Utility of Veritas small blade holder

[ear3]

When I got my LV spokeshave a couple 9f months ago, I also ordered the Veritas small blade holder to mount the blades for sharpening in the mkii honing guide. Well it turned out I didn't need it, as i discovered right away i could just mount the blades directly in the guide. Anyway I'm coming up on the 90 day return window, and was thinking about just sending it back, but I just wanted to check if anyone has and uses this holder for a specific application that I might need it for in the future?

 

[mouppe]

No, I sharpen small blades freehand.

I always found the honing guide too awkward for spokeshave blades. If you want to learn freehand, my preferred method for small blades is to run them up and down the stones with the bevel parallel with the long edge of the stones. It's very easy.

 

[grbmds]

If you are talking about the narrow blade guide for the Mark II, I have used it to sharpen chisels and found it works better than the standard guide because it clamps the chisels from the side rather than top/bottom. The side clamping is much more secure and the blade is much less likely to shift while sharpening/honing. The top/bottom clamp on the Mark II is the one thing I don't like about it.

 

[mouppe]

If you are talking about the narrow blade guide for the Mark II, I have used it to sharpen chisels and found it works better than the standard guide because it clamps the chisels from the side rather than top/bottom. The side clamping is much more secure and the blade is much less likely to shift while sharpening/honing. The top/bottom clamp on the Mark II is the one thing I don't like about it.

no, he's  referring to the small blade holder.

 

[ear3]

Yeah, this one
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=44484&cat=1,50230

I've had success with the spokeshave blades in the mkii, so will just continue like that.  I have been doing some freehand with the drawfnife though to get the hang of it.