Hand Tool Sharpening: What method do you use and why?

[HMH]

Hey Folks,

I'm slowly but surely building a pretty well equiped shop, picking up tools here and there as I need them, and I have recently picked up a pretty good collection of hand planes and chisels that I now need to keep sharp. I've done some research of the various means and methods, but I'd be interested to know what you folks are using and why...

Let me start out by saying that I currently have NOTHING with which to sharpen my woodworking blades, (other than a small wet stone I use on my pocket knife), so my options are pretty wide open. I'm leaning toward the Worksharp 3K as it seems to get good reviews, is quick, and is seemingly idiot-proof. That being said, I kind of like the old-school approach of using a good set of sharpening stones as well, but there would obviously be a decent learing curve to becoming efficient at that approach.

I know there are a ton of other methods as well, Scary sharp, slow-speed grinder w/ a Wolverine type jig, (or a really good eye), the Tormek, (more $$$ than I want to spend), etc. So I put it to you, How do you sharpen your hand tools?

Thanks guys.

[CarvedTones]

I do own a lathe and sharpening the tools for it is no problem on the WS. But I mostly use a skew, which is easy to sharpen with a flat grind.

[Herebrooks]

Sharpening is a subject I've really tried to burrow into lately. I'd like to use the excuse that, as one who has made his living as a furnituremaker for sometime, and been faced with deadlines, and not wanting to ruin a perfectly good tabletop by risking lifting the grain with a handplane, I fell into an abrasive world where either my widebelt, or handheld belt sander did the work. I was an early convert to Japanese planes and chisels and had always used them. I tried to keep them sharp, but often didn't take the time. When I did, however, the rewards were evident. I have developed the attitude that sharpening, and sharpening well is at the beginning of the gradient to becoming a master woodworker.
Fortunately, there are many ways these days to achieve and control the intersection of two polished surfaces(sharpness). I love utube for the different methods that are demonstrated. I think sometimes it boils down to which tools to buy for which stage I'm at and what is my budget?
I've owned and tried alot of sharpening systems and I don't want to negate any of them(usually my ignorance played a part in why I still don't use them). What I use today, and what I'd recommend is a DMT Duosharp Diamond stone with course on one side, and fine on the other. The course can be used to flatten your waterstones, and the fine to rough sharpen a variety of blades and bits. Some people like David Finck jump from a rough stone directly to 8000 grit waterstone for polishing the edge. I also like the MK11 honing guide from Veritas because you can always come back to the same bevel with no variation.
Bill