How to sharpen chisels and planes

[onionbargee]

 

Get a piece of plate or mirror glass, which is always dead flat, tape on a sheet of abrasive, 150 grit will restore an old mangled chisel, and get your angles back, 400 grit will put a lethal edge on it ( don't run your finger over it please, a fountain of blood is not nice )

 

Remember to take the burr off the back edge, one side of the paper is left untaped at the edge of the glass, so you can stroke both sides of the cutting edge while it's still in the guide, a couple of strokes on alternate sides removes the burr.

Edited September 2, 2012 by onionbargee

[nbfiresprite]

I stick with my oil stone. Far safer

 

Firesprite

[onionbargee]

oil stones wear out of flat, this way does not.

[PeteS]

Yes and this desired as a perfectly square chisel will leave edge marks in the wood, but one which is slightly rounded will not.

 

My father in law showed me the effect about 40 years ago when using his old stone and my brand new one. He was a trained furniture designer and could put an edge on a chisle and plane blade you could shave with and it was done free hand - no guides for him.

[RLWP]

I stick with my oil stone. Far safer

 

Firesprite

 

Quicker, more versatile and generally - well - nicer

 

Richard

[David Schweizer]

Quicker, more versatile and generally - well - nicer

 

Richard

Agreed, and once you have learnt how to sharpen chisels and plane irons correctly, the stone will not wear in the centre as suggested by the Onionbargee.

[RLWP]

Agreed, and once you have learnt how to sharpen chisels and plane irons correctly, the stone will not wear in the centre as suggested by the Onionbargee.

 

I use different sides of my stones for different jobs. Planes and big chisels go on the best side, penknives, small chisels, gravers and other small stuff go on the 'less flat' side

 

Richard

[Grace and Favour]

Yes and this desired as a perfectly square chisel will leave edge marks in the wood, but one which is slightly rounded will not.

 

My father in law showed me the effect about 40 years ago when using his old stone and my brand new one. He was a trained furniture designer and could put an edge on a chisle and plane blade you could shave with and it was done free hand - no guides for him.

 

Spot-on Pete!

[Guest]

I tend to agree that an oil stone is the best way to hone cutting edges for me; that's what I use to hone a host of chisels and planes at work, along with an oil feed grinder. However, the way Onionbargee shows is quite good, and is useful should you find yourself with a dull cutting edge, and no oil stone. I have met a couple of luthiers who like to use this method in preference to a stone, working their way through grades of wet and dry. They needed extremely well sharpened tools for carving guitar necks etc., and this method served them well.

 

Yes and this desired as a perfectly square chisel will leave edge marks in the wood, but one which is slightly rounded will not.

 

My father in law showed me the effect about 40 years ago when using his old stone and my brand new one. He was a trained furniture designer and could put an edge on a chisle and plane blade you could shave with and it was done free hand - no guides for him.

Must admit I round the edges of jack planes off slightly, to stop them leaving marks.

 

Free hand sharpening is quite an art; I've been doing it for 16 years at work, and still consider myself an amateur. The way Onionbargee shows is very good for those who may sharpen a chisel once a year.

 

We have good arguments about the grinding angles too. One teacher claims that ALL planes and chisels should be ground at 25 deg and that is the correct angle. I argue that the correct angle is that for the job in hand, depending on the wood that is being worked. Another argument we have is about honing the "second angle" on jack planes. Many joiners hone them at the same angle they were ground at, whilst perfectionists lift the blade slightly to hone it. I set some planes up at work done the "joiner way" and guess what? nobody noticed the difference in use. I still do the second angle though.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Guest

[bizzard]

I'd say OB's method of sharpening would be ok for Mortice chisels where you want nice sharply defined edges for joints and whacking out deep slots for locks.

[DustyDave]

But how do you get your primary bevel back in shape when you don't have a bench grinder handy? Very tough work with the sandpaper.

 

Loads of ways of sharpening and some people work through all of them before they realise they need to learn one properly. I've got water stones which I haven't got round to using properly.

 

Dave

[owen]

 

Get a piece of plate or mirror glass, which is always dead flat, tape on a sheet of abrasive, 150 grit will restore an old mangled chisel, and get your angles back, 400 grit will put a lethal edge on it ( don't run your finger over it please, a fountain of blood is not nice )

 

Remember to take the burr off the back edge, one side of the paper is left untaped at the edge of the glass, so you can stroke both sides of the cutting edge while it's still in the guide, a couple of strokes on alternate sides removes the burr.

all the ways shown are excellent ways to sharpen your chisels with a guide is good but i find free hand better the next stage for the glass is a metal polish on the glass gives the blade a mirror finish. Oil stones good water stones i find excellent it doesnt matter which method you use as long as you enjoy it and you get the edge you require.I prefer the sharpest and straightest edge on chisels to give crisp square holes and sockets ,plane blades i take a small round on corners to stop lines on large flat panels and on cabinet scrapers a good burr put on with round knife steel much better than sanding but i also use sandpaper

[Ex- Member]

I've used this gadget for a few years now, always have nice sharp chisels to hand. Probably not for the purist but for general use does the job nicely easily and cheaply.

 

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/tools/sharpening_tools/sharpeners_for_tools/processing_tools/296642-sharpening_machine_forchisels_plane_blades.htm

 

I've noticed this gadget from the same company, sharpens the lot almost!

 

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/tools/power_tool/multi_tools/multi_tools/750522-multi_task_sharpener.htm

[Barry]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned diamond sharpening stones. I bought one a few years ago and much prefer it to my oil stone which is what I had always used previously.

 

I remember being taught to sharpen chisels at school. The teacher emphasised that the enemy of a clean edge is the kerf. He explained that the best way to shift that was to gently alternately draw the chisel towards you, on both faces until the kerf breaks off. A lesson I've never forgotten even if it was fourty years ago

[Grace and Favour]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned diamond sharpening stones. I bought one a few years ago and much prefer it to my oil stone which is what I had always used previously.

 

I remember being taught to sharpen chisels at school. The teacher emphasised that the enemy of a clean edge is the kerf. He explained that the best way to shift that was to gently alternately draw the chisel towards you, on both faces until the kerf breaks off. A lesson I've never forgotten even if it was fourty years ago

 

And similarly, my father taught me to remove the kerf (or 'wire') from the cutting edge by using the palm of one's hand as a strop, and taking the blade over the hand .

 

and I still do that

[Higgs]

My woodwork teacher Mr Darley, apparently the maker of King George VI coffin, used a figure of eight motion when sharpening blades on an oil stone. This to keep the wear even on the stone. He then cleaned the burr off on the palm of his hand.

I think the quality of the chisel steel and the oil stones today can vary quite alot; making the task of sharpening difficult.

I bought a cheap plane. Tried to sharpen it, tried to set it. Had more success, when I binned it, 3hrs after buying it.

[onionbargee]

sure, this method might not be for cabinet makers of royal coffins, but it works quickly for general wood butchering, and many people don't have any interest in the finer points of oil stones. Plus you've probably got all the stuff to do it already, plus you can use any grade paper you want.

[Higgs]

sure, this method might not be for cabinet makers of royal coffins, but it works quickly for general wood butchering, and many people don't have any interest in the finer points of oil stones. Plus you've probably got all the stuff to do it already, plus you can use any grade paper you want.

 

 

My coffin making skills are a bit rusty too. I think the last time I made a dovetail was at school. When I can find a sharpish chisel, I still hold it the way he taught me.

 

Got no problem with your method, I just don't have the chisel holder.