When working wood by hand, there is probably nothing more important than having razor sharp tools. Planes, chisels, knives, spokeshaves all need to be ultra sharp. A dull tool is a dangerous tool and can get you hurt quick.

Sharpening has always been a mystery to me. I can sharpen a knife and get it pretty sharp, but not razor sharp. As I have been doing research, I have found a bunch of videos and a bunch of different methods. One of my favorite discoveries is Paul Sellers - a very cool, old-school woodworker - who has a lot of good online videos and material.