Add your tools
Start with the quick-add presets for common tools, or type in anything you own. Set the last date you sharpened it and how often you use it. The log does the math from there.
Stop guessing when to sharpen your tools
Add your chisels, shears, and blades. The log tracks usage and tells you what needs attention before your next project goes sideways.
Your Tool Log
No tools added yet. Pick a preset below or add your own.
Quick-add presets — tap to add common tools
How this log works
Read the status
Each tool shows a status: fresh, due soon, or overdue. The sidebar highlights what needs attention right now so you can plan your next sharpening session.
Print or export
The print button gives you a clean maintenance card you can tape inside a toolbox lid. The export button downloads a CSV you can open in a spreadsheet.
Sharpening intervals explained
The default intervals are rough guides for home-shop use. Light use means a few sessions a month. Moderate means weekly tinkering. Heavy means daily or near-daily work. Harder woods like oak or maple wear an edge faster than pine or cedar, so adjust accordingly.
Common mistakes
- Over-sharpening soft steel. Cheap tools with softer blades lose metal fast. A quick hone on a fine stone often works better than a full bevel reset every time.
- Waiting until the tool is useless. A slightly dull chisel is annoying. A very dull one can slip and cause injury. Sharpen early and often for safer cuts.
- Skipping the back flattening. The flat side of a chisel or plane blade matters just as much as the bevel. Flatten it on a coarse stone at least once per sharpening cycle.
- Using the wrong angle. Most chisels do well at 25 degrees. Thin paring chisels can go to 20. Thick mortise chisels may want 30. Stick with the angle that came from the factory unless you have a reason to change.
What to check before you start
- Is the edge nicked or rolled? A rolled edge can be fixed with a strop or fine stone. A nick needs a coarser grit.
- Are you using water or oil on your stone? Pick one and stay consistent. Mixing them clogs the stone.
- Do you have a way to hold the angle? A sharpening guide helps while you build muscle memory.
Suggested gear
A dual-grit whetstone (1000/6000) covers most home sharpening needs. Add a leather strop with compound for quick touch-ups between full sessions. For garden shears, a simple diamond file works well in the field.
Questions people ask
How do I know if a tool is truly dull?
Try shaving a thin curl off a scrap piece of softwood. If the tool skips, tears, or needs heavy pressure, it is past due. A sharp tool bites into the wood with almost no effort.
Can I use this for kitchen knives?
Sure. Pick "Knife" as the category and set the usage to match your cooking habits. The same logic applies: dull knives are more dangerous than sharp ones.
What if I sharpen a tool today but the log says it was sharpened yesterday?
Just open the tool entry and update the date. The status recalculates right away.
Is my data private?
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. Clear your browser storage and the log disappears.