Thread: Corner Chisels

I don't have one yet, but a half-forgotten sharpening book that I read claimed that since they were only for very ocassional use, they weren't hardened to the extent of a regular chisel, and hence were sharpened with files.

I have always wondered if that was true.

Greg

Well as I have Leonard Lee's sharpening book in my desk drawer at work (it's a library book that I have to return by tomorrow ) I looked it up for you. The description covers most of the page but in essence it's what GregoryG says.

You use a safe edge mill file to file the bevel as the chisel steel is fairly soft (he says never harder than RC58).

He recommends a bevel angle of 30 degrees for softwood anf 35 degrees for hardwood.

Like I said though there's about a page of info on the subject.

The Complete Book of Sharpening pp 72.

Craig (who must buy his own copy of the sharpening bible )

Thanks for those responses,it was something that intrigued me and I had'nt seen a reference to it ...but now the light is clear.

Cheers

From memory, Lee basically says that they are a sharpening nightmare and one shouldn't be too worried about gettign them smooth, just reasonably sharp.

After totally stuffing up my attempt to square off some routed mortises, I'm thinking of a corner chisel too.......

Thanks guys!

I have a couple of R. Sorby corner chisels (1/4" and 5/8"), and have used them from time to time - but have been wondering "how the devil can I sharpen these"...) along the edge of a waterstone, and in so doing irretrieveably leave a rebate on the stone :eek: ? or with a file or even a diamond "stick".

Cheers!

Just make sure that you 'safe' the file by grinding the teeth off the edge, like an auger bit file.

Greg

Corner chisels are really tricky to hone.

I have just one, a 1/4" Japanese laminated type. What you quickly learn is that you only use a corner chisel to pare, and not to pry the waste away - otherwise they chip. Mine did, and I had to grind the sides back and start from scratch.

I made some files out of sandpaper glued to hardwood, 80 grit upward. This was done with the chisel clamped in a vise, and taking the sandpaper files to the chisel. I didn't get too fussed with the angle of the bevel - could be anything between 25 - 35 degrees. Finished with a diamond plate, again taken to the chisel rather than the other way around.

Regards from Perth

Derek