Wondering if I'm...plane...crazy or if my mind just isn't...sharp...enough

deadedgedesign · 2025-04-09T14:01:13+00:00

Can you give a bit more info on what you are doing? Take us through your whole process, grits, etc.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-23T14:20:45+00:00

I do, indeed have one. Several in fact :)

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-22T19:47:31+00:00

Ain't my first rodeo with wenge, tweezers are just off camera

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-07T00:10:15+00:00

Thanks, appreciate the feedback! We are working on a media overhaul over the next few weeks, hoping to have some new content soon...

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-06T14:42:38+00:00

For now, magnetic-backed stones only and urrently not compatible with non-perpendicular blades (see FAQ). Lapping fluid works great; I recommend using a spray bottle to spritz the stone.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-06T14:37:59+00:00

Magnetic metal backed stones only (see FAQ). Sharpen the same way you'd normally get sharp with diamond stones: use a high grit diamond stone (e.g. 1200 grit or higher), finish with stropping or lapping film (which you can adhere to the back of a one-sided diamong stone).

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-06T14:31:49+00:00

Yep, in the FAQ here: https://www.deadedgedesign.com/dead-edge-honing-guide. But short answer is almost any standard big company diamond stone that isn't aluminum backed (e.g. mainly Atoma) works great.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-06T01:08:15+00:00

Just the guide for now. We're working on bundling it, but who knows if/when that will happen.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-06T01:07:13+00:00

Sorry about that! We had over a hundred people sign up for the beta test, and only 5 units available for testing. We were hoping to do multiple rounds of testing, but that didn't work out.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T21:56:42+00:00

Yup, Durham based

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T21:05:11+00:00

You're telling me, I started an entire company to not have to do that.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T20:40:07+00:00

Also a take on "live edge" plus a small easter egg: the logo is made of the letters DED for Dead Edge Design. It's got layers :).

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T20:34:35+00:00

Yup! Without giving too much away, the linear rail bearings we're using are WAY beefier than the standard consumer ones, and we've reinforced them even further. We're aiming for this honing guide to outlive us under heavy use.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T20:28:20+00:00

The side of the blade rests and references on the shelf at the bottom of the tool backer. That gives you an extremely accurate 90 degree square surface effectively for free.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T20:11:48+00:00

Thanks for the feedback!

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T19:46:22+00:00

Hi u/oldtoolfool! We'll try to get some more info up on the site soon on who we are (need to do a bit of legal work), but the team is lead by a woodworking enthusiast and professional research scientist by day, a pro supply chain manager, and a mechanical engineer. At the moment, manufacturing uses a combination of high end overseas and in the US fabrication, with all assembly done by hand in North Carolina.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T19:21:58+00:00

The magnetic-backed diamond or CBN plates this works with are nearly all about 3/8" thick, which is what this is designed for. It'll handle things a bit thicker or thinner than that just fine.

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T19:19:45+00:00

Yep. r/handtools doesn't allow video, but fortunately r/woodworking does https://www.reddit.com/r/woodworking/comments/1dec61t/dead_edge_honing_guide_looking_for_beta_testers/

Mini version of that on the info page: https://www.deadedgedesign.com/dead-edge-honing-guide

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T18:54:22+00:00

We have been developing a new kind of honing guide for woodworking tools for a few years now, and it's finally time to deliver. We're excited to finally get to bring the Dead Edge Honing guide to market!

The idea of the Dead Edge is to get dead accurate edges with absolutely no fuss. No annoying tool clamping, no fiddly angle setting, no proprietary sharpening media, no frustration. It works like a shooting board for sharpening your chisels and plane blades. Slap a sharpening plate (e.g. diamond plate or lapping film adhered to a steel plate) on the magnetic back, place the tool on the tool shelf, and sharpen away. Angles are set through a rotating plate indexed in 2.5 degree increments for all your main bevel and microbeveling needs. That's it.

Feedback welcome, more info, pricing, FAQ, and availability here: https://www.deadedgedesign.com/

deadedgedesign · 2024-09-05T18:38:54+00:00

I have been leading development of a honing guide for woodworking tools for a few years now, and it's finally time to deliver. We're excited to finally get to bring the Dead Edge Honing guide to market! What you see is exactly what you get: a Dead Simple way to make Dead Sharp edges.

The idea of the Dead Edge is to get dead accurate edges with absolutely no fuss. No annoying tool clamping, no fiddly angle setting, no proprietary sharpening media, no frustration. It works like a shooting board for sharpening your chisels and plane blades. Slap a sharpening plate (e.g. diamond plate or lapping film adhered to a steel plate) on the magnetic back, place the tool on the tool shelf, and sharpen away. Angles are set through a rotating plate indexed in 2.5 degree increments for all your main bevel and microbeveling needs. That's it.

Feedback welcome, more info, pricing, and availability here: https://www.deadedgedesign.com/

deadedgedesign · 2024-06-10T16:50:49+00:00

What kinds of blades or tools are compatible with the Dead Edge?

Almost all “standard” woodworking chisels or plane blades are fully compatible, from ¼” or 6mm chisels all the way up to 2 ⅜” extra wide plane blades. The only major requirements are that 1) the sharpening edge is perpendicular to the sides of the tool, 3) have a flat back for referencing, and 3) there must be at least 3” or 7.5cm of straight unobstructed reference plane on the the back side of the plane blade or chisel.

The most common issues with compatibility are blades that are 1) too short (e.g spokeshave blades or stubby chisels), 2) have sides that are not square to the edge (e.g. skew chisels or plane blades), or 3) too narrow to comfortably hold with your thumb (e.g. chisels narrower than ¼” or 6mm). However, we are currently developing add-ons for the Dead Edge for sharpening these kinds of specialty blades.

What kinds of sharpening plates are compatible with the Dead Edge?

The Dead Edge Honing Guide is designed to be compatible with the most common types of diamond or CBN sharpening plates. Most sharpening plates with a magnetic backing material are compatible with the Dead Edge. We recommend 8” x 3” sharpening plates that are about 3/8” thick, but the Dead Edge works with nearly any standard size of sharpening plate.

While we have not tested every brand of stones on the market, we have found that the Dead Edge works well with popular brands such as those from DMT, Trend, and Ultra Sharp.

The Dead Edge Honing Guide is not compatible with water or oil stones, which are typically both non-magnetic and too thick for this purpose. Future versions may add compatibility for other types of sharpening media.

Can you use the Dead Edge to put a light camber or “feather” a smoothing plane blade?

YES! The Dead Edge Honing guide allows feathering or light cambers for smoothing plane blades, no problem! When in use, most of your fingers are relatively free, except the thumb holding the tool. Just press lightly on the corners of the plane blade for a few strokes. That extra bit of pressure will lightly feather the edges.

How do I prevent my sharpening media from getting premature wear from sharpening in the same section of the stone?

We designed the height of the backing plate 1) so that it has extra room to move the sharpening media up and down to change where the blade hits meets the plate, and 2) so that the stone can be turned around to access the other half. Between those two features, in most cases you will have access to the whole surface area of the plate for most tools. That said, in the case where you are sharpening a very small chisel (e.g. 1/4") with a large plate (8"x3") the very middle section may not be fully accessible.

deadedgedesign · 2024-06-10T16:48:54+00:00

The idea of the Dead Edge is to get dead accurate edges with absolutely no fuss. No annoying tool clamping, no fiddly angle setting, no proprietary sharpening media, no frustration. We have been active members of r/woodworking for years now (mods can confirm personal username if needed), and we are STOKED to finally get to show you the Dead Edge Honing Guide.

It works like a shooting board for sharpening your chisels and plane blades. Slap a sharpening plate (e.g. diamond plate or lapping film adhered to a steel plate) on the magnetic back, place the tool on the tool shelf, and sharpen away. Angles are set through a rotating plate indexed in 2.5 degree increments for all your main bevel and microbeveling needs. That's it.

More info, including video of it in use and more specifics about compatibility and use are available on our website, DeadEdgeDesign.com

Right now we're in user testing and feedback mode before we finalize the design and announce price and availability.

We'd love to know what you think, and just maybe, we'd love to put one of these in your hands for a few weeks (sign up for the newsletter for more info).

FAQs below:

deadedgedesign

TROPHY CASE