Chisel sharpening - do we have a beginner guide?

[Rorton]

Been searching the forum this evening for sharpening guidance, lots of posts about sharpening, and opening a can of worms, but I couldn’t find any ‘starter’ basic info So sorry if I’m going over old ground, and if there is a guide to this please point me in the right direction.

i have some inexpensive chisels which I need to get (and keep) sharp, and no idea where to start and what to buy

do I need a honing guide
how many different grades of stones do I need
is there a best practice etc.

I don’t use the chisels much, so don’t want to spend big money on fancy guides and expensive plates, but would love to know where to start and what I should look at buying to keep them in usable order.

 

[KT -andy]

You tube has lots of info .
I made a couple of oak guides that fit over a belt sander to get the angles , then wet&dry stuck to a bit of marble to finish them off .

 

[Rorton]

I’ve been there too, just watching a video by rag n bone brown.

just wondering what I need to buy

i have a 400/2000 whetstone I use for kitchen knives, don’t know if that would be of any use

otherwise, do I need 300 then 600 then 1000 grit, is that enough?

 

[D_W]

buy some metal polish to go with your stone - you have all you need to sharpen chisels.

If you need anything else and don't have a grinder, it would be a run of 80 grit paper to grind the bevel with.

Nothing does a job on chisel tips as well as a buffer (nor does anything come remotely close to providing the same edge longevity), but that's perhaps a couple of months down the road after you get a feel for sharp.

 

[Rorton]

I have some autosol in my car cleaning box for exhaust tips

so use that with the 400/2000 then?

 

[Nigel Burden]

I use a double sided diamond plate which is well worn in 250 and 600 grit, finishing with a natural stone that is very fine, I haven't a clue of the git as I bought it at a car boot sale, then strop on leather.

I only use my Eclipse guide if the bevel gets out off sorts, otherwise I just sharpen free hand. Narrow chisels are difficult to get square though, and don't fit in the guide that well.

Have a look at Paul Sellers or The English Woodworker.

Nigel.

 

[Bm101]

Autosol and an off cut of mdf is used by many as a final hone. it works really well. Keep it simple at first and don't buy a load of gear. Eclipse style jigs work and are fairly cheap. crack on and dont get bogged down in online debate.

 

[billw]

*can opener*
*tin of worms*

 

[Rorton]

Thanks, the eclipse jigs are cheep enough so I can get one of those.
is the 400 / 2000 whetstone I have sufficient, do I need something in the middle like 1000?

 

[D_W]

no, you don't need a middle stone. You can get one if you want one, but you don't need to match prescriptive paint by number lists that other people put together (nor buy certain brands of stones). Understanding what metal to hone, what to not hone, etc, is far more valuable than the difference between any sharpening media.

 

[Rorton]

Ok great thank you, so I don’t use the autosol on the stones themselves, I use the whetstone as whetstone with water for the chisels and then use autosol on some Mdf as a final hone?

 

[billw]

Is there a right answer to this? Short term the answer is abrasives and a flat surface, whether that be an offcut of granite kitchen work surface or a floor tile.

You can achieve a great result using any method, especially if you can judge angles by eye. I can't, so the investment in the Veritas kit was worth it. I use waterstones. Are they good? yes.

 

[Fitzroy]

There are many ways to skin this cat, the one that is correct is the one you develop that works for you.

For me, I:
- put a 25degree bevel on the chisel with a bench grinder.
- use wet and dry paper from screwfix on a marble tile as an abrasive. I use 320, 400, 600, 1200, 2000. Then autosol on a leather strop glued to a piece of mdf.
- flatten the back up to 2000 grit, aiming for a full side to side flat at the sharp end extending back 5mm ish.
- use a honing guide to put a secondary bevel on at about 30degrees.

Once I have the chisel working I will resharpen the edge just by hand/eye, until the bevel gets too out of shape and I pull the honing guide out again.

I bought some cheap diamond stones but didn’t find they added anything beyond the wet and dry and they seemed to loose their cutting power after about 6 months.

Cheers

Fitz.

 

[Bm101]

Find one method then get good at it. As long as you are sharp enough to cut wood you are doing it right. You can grow skills as you go.

 

[Rorton]

thanks, Im getting caught up in different video on you tube saying you need a rough, medium then fine stone/plate, 400 - 2000 seemed a big jump with nothing in between, like going from 80 grit sandpaper to 320 grit while skipping other steps

if what I have it good enough then I’ll give it a go and see how I get on.

 

[Awac]

Read everything you can, buy books. You will never get the sharpness you want until you understand what is happening.

A good first book is "The Perfect Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Sharpening for Woodworkers"- Ron Hock clearly explains everything for a start in sharpening. Clear big pictures.

Sharp. It becomes a sickness, be careful....

 

[JoeS]

Don’t buy Ron Hock’s book. You’ll become obsessed and spend more time sharpening than doing any work. People spend their whole lives sharpening, resharpening, reprofiling, shaving their arms, cutting paper, stropping, polishing, micro bevelling and everything in between - and never get round to making anything. I’ve been very guilty in the past.

I think Paul Sellers is a good no bullshit start if you’re looking for YouTube guidance - good luck and remember all the stones/papers/pastes are just abrasives at the end of the day, there’s no black magic.

 

[JoeS]

thanks, Im getting caught up in different video on you tube saying you need a rough, medium then fine stone/plate, 400 - 2000 seemed a big jump with nothing in between, like going from 80 grit sandpaper to 320 grit while skipping other steps

if what I have it good enough then I’ll give it a go and see how I get on.

Grit is often not linear and varies completely between manufacturers. Trust the course/medium/fine advice given by the manufacturer more. One 1000 grit stone and another are completely different - the stones rating in microns is generally a better guide, but still very different !

 

[JoeS]

Read everything you can, buy books. You will never get the sharpness you want until you understand what is happening.

A good first book is "The Perfect Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Sharpening for Woodworkers"- Ron Hock clearly explains everything for a start in sharpening. Clear big pictures.

Sharp. It becomes a sickness, be careful....

Drat- now I’m on Amazon looking at the damn book.

OP - don’t get sucked in. I’m too far gone.Take my advice and save yourself before it’s too late.

 

[Rorton]

I don’t have the time or patience to get hooked yet on sharpening!

I seen a Draper honing guide on Amazon so will get one of them and see how I go!