I have Swiss chisels that were used on one build/ carving. Getting ready for a second and need to know best way to sharpen. I have some Arkansas stones but need some advice. Thanks in advance.
Help Sharpening Chisels
- Thread starter PeteStevens
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Sharpening chisels is almost a lost art and very hard to describe without hands on. Best bet is find a utube vid on it and observe closely.
Its all about the angles.
Its all about the angles.
Trev
32 Cal
As along time carpenter, I always hollow ground my chisels and plane irons then honed them, Not something that I could give written instruction for, but if your tools aren't badly dulled you can just hone them, I'd typically hit a medium grit then a fine on the cutting bevel which is a little different angle than than the main bevel, I like ~20 degrees for paring. When you think it's 'sharp enough to shave mouse' as my mentor would say, lay the flat side down on the hone and carefully remove the wire edge/burr. There is probably some instruction out there on the www but I won't vouch for how good it might be.
You might check locally to find a sharpening service that caters to woodworkers and have them do it.
You might check locally to find a sharpening service that caters to woodworkers and have them do it.
If you use chisels you need to learn to sharpen. Anybody that can post on here can find plenty of instruction with pics. Cheer is a starter:
https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/skills/sharpening-chisels
https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/skills/sharpening-chisels
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I usually use a 1000 grit then 6000 Japanese water stone followed by a stropping on leather with a fine polishing compound. If the edge is still good, I’ll usually just use the 6000 then strop and sometimes the strop will do it by itself.
Unless I really damage an edge and have to start with a pretty course diamond stone.
Various grades of wet sandpaper on plate glass works good too, as well as diamond stones. I’ve just found it better to pick a system and stick with it.
I’ve tried various jigs, etc., but always seem to end up going back to freehand.
Straight chisels are pretty straightforward, pulled back towards you, while gouges also require you to rotate your wrist at the same time, followed by a slip stone to remove the burr from the inside radius. V parting chisels give me fits for some reason.
I’ve found a regular stropping during use will usually keep a good enough edge to keep me going without having to break out the stones during a build.
Like you I’ll go through and sharpen all the used chisels after a build so they’re ready to go and I don’t have to stop building later on for a sharpening session. I don’t go too crazy with it, I’ll work on the edge till it easily slices through a piece of paper, like a sharp knife. Then a little light oiling for rust protection and into the rollup pouch I have all ready for use.
Harry Marinakis
40 Cal
I used a nifty tool that holds the chisel at a fixed angle while you sharpen them.
https://www.woodsmith.com/article/10-precision-honing-guides/
https://www.woodsmith.com/article/10-precision-honing-guides/
Pretty close to what RobertE said. If they aren't too bad I normally just use the 6000 grit side of my King waterstone, save the 1000 grit side for the rougher stuff that had been abused.
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Look up Paul Sellers on You Tube. He has good videos on the subject.
GANGGREEN
45 Cal.
Look at the "scary sharp" system. It's reasonably inexpensive, very easy to do and works great for scary sharp chisels.
Thanks for your well thought out reply. I have Japanese water stones and will try it. Didn’t think to try it on chisels.
Well Dave since I’m new here I thought I would put it out there. Sorry to bother you.
Please don’t take offense. Just making a suggestion.
I also have one of those (a different brand) and it seems to work pretty good.
None taken
Sharpening knives and chisels is an art that I haven't mastered. When carving a stock, I start with knives/chisels as sharp as I can get them and stop to resharpen whenever it becomes noticably harder to remove very thin cuts or shavings. Frequent touch ups compensates for my lack of skills.
When I was in my 20s I travelled through Quebec and spent a bit of time with a master carver, Jean-Julian Bourgault. He and his sons used Swiss gouges and chisels working largely in white pine. They frequently went to a buffing wheel loaded with green jeweler’s compound and gave the tools some quick passes when they felt the edges needed it. When I returned home I purchased some Swiss tools, the compound and set up a buffing wheel and never looked back.
Stropping often seems to keep them in good shape so you don't have to go to other extremes. Fixing a really dull blade is something I haven't mastered, for sure.
I hollow grind my bench chisel and plane blades. I have a $10 chinesium blade jig to get the initial angle I want (20-35 degrees, depending on the type of chisel, paring to mortising). I go by hand feel from there. I flatten the chisel backs and first inch of plane irons until they look like a mirror, but that is just me.
I have tried every sharpening system known to man over the last 25 years. I now use a combination of "scary sharp", oil stones, diamond stones and homemade strops for everything in the shop. Touch up as soon as you notice dulling. Some of the members of the local hand tool club love their Tormeks and brought them to meetings for us to try. They are indeed impressive, but cost around $1500, complete. Too rich for me. I'd rather buy a Kibler kit instead.
The most comprehensive sharpening (by topic) book I have ever seen was written by Leonard Lee, founder of Lee Valley. It covers a gazillion tools but doesn't go into great depth. Still, if you want to know how to sharpen a potato peeler, it's probably in there.
Links to a short Paul Sellers chisel set-up video and the Lee book:
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Sharpening-Leonard-Lee/dp/1561581259
I have tried every sharpening system known to man over the last 25 years. I now use a combination of "scary sharp", oil stones, diamond stones and homemade strops for everything in the shop. Touch up as soon as you notice dulling. Some of the members of the local hand tool club love their Tormeks and brought them to meetings for us to try. They are indeed impressive, but cost around $1500, complete. Too rich for me. I'd rather buy a Kibler kit instead.
The most comprehensive sharpening (by topic) book I have ever seen was written by Leonard Lee, founder of Lee Valley. It covers a gazillion tools but doesn't go into great depth. Still, if you want to know how to sharpen a potato peeler, it's probably in there.
Links to a short Paul Sellers chisel set-up video and the Lee book:
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Sharpening-Leonard-Lee/dp/1561581259
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