The ultimate sharpening thread - unmoderated.

[nev]

How do I sharpen a chisel?

go.

Unmoderated apart from personal attacks which will not be tolerated.

 

[novocaine]

I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong. I'm right and you're wrong.

 

[Lons]

:lol: :lol: :lol: My one and only contribution.

You must be bored Nev. (hammer)

 

[Jacob]

There is no controversy.
The other methods work but there is a basic simple method with minimal kit which works very well.
This has been lost sight of in the recent growth of amateur woodworking, which is a pity, not least because it particularly benefits beginners as it is simple, easy, effective and involves least kit.
Also it's more or less essential for site working.
It shouldn't annoy anybody to be reminded of the trad method - it's been more or less brought back in from the cold and a lot of people are doing it again, in spite of the anxiety leading to hysterical opposition!

 

[adidat]

 

[Fitzroy]

I started with a honing guide but over time moved away from it and now sharpen freehand, which I find much quicker. I remove deep defects on a bench grinder, then work on wet and dry paper sitting loose on an old marble tile (10mm thick). I work through grits 240, 400, 600, 1200. I only use a pull stroke, gradually increasing the angle during each stroke, so every stroke works from the back of the bevel to the cutting edge. Finally I polish on a leather strop with autosol. I flatten the back of the edge once and work through to a fine polish, then leave it alone, it does get stropped to remove the burr.

I like the three plates method of Paul Sellers which I plan to try once the new shed is up and working. But this will really only eliminate me buying wet and dry paper. Although having them there and ready should encourage me to sharpen more frequently.

I've one scrub plane with a curved iron which works well but looks like a dog's breakfast as my approach does not work well for curved irons!

F.

 

[thetyreman]

I do the same fitzroy but am now using microlapping film to flatten the back instead of wet/dry paper, but then you can move onto diamond stones to polish it out, once it's done it's done for life, I can remove the wire edge on the strop with each new sharpening session, I find that diamond stones aren't abraisive enough, not even the low grits, you may find you'll still need paper or microlapping film for the initial flattening.

 

[Farmer Giles]

My method, which is obviously the best, at least until the next post But in all seriousness, although there are some wrong ways, there are also many right ways to do this, it is whatever works for you with the tools you use, the use your putting the tools too, the budget you are working to and how proficient you are working freehand and personal preferences.

Straight bevel or firmer/mortice chisel

If there are chips on the edge or it is very blunt I use the 80g grey and then 100g white wheel on my Creusen grinder to slowly take most of the meat off making sure I don't blue the edge by frequently dipping it in water. I don't use a jig for this to get to the desired angle but I will when I get around to make one but I check the angle with the Tormek angle guide to make sure I'm somewhere close.

Once that is done, I use the Tormek wet grinder and the SE-77 jig to get a nice square consistent hollow ground edge at the desired angle.

I then use a veritas honing guide and scary sharpening film to put on a secondary bevel.

To maintain the edge I just use the scary sharpening film and the honing guide until the secondary bevel gets to be a bit on the large side then I give it a quick touch on the Tormek to get back the primary bevel, then add a new secondary on the scary.

If the chisel is a carving gouge,

I use the Tormek and their SVD-186 gouge jig on both the stone and then on the flat leather strop wheel for the main bevel, finishing off the back freehand with the LA-120 profiled leather honing wheel. I don't bother with a secondary bevel as such, just hone. Maintenance is a quick hone until I think it needs a bit more attention then I give it a touch on the Tormek grinding wheel.

Cheers
Andy

 

[Jacob]

....
I've one scrub plane with a curved iron which works well but looks like a dog's breakfast as my approach does not work well for curved irons!

F.

Actually scrub blade is about the easiest of all to sharpen once you've got it. Basically you hold it in your right hand tilted up at 30º like any other blade, but across the stone at roughly 45º. Then sweep/scoop it from right to left but twisting as you go - from the left hand corner of the edge in contact - to the right hand. Like sharpening a spoon perhaps?

 

[monkeybiter]

I'm not interested in becoming an expert in sharpening but what works for me and my carving gouges is the same as Fitzroy but with fewer grades of wet and dry, i.e. keep an edge as long as you can with honing with Autosol, when necessary refresh with wet and dry. I only resort to the wet grinder for repairs of a damaged edge. All angles [mis]judged by eye.
I'm going to try wood or MDF for honing, if I ever get time I'll shape individual hones to match the sweep of particular gouges.

 

[Jacob]

I'm not interested in becoming an expert in sharpening but what works for me and my carving gouges is the same as Fitzroy but with fewer grades of wet and dry, i.e. keep an edge as long as you can with honing with Autosol, when necessary refresh with wet and dry. I only resort to the wet grinder for repairs of a damaged edge. All angles [mis]judged by eye.
I'm going to try wood or MDF for honing, if I ever get time I'll shape individual hones to match the sweep of particular gouges.

I've honed things on mdf discs on the outboard end of a lathe. Slow speed plus autosol - too fast and it gets spun off. You can shape the edge to fit a profile, or just use the flat.

 

[novocaine]

use polishing compound. run the wheel then apply the compound. doesn't get kicked off. I said about it in the pillar drill in another thread, works great and is quick if a little aggressive.

 

[monkeybiter]

I had thought about making up a stack of honing wheels effectively a cylinder with a few appropriate profiles. On the 'impending' list, i.e. sooner than the 'to do' list.

 

[Beau]

Grind off surplus steel so only a small amount needs removing during honing, then hone to whatever grit you feel you need on whatever abrasive takes your fancy.

My tools of choice are 800grit horizontal wet stone grinder and hone on a 6000 grit water stone. Between grinds I use a 1000 grit water stone and finish with the 6000. All freehand on grinder and stone.

 

[John15]

I sharpen satisfactorily using the freehand method on waterstones - 1000, 6000, and 12000 grit. I find it easy and quick. I raise the blade a couple of degrees with each stone from about 30 to about 35 degrees.

John

 

[MikeG.]

.......Also it's more or less essential for site working...........

No, it isn't. I have been working on my house for about 3 years, spending much of that time doing oak framing with chisels, mallet, saw and drill, working on saw horses, and nowhere near my workshop. When my chisels need cheering up, I put an edge on them using glass and sandpaper, right there on top of my work on the saw horses. I used an oil stone for 25 or 30 years, but find this method better.

 

[rafezetter]

How do I sharpen a chisel?

go.

Unmoderated apart from personal attacks which will not be tolerated.

cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war; and a honing guide, or freehand - I go both ways.... wait what?

 

[nabs]

I put an edge on them using glass and sandpaper

How do you hold the sandpaper down Mike? I was using sandpaper to grind out a large chip on a second-hand chisel at the weekend and I used a piece from a roll of sandpaper clamped and stuck down (with pritt stick!) which is what I have done when flattening planes. I think there must be an easier way (or perhaps I am doing it wrong!)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Site work? When I was away from the bench I found it easier and quicker to carry a couple of spare chisels than to carry a means of sharpening them. One was always a 75p beater, anyway.

 

[Bm101]

I put an edge on them using glass and sandpaper

How do you hold the sandpaper down Mike? I was using sandpaper to grind out a large chip on a second-hand chisel at the weekend and I used a piece from a roll of sandpaper clamped and stuck down (with pritt stick!) which is what I have done when flattening planes. I think there must be an easier way (or perhaps I am doing it wrong!)

Nabs I'm not going near this thread but I sometimes use wet and dry especially for restoring an iron from terrible. I have some ultex stones for normal. I use white spirit. I find it will hold w and d on the glass shelf I robbed out my kitchen cupboard and is what I have as float glass. Works alright in my book. But then again I have no idea what I'm doing. Might be worth a go mate.