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["Don Bowen" <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

> Another thing I'd be interested in, Don, is if the book deals mainly with
> oil sharpening or water sharpening or both?

He wants to avoid the subject entirely because that is one of the subjects
many woodworkers get most passionate about.  All have a favorite, sandpaper
on plate glass, oil stones, water stoned, diamond, machines, on and on.

His methods discuss the finished tools.  He uses grinders and belt sanders
with ever finer grits to shape the cutting edge get out tool marks.  He then
moves to diamond impregnated rubber wheels or belt strops to get a final
edge.  It is mostly a powered operation with little hand work described.

Sharpening is the process of getting two polished surfaces to meet as a
proscribed angle.  That is all there is to it and all the favored methods 
will do that so the best method is one that works best within your
capabilities and philosophy.

I use course diamond plates for rough work like flattening the back.  Then
move to finer diamond plates.  From there I use some Japanese water stones
for polishing.  

I have used powered a water stone between the final diamond and the 8000
grit water stone.  It is messy and takes up bench space but is faster than
the manual stones.  I use it when I have a bunch of sharpening to do.

I have also used the Scary Sharp system using plate glass and wet or dry
sand paper.  It works well and is significantly less messy than oil or water
and a little less expensive.

I have used honing guides and have worked free hand.  Free hand is better 
for a quick touch up but sometimes I like to take everything back to a base
line.  Sometimes a few hours just sharpening can be a relaxing escape but at
other times sharpening is an irritating annoyance.  Keeping tools sharp is a
very important part of woodworking.

Don Bowen  KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html