Work Sharp WS2000 User Manual

A Step-by-Step

Guide to

Precision

Sharpening &

Grinding Nearly

Everything

Thank You

for purchasing the WORK SHARP tool grinding and
sharpening system. We’ve put together these simple
tips—along with detailed photographs—to help you
create sharper tools and grind more easily and safely.
With sharper tools you’ll get higher quality work done
and with faster, safer results.

Your WORK SHARP tool sharpener can grind and sharpen
just about everything in your shop that gets dull. From
specialized tools like wood chisels to everyday tools
like lawnmower blades, your WORK SHARP is designed
to keep a wide range of tools sharp and on the job.

And, as always, we proudly stand behind every
product we make, including the new WORK SHARP
tool sharpener. If you have any questions or need
further assistance, please visit our website at www.
worksharptools.com or call our technical support
team in Ashland, Oregon. They are standing by and
ready to help you. You can call toll-free at 800-597-
6170 or email us at [e-mail]

And always remember to Work Sharp!

Sincerely,

Hank O’Dougherty
President, Professional Tool Manufacturing, LLC
Maker of WORK SHARP,™ Drill Doctor,™ and DAREx

™

IMPORTANT

For your own safety,

please read the User’s Guide

before operating

the Work Sharp 2000.

™

REVIEW THE

Top Tool Rest for

top-side freehand

Durable cast

aluminum top

Alignment Fence

keeps tool square

during sharpening

sharpening

150mm Edge-Vision™ Wheel

with solid adhesive-backed

abrasives applied

Tool hold-down keeps tool

flat during sharpening

Edge-Vision™ Slotted Wheel

allows you to see the cutting

Wheel direction

indicator

Chisel & Plane Blade

Port is 15/8" wide with

fixed 25° angle. Heat

sink is diamond plated

to remove burr.

Air-cooling vent ports for

routed air flow cooling

edge as you sharpen!

Locking

power
switch

KEY PARTS OF YOUR

WORK SHARP 2000

Top Knob for

securing wheel

Durable cast

aluminum top

Edge-Vision™ underside

Sharpening Port

& grit exhaust port

1

⁄5 hp induction

motor produces

1750 rpm

max. wheel speed

Durable plastic

housing and

base

Bench mounting tabs

6' grounded

power cord

Air-cooling vent ports for

routed air flow cooling

Wood Chisels

Objective:

Create a sharp chisel with the following
features:

4 A flat back all the way to the cutting edge
4 A square cutting edge
4 A 25° bevel angle
4 A sharp edge without burr

Where to Sharpen:

4 Chisel & Plane Blade Port

Abrasive Selection:

4 Rough Shaping: Coarse solid abrasive
(P60 – P80 grit)
4 Fine Sharpening: Fine solid abrasive

(P180 – P320 grit)

Top Tips:

Do not round off cutting edge while

flattening the back of your chisel.
Approach wheel at a 45° angle. Remove
tool in same manner.

Use the ‘plunge and pull’ method for best

results. Do not hold chisel against the
abrasive disk for more than one second.

Keep chisel FLAT on sharpening port heat

sink surface during ‘plunge and pull’ step.
The tool hold down bar will assist you.

Use sharpening port alignment fence

to keep the chisel’s cutting edge square
during sharpening.

Let the machine do the work. Do not force

or overload machine.

Go from this...

Before

WORK SHARP

...to this!

After

WORK SHARP

1

2

3

45°

45° approach

Coarse solid abrasive (P60–P80 grit)

Flatten back of chisel
Coarse solid abrasive

Method:

• Place the coarse grit solid abrasive

face up on your tool, flatten the back
of your chisel so you have a smooth,
consistent finish. This step is critical
and should not be overlooked.

• Now place the coarse grit solid

abrasive face down on your tool and
plunge and pull your chisel in the
sharpening port. This process may
take some time (3–10 minutes) based
on the degree of damage on the
edge of your tool. Do not plunge the
chisel against the wheel for longer
than one-second intervals or use
excessive load or force. This will only
create unnecessary heat and a large
burr. Follow the light handed ‘plunge
pull’ method for fastest, coolest and
sharpest results.

• Once the bevel and cutting edge

have been re-established and no
longer show signs of damage,
sharpen the back and bevel with
the fine grit solid abrasive following
the same steps as outlined above.
This step should only take about a
minute.

Plunge-and-pull method: Plunge

Coarse solid abrasive

Plunge-and-pull method: Pull

Coarse solid abrasive

Plane Blades / Irons

Objective:

Create a sharp plane blade with the
following features:

4 A flat back all the way to the cutting edge
4 A square cutting edge
4 A 25° bevel angle
4 A sharp edge without burr

Where to Sharpen:

4 Chisel & Plane Blade Port

Abrasive Selection:

4 Rough Shaping: Coarse solid abrasive
(P60 – P80 grit)
4 Fine Sharpening: Fine solid abrasive

(P180 – P320 grit)

Top Tips:

Do not round off cutting edge while

flattening the back of your blade.
Approach wheel at a 45° angle. Remove
tool in same manner.

Keep plane blade FLAT on sharpening port

heat sink surface during ‘plunge and pull’
step. The tool hold down bar will assist
you.

Use sharpening port alignment fence

to keep the blade’s cutting edge square
during sharpening.

Finer grits than P220 can be purchased if

you wish to have an even sharper edge on
your plane blades.

Go from this...

Before

WORK SHARP

...to this!

After

WORK SHARP

Method:

1

2

3

Place the fine grit solid abrasive face

•

up on your tool and flatten the back
of your blade so you have a smooth,
consistent finish. This step is critical
and should not be overlooked.

45°

45° approach

Fine solid abrasive (P180–P320 grit)

Flatten back of plane blade

Fine solid abrasive

• Turn the wheel over so the fine grit

solid abrasive is facing down then
sharpen with the same plunge and
pull used for chisels. This process
should only take a few minutes.

• Do not plunge the plane blade

against the wheel for longer than
one second intervals or use excessive
load or force. This will only create
unnecessary heat and burr. Follow
the light handed ‘plunge pull’
method for fastest, coolest and
sharpest results.

Plunge-and-pull method: Plunge

Fine solid abrasive

Plunge-and-pull method: Pull

Fine solid abrasive

Carving Tools:
Gouges, V Tools,

Skews & More

Objective:

Create a sharp carving tool with the
following features:

4 A sharp cutting edge
4 The bevel away from the cutting edge

is at the proper angle for the type
of cut the tool is designed for. Small
angles cut better at low entry angles.
Large angles are better for vertical
cutting or chopping.

4 The cutting edge is shaped correctly

for the cut profile desired.

Note: The goal is to recreate the same

geometry as originally supplied by the
manufacturer, but with a new sharp
edge.

Where to Sharpen:

4 Edge-Vision™ Port

Abrasive Selection:

4 Fine slotted Edge-Vision™ abrasive

(P180 – P320 grit)

Top Tips:

Use a black marker to color the edge

to be sharpened.

Use a shop/drop light to increase

visibility of edge being sharpened.

Start at the heel of the bevel and

work towards the cutting edge.

Sharpen with carving tool at the 12:00

or 2:00 position in the port to avoid
tearing the abrasive.

After

WORK SHARP

Generally, the naked

eye can’t see the

difference between

a dull and properly

sharpened carving

tool—but your

work will show the

difference!

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Top Tips (cont.):

Method:

Using black marker to darken

edge to be sharpened

If your tool is not cutting well after

sharpening, check the following:

The bevel angle may be too steep;

•

try sharpening a shallower angle.

• The bevel may not have been

sharpened all the way to the
cutting edge.

• There may be a burr on the inside

of the cutting edge.

• Place the fine grit slotted Edge-

Vision™ abrasive face down and
remove the Top Tool Rest for
increased visibility.

• Look down through the spinning

wheel into the Edge-Vision™ port.

• Slowly bring tool to be sharpened

into the Edge-Vision™ port and
contact the heel of the cutting edge
to the abrasive surface.

• Determine location of area being

sharpened by watching where the
black marker is being removed from
the tool.

• Slowly move the tool to remove all

the black marker.

• Edge should now be sharp and have

an even surface finish.

• If burr is created on inside edge of

gouge, simply remove with a rolled
piece of fine sand paper or a fine slip
stone.

Sharpening carving tool in Edge-

Vision™ Port (2:00 position)

Fine slotted abrasive (P180–P320 grit)

Lathe Tools: Gouges,
Parting Tools, Scrapers
& More

Objective:

Create a sharp lathe tool with the follow­ing features:

4 A sharp cutting edge with a prominent burr
4 A cutting edge that is shaped correctly for

the cut profile desired

4 Note: The goal is to recreate the same

geometry as originally supplied by the
manufacturer, but with a new sharp edge.

Where to Sharpen:

4 Edge-Vision™ Port

After

WORK SHARP

Abrasive Selection:

4 Coarse slotted Edge-Vision™ abrasive

(P60 – P80 grit)

Top Tips:

Use a black marker to color the edge to be

sharpened.

Use a shop/drop light to increase visibility

of edge being sharpened.

Start at the heel of the bevel and work

towards the cutting edge.

Sharpen with lathe tool at the 2:00 position

in the port to create a burr and avoid
tearing the abrasive.

Practice on an older tool before sharpening

your favorite lathe tool.

Creating a burr while sharpening is

important for lathe tools to work correctly.

While the naked eye

can’t see the burr

preferred by lathe

tool users, you can

definitely feel the

difference.