How I Sharpen my Woodturning Tools and Upgrading to a New Grinder and 

Thanks for showing this! Every time you say "just gonna quickly sharpen up" I was like "sure, but HOW?"... And now we know! 😁

It must be such a pleasure to maintain your tools with the new grinder. Hey, you're ambidextrous!

Thank you! Unlike many of the others, since I'm not a wood turner, I wasn't curious about HOW, so much as How LONG the "I'm just gonna sharpen up" breaks took! 😂

Useful video, thanks. My grinder was made by Steel City who sadly went out of business around the time I purchased the last machine from my local Woodcraft store on clearance in 2014, so I do not worry about warranty. Grinders have left hand thread on the left wheel and normal right hand thread on the right wheel. I do wish the manufacturers would make the shafts a bit longer and add a couple of flats for a wrench. I also have CBN wheel on the left and grey 60 grit coarse wheel on the right. Folks may not know that CBN is for hardened or tool steels like HSS only. Using mild steel will clog up the matrix. This is why I keep a normal wheel on the machine. I have several gouges made by Doug Thompson. He makes excellent turning tools. After re-sharpening the fingernail grind on the bowl gouge I purchased from him I had a significant dip on the nose of the tool. I contacted Doug who responded very quick to the email to tell me I was spending too much time on the nose of the tool. He suggested sharpen the left side, then the right side and carefully blend in the two sides at the nose. This worked for me to avoid getting the nose dip. I also like to keep my drill bits and HSS tools cool when sharpening. FYI, HSS does not loose its temper with heat. A RU-vid machinist did a video where he had HSS cutter on his metal lathe, cut some steel, then for the video heated the HSS cutter to red hot, remounted on the metal lathe and did the same cut. No difference in cutting. Wow. I still like to avoid bluing my HSS tools, but good to know how resilient HSS is with temperature. Dave.

I've used the same sharpening system for almost three years now. Very happy with the results.

Now you've got all that room in the new shop to put it conveniently close to your lathe.😊

God but I feel good now. My exact setup, boy oh boy do I feel smug. Me and Mike just sharpenin' at our wheels.

Thank you for showing us! Everytime you said "im gonna sharpen up." i was like "please show me!!!"

A nice trick for doing mounting holes- put a bit of masking tape on the back of the tool covering the holes. Then mark the holes on the tape. Pull the tape off in one piece, and stick it on whatever you're mounting the tool to. Perfect alignment every time.

The video I was hoping for, but were too shy to ask for

I always wondered what the proper way was. Thanks. God Bless from your Canadian Friend.

You must be psychic!!! Always wanted to know what you do to 'sharpen up'! I was going to ask, but now I know

I honestly think learning to sharpen lathe tools was more difficult than learning to use my lathe. The angles, the different grinds. And oh… the mistakes. I can certainly appreciate this video. You make it look too easy my friend. Lol

I use dad's bench grinder at least once a year when I take off the three mower blades from his, now my, two John Deere tractors to sharpen them. I do like your angling tools for your wood turning tools.

Thanks Mike. Really useful and informative. I asked a while back and was a joy to see when you'd posted this! 😅 glad your move and new workshop is going well. Look forward to many new videos

Beautiful Irish/Ellsworth grind My favourite

I had a similar grinder but, now I've bought a Robert Sorby pro edge system and I love it. Each to his own as they say

👍 it’s always nice to have things that make it easier😊

Love it. Simple plug and play system so you can get back to the good stuff 😊

This is one of the reasons I love the channel - the parts others don't reach!

Thank you for that Mike. As usual, an education and an insight into what you do. Now we know what goes on behind the scenes. Roll on the next video!

Brilliantly presented and a very useful window on how sharpening is done. Thank you.

I've seen other turners use the rest but didn't understand how they were set up or why they worked. Now I do and this seems to be a really good system, less dreading the sharpening and more getting it done right so you can turn!

Thank you so much for showing your techniques to us all! I don't know if the difference in curve from a 6 inch wheel to an 8 inch one will be noticeable while you're turning, but it's good to know you have the size your system is designed for!

Thanks for the lesson I just bought that system and now know how to use it.

Been wanting to see this for ages.

The cbn wheels are a gamechanger.

Looked chilly Mike, thank you for sharing.

Hi Mike lovely new workshop and very nices bench grinder. I brought a bench grinder from hope woodturning before Christmas it was a lot of money for my bench grinder. U are lucky u got your bench grinder on sale.

Always wondered how you sharpened your tool. So interesting. Thank you.

Nicely done, bowl looks absolutely brilliant!

Who would have thunk I would find a video on sharpening so interesting! 😋 lol Thanks for showing us, as it gives me an image now when you say you are just sharpening. Thanks Mike 🤗

Not my type of video but wanted to support so adding a comment. Awesome new tools!

Great teaching video. I had no ideal what went into sharpening your tools.

Thanks for sharing Mike, now the tools are sharp back to turning 😀

Very interesting Mike now all ur gouges will be ready for ur new work shop 😀

Very nice. I have 25 year old system similar to your, my grinder is a slow speed 1600 rpm. Thanks for the information. I am going upgrade my system.

Always you keep just a little secret from us. Where do you buy your sparks from? "I'll just sharpen up" is explained to us now. This was fascinating Mike and yet another extension to the super duper content on your channel. How much material does one sharpening remove from the tool? What is the life expectancy of your favourite gouge likely to be? Is there any fire hazard from this? Maybe you need to talk us through your sanding process next? Or your favorite lunch? Or the lathe; you changed gears once and we never saw that mystery explained, I mean it probably involved a double de-clutch and some serious rev matching....?

Great demonstration and presentation, thank you. I was lucky enough to find a used Tormek with several sharpening jigs for a very good price, and it follows the same idea of consistent repeatability to achieve fast resharpening with minimum removal of material. I'd not seen the pro-grind system in use before, but as a far cheaper option than a new Tormek, it looks like a great value solution. Yes the Tormek offers a much slower cutting speed and water lubrication, both of which ensure avoiding tool overheating, but as you've clearly demonstrated, as long as you are aware of overheating and the need to regularly cool finer tipped tools, your system works extremely well!

That’s really helped me understand sharpening my tools thanks

Great sharpening tutorial!

Very helpful demonstration! Thanks!

Nice one Mike , i had the same grinder and CBN wheel and it never failed me at all , the only reason i sold it was because i was fortunate enough to get a pro edge at a good price . thank you for shearing

I basically have the same setup. I love mine.

Thanks Mike. Grear information.

When I was painting houses for a living, I used to try and sharpen my paint scraper with a file. Slightly better than nothing at all. When my boss got a little grinder it helped, but I was never good at keeping the angle consistent. Sharpening tools is a whole skill set!

Good stuff Mike. Congrats on the new wheel.

Thanks for the tutorial; I'd always wondered!

Thank you mike for the demonstration that's the system i've been looking at the Pro grind system seems to be a well put together system and cheaper than a lot of the competitors with more jigs. And better set up. Thanks again for another wonderful video. And thank you For helping me make my decision on going with the pro grind

Hi Mike. Thanks for sharing this. This setup looks great. Good price and relatively simple to use. I’ve got a wet stone setup and it’s great but as you know we do get some cold/ freezing weather in the UK and during the winter I need to take my stone into the house. I do have a wood stove in my workshop but it’s only on when I’m working. I’ve been toying with the possibility of getting another setup like yours and I may go down that route. Thanks again 👍

Wonderful new tool. Life is blessed, isn't it? Love the way you're sharing all of these things. Happy Valentine's Day to you and your family. 😊

You say it so often I thought the other day that you should put “time to sharpen up” on a t-shirt! Mike Holton merch range! I was planning to watch a sharpening video soon and I am so glad it was you who got to show me. Well explained as per usual and your dulcet tones make all of your vids all the more watchable.

Excellent very informative. Thanks

Thank you for showing this. I had no idea how a person sharpened these kinds of tools.

Mike…. I used to fear and hate sharpening tools when I was at school - this solution alleviates all those fears and gives a consistent solution! Thank you for doing all the leg work - this sort of information is priceless for someone like me looking to start up. I look forward to future videos. Thank you

Thanks for the information.

And the steam comes out like from a young bull! Your eyes must be burning! Mike has a new machine! Eeeee!😄

This is the best sharpening video I have watched. Clesr and concise. Thankyou ❤❤❤

Thank you...that was very interesting and thank you for the video.

CBN's seem expensive but you only buy once 😊. As an extra step. I have set up on the saddle to hold the gouge. I have then cut a 'Stick', to the distance from the saddle to where it enters the arm locking mechanism. I have a number of these sticks at the sharpening station and can quickly set up to the required distance/ angle depending on the gouge I am sharpening. On the feral of each gouge I have marked the stick that I need to use. A lot quicker than your proprietary angle/ distance blocks. I hope that makes sense and maybe worth a thought.

Thanks Mike! I just ordered the Pro Grind system!!

Very informative Mike, a neat setup indeed 👍🙂

That was so helpful. Thanks

Great video Mike 😃

Good morning Mike and thank you for sharing and teaching!

Great advice 🎉❤

That was a pleasant surprise. Nice to see you again Mike. Stay safe 🌞

Good morning, Mike. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day 💕

Very interesting

Very good demonstration of how to sharpen your tools. Thanks

Good morning, Mike.🤗💚

You're a man of skill and talent as always you're also entertaining

Nice video.. please ditch the course stone. It might have cracked from clamping it with the hand vice.

Hi Mike, I got the pro grind system a few months ago. It has really up'ed my turning game. don't have a CBN wheel yet but that will be coming soon.

Thank you!

Thank you.

Sharpening is an art. Job well done.

Thanks 👍

It looks like a good system 👍. I’ve got the tormex, it’s a bit of a faff!

Great video Mike. I use a Sorby pro drive which is lovely and repeatable as well.

I can picture this in your new workplace with radiator :-)

good video Mike, You may want to do a little checking re cooling, my understanding is the heat is not an issue with HSS but quenching/cooling can alter the temper

I only know that I know very little and that’s a fair starting point. Good luck to you. Sharpening systems have been in my consideration recently. I have been watching the guys with their CBN Wheels and wondering if my envy was getting the better of me. It was. Hands up, I have not been turning very long. I’m lucky, I only turn wood and do not turn resins. Frankly I was afraid to stick a pointed sharp piece of metal at a spinning piece of wood. I got it eventually. With nobody around to help, I plucked up the courage to fire-up my beginner’s lathe I am self thought and learnt from trial and error, much experience and RU-vid. It was a steep learning curve. Hard to believe the world is so full of idiots! (Including me((perhaps well meaning)), but I was unfortunate to find their channels. Anyway, I also, I found the good guys. I turn a lot this time of year, close on 30 hours a week. Yeh I know that sounds industrial and I guess it is to your average hobby turner. But its where fortune and ill mental health has left me. I don’t complain, I know my luck. At the mo I’m turning Green wood, either thin live edge finished pieces or rough turned i.e. generally 10% diameter for drying. Wet wood easy on the tools, but a nightmare on everything around it. I reckon I could sell my fresh wild wood showers in the city. I’m sure you know the score and have been in the line of fire of wet logs. Its just something I’m doing a lot of these days. But with cherry, best get it turned thin or turned and sealed. I’ve not seen another wood like it for cracking. I only use mainly home grown and storm fallen, so oak, beech, sweet chestnut, ash and wild cherry are my staples. I do have to fell the occasional tree as part of my woodland management, but I am careful about that. Unfortunately, climate change brings me more fall downs each year. Another story. So, for thin finished live edge pieces, your tools must be very sharp. I can do this with my wetstone system. If you can do this with a grinder good on you. I don’t have the technique. I have only ever used a wetstone grinder. It took me some time to figure it out but I got there in the end. My old (5 years) Record Power WG250 is now a bit past its sell by, or as we Irish might say, its fecked. I've done all I can to keep her running but I know she's on her last legs. Probably only last another 50 years or so. I considered my options. I have looked at bench grinders and CBN wheels , so cool and all the professionals use them. Not for me, I like my wetstone grinder and now will never change. Its just something I got used to. just my opinion based on my limited experience RP may not be the best quality equipment, it’s the three C’s Cheap, Chinese and it gets a Chap up and running. Trust me, I have a bunch of their stuff and I don't knock it. It has worked for me and shown me the direction I need to go. OK, over the years I have upgradede my Record Power system with the Tormek SVD186 gouge jig and a couple of other bits and pieces of theirs. Now as a much keener woodturner when my RP system eventually fails I will buy a Tormek.

I use the Wolverine sharpening system by One Way with the Raptor gages. Works very similar to your setup.

Que buena máquina.

wheeee! new tools!!!!

Love the pro grind system. Perfect time to sharpen up too, I always say never pack a dull tool in a move.

An awesome video. I have the same system but have not set it up yet because I got the one made for 8" grinders so I now have to get an 8" grinder and an 8" CBN wheel. I have a 6" grinder and a CBN wheel. I will probably set them both up but only use the system on one. I will definitely use this video as a reference. Keep up the amazing work. 👽

Thank you, I was wondering how you did that.

Another amazing tutorial/demonstration with the usual high standard of commentary, so thank you. What do you do with all the dust/shavings? Turning away all of that beast that wasn't the bowl must have produced plenty!

its always nice to get and play with new toys what lol

For most people "Back to the old grind" means back to work. For wood turners it's a pause in work to sharpen the tools.

Excellent video Mike, very informative! I was also wondering about what you used to sharpen your tools, and the system you chose looks like a good practical and cost effective option.

HSS has a ridiculously high tempering point, about the temp where it glows red, so you can grind away safe in the knowledge that you won't make your tools lose their temper, even if the metal blues. Not true for carbon steel, which you have to be careful with and quench as you suggest, but most turners are using HSS or carbide tools nowadays.

Great vlog Mike simple and easy instructions , was this in your new work shop

That was really helpful to see. The links are also really good. Thank you. Does the diamond flattening thing come with the kit or do you have to buy that separately? I'm going to have to beg for this for my birthday! My current kit is really different and much smaller and aggressive stone.

Thanks for this mike. The sharpening system I use I got second hand in 1980 when I finished my joinery apprenticeship. Think it's time for a change . you just don't larne this stuff anywhere else. Ps what are you doing with you old set ha ha

It's a good system but I always envisaged you using a Tormek

Hi Mike, I just watched your tool sharpening video. I thought it was great I learned a lot can you tell me what is the best rpm to use for sharpening your gouges

Hi Mike. Glad to see the move is swinging along nicely. This is exactly what I needed to see. I'm just about ready to fit my sharpening kit ( in my almost ready wee workshed). I've got the grinder model that you have just replaced & will be getting a cbn wheel to replace the heavier grinding stone. Can I ask you, do you know if the "Chinese" cbn wheels are up to much or am I better off waiting & saving a bit more for a more expensive one ?. Cheers mate. Keep going the way you're going & keep well & stay safe 👍