Overrated Woodworking


G S Haydon

Recommended Posts

It was a short episode but an interesting and provocative episode. So carrying on a theme what are your two overrated aspects of woodworking.

 

Bearing in mind personal preferances will be expressed I hope no one takes any posting or opinion the wrong way or as a slight on their choices, each to their own! Here are my two.

 

1. Expensive chisels in A2 Steel - Reason is why do I want to pay for an expensive chisels that will not hold edges at lower angles without crumbling? If I'm honing at 30 deg plus angles edge retention on cheapies is not bad at all and if I want to go low a cheapie will still hold a sharp edge. I would much rather have a wicked sharp edge and hone more often.

 

2. Flat Chisel Backs - Why? I recently bought some vintage chisles that bellied in the back, don't get me wrong I prefer flatish or with a bit of a hollow back but as long as I can reference the a good ammount to remove the burr that is all I need. I might have perhaps one super flat chisel ready for those times for perfect work. But if I subscribed to the flat or nothing nearly all my chisels should be in the bin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hand-cut dovetails. I can do both, with a router and a jig is fine for most things I would do. Not so much the technique, but the insistence that machine cut aren't true dovetails.

Go big or go home. On another forum I used to post on it seemed like the goal was to one up another with the size of the machines one bought.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm...

What is truly overrated in woodworking?

Perhaps the idea that one guy has all the answers.

Or the idea that if one of our "heroes" prefers a certain brand that we need it too.

Or if they talk down a certain technique then we should abandon it.

I guess it's really one issue... Take advice as advice, not gospel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 - Card scraping. I have a card scraper. I even know how to get good results with it. I even know how to sharpen it. But I rarely ever truly enjoy it. Especially if the surface I'm scrapping is any bigger than just a couple of inches.

 

2 - When ever somebody says "This is the best sharpening process". I can promise you I can find 10 people who can sharpen a plane blade or a chisel to the point where they can take tissue paper thick ribbons from a piece of stock. It is likely that all 10 will sharpen it a different way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 - Card scraping. I have a card scraper. I even know how to get good results with it. I even know how to sharpen it. But I rarely ever truly enjoy it. Especially if the surface I'm scrapping is any bigger than just a couple of inches.

2 - When ever somebody says "This is the best sharpening process". I can promise you I can find 10 people who can sharpen a plane blade or a chisel to the point where they can take tissue paper thick ribbons from a piece of stock. It is likely that all 10 will sharpen it a different way.

I'll shorten your second statement to, "whenever someone says 'this is the best way to do *enter statement here*'"
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online   3 Members, 0 Anonymous, 52 Guests (See full list)

  • Forum Statistics

    31.2k
    Total Topics
    422.1k
    Total Posts
  • Member Statistics

    23,781
    Total Members
    3,644
    Most Online
    Skillfusian
    Newest Member
    Skillfusian
    Joined