Help Sharpening Chisels

[GANGGREEN]

Not really relevant to straight chisels, but David Price wrote an excellent book about sharpening gouges and such.

 

[Jay Templin]

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.

Contact your local Woodcraft store and ask for a course calendar. There is no substitute for hands-on instruction.
Jay

 

[Coot]

Not really relevant to straight chisels, but David Price wrote an excellent book about sharpening gouges and such.

I ordered a copy today - a bit pricey at $70.

 

[flatcreek]

Straight I Sharpen on leather glued to a wood backer with compound on it, sometimes a stone. For chisels with shape gouges and such I chisel the profile in a block of wood and put polishing compound like fitz in the grove and pull the chisel through it. You do have to remove the burr on a rounded corner of the wood. It's a learning process and takes some time to figure out what works for you. You can buy all kind of gadgets and stones, but I do fine with just the simple things I described. One of the important thing is to never let them get the least bit dull.

 

[GANGGREEN]

I ordered a copy today - a bit pricey at $70.

Is that just for the sharpening book or a set of all three of his books? If just the sharpening book, you're right, that's steep.

 

[Coot]

Is that just for the sharpening book or a set of all three of his books? If just the sharpening book, you're right, that's steep.

Just the one!

 

[R Ellis]

get the gig that has adjustable angels and some diamond stones you will be surprised at how fast and sharp you can accomplish

 

[Nazgul58]

Sharpening chisels/knives is my Zen thing. I have several off the mentioned systems and use them all. Nothing like getting a good edge on one to me.

Don

 

[Mzzlldrinpa]

I've found that slow deliberate strokes, watching to keep the angle correct works best. I try to feel that the edge is kept flat. It takes me a little bit longer, but speed does not help me. Doesn't matter if I am on a stone or strop. That's just works best for me.

 

[Miketheblacksmith]

The smaller the tool the more you need a roller jig to keep a single plain. It's all about keeping the angle consistent through the sharpening steps.

 

[stank]

Lots of good info here

 

[rp77469]

Lots of good info here

Yep. Been doing this a long time and learned something new from this thread... in spite of myself.

 

[Bucolic Buffalo]

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.

Buffing wheels are great tools. But, for those who have never used one, be aware. A buffing wheel can grab your work. Your tools. And if it does grab something, it can fling it at great speed across the shop. Or into the user. Masters make it look easy. Just be aware of the possible dangers.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

This is a good book on sharpening lots of different tools. Also the Veritas honing guide is a good investment.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...the-complete-guide-to-sharpening?item=73L0155

 

[FlinterNick]

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.

I send mine out to a professional shaper once every 2-3 years worth every penny. The professional sharpener will also reharden and temper as needed.

 

[mikesto44]

Funny I can sharpen a knife blade beyond scary sharp. Gouges and chisel s I struggle with. I use the sand paper route. Seems to work for me ok.

 

[reddogge]

I use a jig (The General) for flat chisels and spoke shave blades. Carving knives, gouges, and drawknives I do by hand. I use a piece of heavy leather with compound, never a stone, which keeps them like razors.

 

[Terrier]

I bought a Veritas sharpening jig and some water stones when I got my first set of chisels. Made a huge difference. It took the idiot out of the equation. Just follow the directions and have some bandaids handy.

 

[flintsteel]

I took a carving class at the NMLRA class in Bowling Green many years ago. The late John Bivins, a master carver, taught it. One thing I always remembered from the course was his method of finishing sharpening a tool. He would stick it straight into the endgrain of a piece of maple and give it a twist or swipe if a straight blade. It was a quick way to pull the microscopic wire edge off the blade. Worked like a charm and I still use the process today even on my pocket knives.

I seldom go near a stone with my carving tools but use a large 1/4” thick piece of hard bull leather to strop. For gouges I have a couple of curved lines cut into the leather that I place them into and pull. For the V tool I have a raised (inverted) V cut into the leather. That sharpened the V all the way to the bottom of the groove. Oh, I do have the leather lightly impregnated with semi chrome.

 

[ZUG]

I also use the Veritas sharpening jig for my flat chisels. The gouges I do free hand. I use diamond plates with grit size of 6oo and 1200 then finish up with ceramic "stones" of 2000, 4000, and 8000 if needed. Most of the time I don't need to use a leather strop, but it is kept handy as I am working with the chisels if needed. I'm not a big fan of the Japanese type of water stones as they get out of flatness very quickly. I do use a Norton 4000/8000 water stone on my cutthroat razors and then go to 12000 lapping film on a glass plate then to the strop. Works very well on them.
P.S. you need to keep any sharpening "stone" flat to get a keen edge on your cutting tools. This is where I use a 400-grit diamond plate.