Edge preparation has been performed since the days of stone knives and arrowheads. Even our earliest ancestors knew that a dull cutting tool wouldn’t get the job done right when it was called upon to perform. In those early days, sharpening stones and a little elbow grease were the only solution to dull cutting tools and related implements. Fortunately, the processes for honing edges have changed dramatically over the many centuries that have separated modern times from the Stone Age. Although some still rely on handwork to hone edges on bits and blades, most of the processes currently employed for cutting tool edge preparation are motorized and mechanized. This is particularly advantageous at present, given that the multi-trillion-dollar manufacturing industry relies heavily on cutting tools of all kinds and represents millions of American jobs and a significant percentage of the…