10 Honing Guides for Sharpening Chisels and Plane Blades
Sharpening chisels and hand plane blades is one of the most important skills in woodworking. A sharp cutting edge makes hand tools easier to control, produces cleaner cuts, and helps you work more accurately. But maintaining a consistent bevel angle while sharpening can be a challenge.
That's where a honing guide comes in.
A honing guide holds a chisel or plane iron at a consistent angle as you move it across a sharpening stone. This helps produce a flat, even bevel without having to maintain the angle entirely by hand.
There are several types of honing guides available, ranging from inexpensive roller-style jigs to sophisticated sharpening systems with precision angle adjustments.
We compared ten honing guide designs to see how they handle tool positioning, bevel adjustments, sharpening accuracy, and ease of use.
Here's what sets them apart and what to look for when choosing a honing guide for your woodworking shop.
Why Use a Honing Guide?
It's certainly possible to sharpen chisels and plane irons freehand. With practice, you can learn to maintain a consistent angle as the cutting edge moves across a sharpening stone.
However, it's easy to change the angle slightly at the beginning or end of a stroke.
Over time, these small variations can create a rounded bevel rather than a flat one. A rounded bevel makes it more difficult to maintain a precise cutting edge.
A honing guide solves this problem by holding the tool at a fixed angle throughout the sharpening process.
Most guides also allow you to adjust the blade's projection to establish a specific bevel angle.
This makes it easier to sharpen consistently, particularly when you're learning to sharpen hand tools or working with several blades.
What to Look for in a Honing Guide
Before comparing individual guides, it helps to understand the features that make one design easier to use than another.
Secure Blade Clamping
A honing guide needs to hold the blade firmly without allowing it to twist or slip.
Some guides use side-clamping jaws that automatically center the tool. Others use a clamping bar or a single-point screw.
A secure clamping system is especially important when sharpening narrow chisels.
Roller Design and Stability
Most honing guides use a roller to support the tool as it moves across a sharpening stone.
A wide roller generally provides greater stability, while a narrow roller can make it easier to accidentally tip the guide.
Some specialized guides use side-mounted rollers or sliding rails instead.
Bevel Angle Adjustment
A good honing guide makes it easy to establish a consistent sharpening angle.
Some models use a simple projection measurement, while others include setup gauges or built-in angle adjustments.
Micro-Bevel Capability
A micro-bevel is a small secondary bevel honed at a slightly steeper angle than the primary bevel.
Because you're removing material from only a narrow strip at the cutting edge, adding a micro-bevel can make routine sharpening faster.
Some honing guides include a mechanism that allows you to create a micro-bevel without repositioning the blade.
1. General Honing Guide
The General honing guide uses a hinged, two-part design to adjust the sharpening angle.
A clamp at one end holds the blade, while a roller at the opposite end supports the guide during sharpening.
Unlike most roller-style honing guides, the General's roller travels across the workbench rather than the sharpening stone.
This arrangement introduces a potential problem.
If the sharpening stone doesn't have parallel faces, the relationship between the blade and abrasive surface can change. You'll also need to readjust the guide when switching between stones of different thicknesses.
Although the General guide is relatively simple and inexpensive, this limitation makes it less convenient than guides that reference the sharpening surface directly.
Key advantage: Simple, adjustable design.
Main drawback: Roller travels on the bench rather than the stone, requiring adjustments for different stone thicknesses.
2. Stanley Honing Guide
Stanley's honing guide has been a familiar sharpening accessory for many years.
The design uses a pair of thumbscrews to clamp the blade in place.
One useful feature is a flip-down plastic gauge that helps position the blade for three commonly used bevel angles.
This makes it easier to establish a repeatable sharpening setup without measuring the blade projection each time.
However, the clamping system isn't particularly convenient.
The thumbscrews can be uncomfortable to grip and difficult to access when securing a blade.
Once the blade is properly positioned, the guide performs adequately. But the extra effort required during setup is worth considering.
Key advantage: Built-in positioning gauge for common sharpening angles.
Main drawback: Awkward thumbscrew clamping system.
3. Eclipse-Style Honing Guide
The Eclipse-style honing guide is one of the simplest and most practical sharpening jigs.
The original Eclipse guide was manufactured in England, and its design has been widely copied.
This guide holds the blade between a pair of sturdy jaws.
Plane irons fit in the upper opening, while chisels are held in the lower opening.
The side-clamping design helps square the blade automatically, reducing setup time.
This is a major advantage when sharpening several chisels or plane irons.
The main limitation is the narrow roller.
Because the roller provides a relatively small support surface, it's important to avoid tipping the guide while sharpening, especially with narrow blades.
Despite that drawback, the Eclipse-style guide remains a straightforward design for routine sharpening.
Key advantage: Simple side-clamping jaws that help square the blade.
Main drawback: Narrow roller requires careful control.
4. Richard Kell Honing Guide
The Richard Kell honing guide uses a different approach to supporting the blade.
Instead of placing a roller behind the tool, the guide features two rollers positioned on either side.
The precision-machined design operates smoothly and is easy to control.
The standard version accommodates blades up to 1-1/4" wide, making it primarily suited to chisels.
A wider version accommodates blades up to 2-5/8", allowing it to handle many plane irons.
However, the wider model is less convenient when sharpening narrow tools.
This means woodworkers who regularly sharpen both chisels and plane irons may find that they need two different sizes.
Key advantage: Smooth operation and precise side-mounted rollers.
Main drawback: Different guide widths may be needed for chisels and plane irons.
5. Alisam Sharpening Sled
The Alisam Sharpening Sled is another guide that uses side-mounted rollers.
However, instead of riding directly on the sharpening stone, the sled straddles it.
This wide stance provides excellent stability and makes the guide comfortable to control.
Large handles on either side offer a secure grip while sharpening.
The sled was offered with interchangeable side assemblies to accommodate sharpening surfaces of different thicknesses, from thin surface plates to thick waterstones.
This versatility is useful, but it comes with an important limitation.
The sharpening surface needs to have parallel faces to maintain a consistent angle.
For woodworkers who sharpen with sandpaper mounted to a flat surface plate, the sled is an appealing option.
Key advantage: Wide, stable design with comfortable handles.
Main drawback: Requires a sharpening surface with parallel faces.
6. Veritas Mk. II Honing Guide
The Veritas Mk. II combines several useful features in a well-designed sharpening guide.
A clamping bar secures the blade, while a wide roller provides smooth, stable movement across the sharpening stone.
The roller also includes a mechanism for adding a micro-bevel.
One of the guide's standout features is its setup gauge.
The gauge helps square the blade and accurately position its cutting edge to establish the desired bevel angle.
The guide can also be configured for honing back bevels on plane irons.
Its contoured body makes it comfortable to hold during sharpening.
The main trade-off is its size and weight.
Compared to smaller guides, the Mk. II can feel somewhat bulky when sharpening narrow chisels.
Even so, its combination of secure clamping, angle control, and versatility makes it one of the strongest all-around designs in this comparison.
Key advantage: Accurate setup gauge, wide roller, and micro-bevel adjustment.
Main drawback: Larger size can be awkward with narrow chisels.
7. Original Veritas Honing Guide
The original Veritas honing guide preceded the Mk. II design.
When paired with its angle-setting jig, it provides a straightforward way to position a blade for sharpening.
The roller includes a convenient adjustment for adding a micro-bevel.
Turning the adjustment knob slightly changes the sharpening angle without requiring you to reposition the tool.
However, the guide uses a single-point clamping mechanism.
This can allow narrow chisels to slip or pivot while sharpening, making it more difficult to maintain consistent alignment.
Although the original Veritas guide is functional, the improved clamping arrangement and additional features of the Mk. II make it a more versatile choice.
Key advantage: Convenient micro-bevel adjustment.
Main drawback: Single-point clamp can allow narrow blades to shift.
8. Pinnacle Honing Guide
The Pinnacle honing guide takes a more elaborate approach to sharpening.
Rather than using a roller, the tool is held in a sled that travels along a pair of rails.
Plastic wear strips allow the sled to move smoothly over a sharpening stone or a metal honing plate.
The plate can also be used with sandpaper or abrasive honing film.
The guide includes several angle adjustments, allowing the primary bevel to be set in 5° increments.
It can also be adjusted to create a secondary bevel 2° steeper than the primary bevel.
This provides considerable control over the sharpening geometry.
However, the added complexity comes at a cost.
The number of adjustments and the time required for setup make the system less convenient for routine sharpening.
Key advantage: Precise angle settings and guided sled movement.
Main drawback: Complicated setup with numerous adjustments.
9. Sharp Skate 2 Honing Guide
The Sharp Skate 2 differs from conventional honing guides in one important way.
Instead of moving the blade back and forth along the sharpening stone, the guide is designed for side-to-side sharpening.
A series of small rollers beneath the guide allows it to travel laterally across the abrasive surface.
The guide includes an angle-setting accessory called the Angle Dock.
Another useful feature is its ability to accommodate short-bladed Japanese chisels and skewed chisels.
This makes it an interesting option for woodworkers who use specialized hand tools.
The side-to-side motion takes some getting used to if you're familiar with conventional roller-style guides.
Its relatively high cost was also a significant drawback in the original comparison.
Key advantage: Accommodates short and skewed chisels with a side-to-side sharpening motion.
Main drawback: Unconventional technique and complex design.
10. Oar Honing Guide for Gouges
Most honing guides are designed for straight-edged tools such as chisels and plane irons.
The Oar honing guide is different.
It's designed specifically for sharpening gouges and other curved cutting edges.
Its curved shape allows the tool to rock back and forth across the sharpening stone, following the sweep of the gouge.
This helps establish a consistent initial bevel on a curved cutting edge.
However, the guide takes time to set up.
Once the bevel has been established, subsequent touch-up sharpening may be quicker to perform freehand.
For woodworkers who regularly sharpen carving gouges, the Oar offers a specialized alternative to conventional honing guides.
Key advantage: Designed specifically for sharpening curved gouge edges.
Main drawback: Time-consuming setup for routine honing.
Honing Guide Comparison Chart
Choosing the right guide depends on the types of tools you sharpen and the features you value most.
Which Honing Guide Is Right for Your Shop?
For most woodworkers, the best honing guide is one that's easy to set up, holds the blade securely, and produces repeatable results.
If you're looking for a straightforward, inexpensive design, an Eclipse-style guide is a practical choice. Its side-clamping jaws help align the blade quickly, although the narrow roller requires some care.
For greater versatility, the Veritas Mk. II offers a well-rounded combination of features. Its setup gauge, wide roller, and micro-bevel adjustment make it useful for sharpening a range of chisels and plane irons.
Woodworkers who prefer a wide, stable sharpening platform may appreciate the Alisam sled, particularly when using abrasive paper on a flat surface plate.
Specialized tools may call for a different approach. The Sharp Skate 2 accommodates short and skewed chisels, while the Oar honing guide is designed for gouges.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your sharpening routine and the tools you use most often.
Get Sharper Tools With Consistent Honing
A honing guide won't replace good sharpening technique, but it can make the process easier and more repeatable.
By holding a blade at a consistent angle, a guide helps you create a flat bevel and refine the cutting edge without constantly checking your hand position.
Whether you choose a simple roller-style guide or a more elaborate sharpening system, look for secure clamping, reliable angle adjustment, and comfortable operation.
The right honing guide can take much of the guesswork out of sharpening and help keep your chisels and plane irons ready for precise woodworking.
How to Sharpen a Hand Plane Blade
A honing guide makes it easier to maintain a consistent bevel, but there's more to sharpening than setting the angle. Learn how to prepare the back of a plane iron, hone the cutting edge, and remove the wire edge for smooth, accurate planing.
READ MORE ➜ Explore Hand Plane Sharpening Techniques
