough stuff...like a little chiseling and prying or there is probably a nail in there somewhere stuff. I'm sure you know what the blades looked like.
I went through the first two stages (out of four) of sharpening. Then I did the 30 degree bevel. At that point those two chisels were sharper than I can do on good chisels. Except for my father, the Bradley family do not have the sharpening gene. OK these are cheap chisels---approx. a buck a piece---so I did not sharpen any more.
I got brave and dug out one of my father's old chisels. This chisel is up towards a hundred years old. It was in good shape and sharp. Well the WS made it so sharp, that what I though was sharp was really dull.
Then I went to work on my good chisels---WOW!
By the way I do not have any connection with WS or anyone who sells them.
After I opened the box and started applying the abrasive I saw an arc shaped scratch on one surface. I am virtually positive I put it there when moving the glass on the jig I made to apply the abrasive disks properly. I called WS to ask it the disk was OK to use. I was transferred to a very nice lady who asked me some questions like: how deep the scratch was, how near the edge it was, etc. She said that the disk should be fine to use. She said that since the unit was new she would send me another disk just so I would feel comfortable with it. The disk arrived three days later.
Now that is what I call superb customer service!
Some thoughts if you purchase a WS: Start with an old or cheap chisel. It takes five minutes and a few jerky movements to get used to the feel moving the chisel. I works much better if the sides of the chisels are smooth (better than the HF units). In fact I think it was the rough edges that caused my initial jerky movements. WS instructions say to remove the coating on a new tool before processing it. This was no problem with the HF tools. However, the good chisels use VERY good coating. That stuff is on there to stay. I tried alcohol, paint thinner, razor blades, laquer thinner and a few words and was getting no where (paint remover did the trick---learned that from a member). Since the coating was doing such a great job protecting the tools, I decided to only clean off the first inch and a half from the cutting edge.
Enjoy,
Jim