Accessories

Dissatisfied....
The design is simple and inexpensive. A roller with a metal brace attached. Unlike some other models I found, this one is made out of metal instead of plastic so it will probably last considerably longer

I bought it thinking it would be just the ticket for sharpening a bunch of old chisels in my tool box. Unfortunately I couldn't get half the chisels to sit in the guide properly which made it unusable for those. Secondly, you have to position the chisel with a certain length extending from the front depending on if you want a 25 or 30 degree angle. If you don't measure "perfectly" you won't get the right angel and the chisel won't sharpen properly.

I'm now looking for a design with a FIXED angle.

Don't sharpen your blades without one!
I have been hand sharpening my chisels, scrapers and planes on waterstones for years. This is the first time I have used a guide like this and I can say that I have been doing it the hard way. This makes it much easier and faster to get a superior edge.

I use a straight edge placed on the roller wheel and item to be sharpened to determine the bevel angle. It comes with recommended distances out from the front edge of the guide to create a 25 or 30 degree bevel, but it is much more accurate to sight it with a straight edge.

Well worth the modest investment compared to the price of tools and sharpening stones.

a nice little guide
I was hesitant to buy one of these economical honing guides. There seem to be lots of bad reviews but I figured I wanted one and took a chance on the Robert Larson model. Previously I had use grinders or belt sanders to shape a plane blade or chisel and hone by hand on an oil stone. I was never satisfied with the results I got with my bench planes, so I started looking around at sharpening systems. I settled on the scary sharp method and ordered this guide as I thought it would work. I also found some Granite floor tile on sale at Lowes along with 180 and 320 grit adhesive paper. It took a couple minutes to figure out how the honing guide worked, noting the shapes and sizes of the grooves that hold a plane blade or chisel.
It took only a minute and I was getting good results. It held blades and chisels just fine if you take the time really look what you are doing. I did my plane blades and a set of chisels all in less than an hour. They turned out great considering I only sharpened to a 320 grit.
I recently ordered some 3M micro paper to get a grit range from 1200 to 3000. This make steel reflect like a mirror and sharp like a razor.
Overall I am very satisfied with the honing guide and the results. do some research on blade sharpening and you will do fine with this economical little gem.
I think the problems others have had with these devices relates to abuse and just over working them. They are a honing guide, not a heavy duty sharpening tool

semi-useful tool
The Robert Larson Honing Guide is a simply designed device that works reasonably well for honing chisels and plane irons. The guide holds most blades securely and moves easily over the sharpening stone. The guide works well for chisels with 3-4 inch long blades and widths from 2 inches down to 1/4 inch. Its shortcoming is with blades shorter than 3 inches or narrower than 1/4 inch. The slots in the guide do not hold these smaller blades squarely and honing becomes difficult or impossible. Beefier tools (like mortising chisels) also do not fit well. For the money, a semi-useful tool to have on hand, but for a little more money, better honing guides are available.

Honey of a Honing Guide
When my father died, I inherited his chisles and planes. He had not been able to take care of them for years.

This tool when used with a good set of sharpening stones or mounted, quality sandpaper allowed me to bring my father's tools back to the razor sharpness he was famous for.

I am not the sharpest tool in the box, but this "Honing Guide" has allowed me to now have the sharpest tools!

LOL