There is No Joy in Dullness.

Woodworking with dull tools is like sailing with a dropped anchor; it's frustrating, unproductive, and potentially dangerous. If you want to enjoy woodworking, you need to keep your tools sharp. However, with so many sharpening methods available, this necessary and very basic skill has become confusing and intimidating. In the end, what's the "right" method? With Woodworker's Guide to Sharpening, professional woodworker John English keeps it simple: The "right" way to sharpen is the way that works best for you.

To help you identify which technique fits your style, Woodworker's Guide to Sharpening clearly and comprehensively presents all you need to know about every sharpening method, including:
- Sharpening safety
- The characteristics of steel
- Bench stones, water stones, and oilstones
- Diamond and ceramic sharpeners
- The ins and outs of sandpaper and leather
- Sharpening angles, bevels, and jigs
- Sharepening machines
- How to put a sharp edge on every cutting tool in your shop

And, to give you creative and practical ideas for designing your very own sharpening station, you'll get a look at the sharpening setups of some of America's best professional woodworkers, including: Norm Abram; Sam Maloof; James Krenov ; Cindy Drozda; David J. Marks ; Larry Heinonen; Mark Koons

John English is a contributing editor of Woodcraft Magazine and a former editor of Today's Woodworker. His work has appeared in numerous woodworking magazines, including American How-To, Fine Woodworking, and Woodshop News, and his syndicated how-to and home repair columns have appeared in newspapers across the United States. He is the author of The Building Buddy, Toys & Accessories, Woodworking Essentials, and Workshop Projects. He lives in Casper, Wyoming.

John English is a contributing editor of Woodcraft Magazine and a former editor of Today's Woodworker. His work has appeared in numerous woodworking magazines, including American How-To, Fine Woodworking, and Woodshop News, and his syndicated how-to and home repair columns have appeared in newspapers across the United States. He is the author of The Building Buddy, Toys & Accessories, Woodworking Essentials, and Workshop Projects. He lives in Casper, Wyoming.