My chisel sharpening process

**Dengue** · 30th December 2012, 06:09 PM

This is a post about how I found the best way to sharpen a chisel for me after playing around with various things. There would be a lot of very experienced and specialist sharpeners on this forum who will have different, more successful ways, but this is just what I found experimenting for a few days when it was too hot to go in the shed.

1. If the steel is badly nicked or gouged, or needs the angle corrected, or just a lot of steel is to be removed to avoid a rust pitting, then the best way is with a water cooled abrasive wheel, like Tormek. The next way is with a coarse diamond plate like the DMT DuoSharp plates or the Atoma 400 diamond plate from Stuart at ToolsFromJapan. Use lots of water with these plates. I am not sure about how professional sharpeners do this work, so I avoid them.

I never put a chisel near a bench grinder as the heat generated will cause the steel to lose its temper, and it will not hold a sharp edge very well. But if you are ever ever , as an extreme last resort having to do it, then hold the chisel blade by hand near the cutting edge, and when it starts to get hot to hold, dip it in a bucket of water to cool before continuing

2 a) If it is a new chisel, then firstly get rid of all the lacquer on the blade. I would then use a buffing wheel and cutting compounds to polish all of the blade.

2 b) If it is a rusted chisel, then get rid of the rust with a wire wheel on a bench grinder, or use electrolysis with a 12 volt battery charger, or use the citric acid method explained so very well elsewhere on this forum. If the rust is left on it too long, it eats away the steel, and eventually the cutting edge looks like it has minute nicks along it. I would then use a wire wheel to get rid of the residue, followed by a buffing wheel and cutting compounds to polish all of the blade.

3. In the next stage of the process, it is time to put a sharp edge on the chisel. I use waterstones 300, 1200 and 6000 to flatten the back and then to put a bevel on it to the correct angle. I use a Veritas Honing guide Mk2 to maintain the same angle throughout the sharpening process with the waterstones.

I have read that if there is a burr or feather on the cutting edge with a particular stone, then it is time to switch to a finer stone, as that stone can't do any more for it. Once you put an edge on the chisel with a stone, flatten the back with that stone before moving on to a finer stone.

One other thing about water stones, when finished on the job, always criss-cross the working surface with a pencil, then flatten them with the coarse diamond plate, ready for next time. The pencil marks will show when the stone is flattened. If the stones are not flattened, you will soon see that the polished bevel face of the chisel is not uniform across the whole bevel face.

The bevel angle of the blade is usually determined by the type of wood you will be working with ( softwood = small angle, hardwood, larger angle). If general purpose, stick with the one size eg 25 deg for bevel edge and paring chisels, and 30 degrees for mortising chisels.

At this stage, with the edge done on a 6000 waterstone, I am wondering if I should go back to the polishing wheel with a fine cutting and polishing compound to hone it. Any suggestions?

4. To finish off the cutting edge by honing, I use a very hard leather strop glued to a piece of timber with the chrome green polishing compound rubbed in to it.

5. If you are using the chisels, and just want to tune the sharpening edge up a bit, then a quick hone with the leather strop should do it. If it needs a bit more work than that, then get out the 6000 waterstone and sharpen it, then hone on the leather strop. Don't forget to flatten the waterstone after use if you have used it a lot.

6. There are other issues I have overlooked - the use of secondary bevels, microbevels, whether to hollow grind ( with a wheel) or flat grind ( with a honing guide on a flat stone). Each has their pros and cons, and usually comes down to personal preference

This works for me after a couple of days playing when it was too hot to go in the shed. I eventually found that I needed a coarse diamond plate, 3 water stones, and a leather strop, as well as a honing guide to maintain the same angle throughout.

Seems a bit over the top, so I would welcome any comments on how to improve the process, or identify where I am wasting my time, or if I have missed a step

PS I tried a couple of oil stones, but they were too coarse, except for the hard Arkansas stone I borrowed for honing purposes. I try to keep the oil and timber totally separate, except that I coat the Veritas Honing Guide with RP40 after each use on the waterstones to stop the threads and wheel bearings from rusting.

**Ben Dono** · 30th December 2012, 07:52 PM

It does not appear over the top to me. Everyone has a different system and new or chipped chisels always need a few extra steps.
After years of trying many systems I'm sold on ezylap diamond stones now. Very quick and superb results. I dont grind anymore as the extra corse ezelap stone chews steel fast. I finish on a very old super smooth ezelap extra fine stone that's almost 20yrs old and has been heavily used.
I do powerstrop my chisels after I have re sharpened them. It made a huge difference in my sharpening. I hand strop while I work to keep the edge. It sounds like a lot but the power strop makes it much quicker.

I made it out of an old bandsaw someone tossed out on the street. It has a VSD and runs two 12inch stropping wheels.
If I was going to suggest anything to anyone wanting to modify their sharpening, it would be power stropping. Green Chrome then a Tandy leather works white is my finish stropping compound.

**Dengue** · 30th December 2012, 09:05 PM

thanks for your positive comments, Ben Domo, very much appreciated

At this stage, with the edge done on a 6000 waterstone, I am wondering if I should go back to the polishing wheel with a fine cutting and polishing compound to hone it. Any suggestions?

sounds like you have answered my question with your comments about power stropping. What sort of mopping wheel do you use with the white polishing compound - a sisal mop or a white cotton or swansdown mop?

**Dengue** · 30th December 2012, 09:27 PM

Hi again, I found another thread by mic-d in which Michael explains the process he uses with a bench grinder, with a strong preference for a hollow ground finish. there is a good link to other tutorials

**Ben Dono** · 30th December 2012, 09:29 PM

I use 12 inch by 1 1/2 inch laminated cork buffing wheels. They are light and strong with just the right amount of give so the tool does not bounce or chatter on the spinning wheel.
They are easy to make but no way I would try them on a bench grinder as the spin way too fast for something home made. You could try putting a piece of calico between each glued layer of cork for reo but I'm not sure I would ever trust it....They are probably going to explode at grinder speeds!

If you have a normal bench grinder at full speed, the felt wheels would be the go.
Actually, I have been keen to try the paper wheels with groves cut in it for an additional air cooling effect. I have seen them for bench grinders. Careful though as clay is used in the paper making industry...

**China** · 30th December 2012, 10:02 PM

I have been a bench grinder and a india stone for 40 + years, I don't have any burnt edges and I can produce a shaving sharp edge every time if I want to, although a shaving sharp edge is only for theatrics it has no pratical use other than for a razor or kitchen knife

**DSEL74** · 30th December 2012, 10:17 PM

It is an interesting topic an thanks for posting. I have three generations of Chisels in a draw and I am sure all will be in need of attention. Will have to go on my to do list.

**Robson Valley** · 31st December 2012, 05:33 AM

Dengue: Thanks, that's as good as it gets. What I read into your post is that you've got a system that works, you can do it with confidence and over and over and over again. That's what matters.

Anybody just starting out should start with some coarser grit and move progressively to finer abrasives to get the edges that they need for what they want to do. I can up-screw my sharpening process from time to time = disappointed with the edge. Oh well. Back up and do it again. No big deal. Just for me as I've posted, I'm content to do it all by hand. BUT, if I had many edges to tune up every week, I'd be into the motorized systems in a big way.

Ben: clay and starch are often used as coatings for fine magazine paper = more precise printing on a smoother surface.
You like your cork wheels. Do you make those? What rpm motor speeds would you recommend? I've got a bunch of smaller electric motors, don't recall that any of them spin more than 1500.

**Ben Dono** · 31st December 2012, 09:04 AM

G'day Robson. Cork wheels are easy to make. I just use cork tiles and glue them together with contact cement.

I run them at 1500rpm with a VFD so I can slow it right down when I charge them or doing fine work. Most of the buffing on tool edges is done at high speeds. I think it's a 1kw motor running 2 12inch wheels and is fine for the light weight wheels

**Robson Valley** · 31st December 2012, 12:17 PM

Thanks, BD. Box of motors left over from the F/X shop in my past life.
Time to "smoke test" them.

**Ben Dono** · 31st December 2012, 02:02 PM

Thanks for the input China! Yep, nothing wrong with a bench grinder at full speed as long as your patient and careful....I think both those qualities are becoming rare these days.

I do find when I power grind my tool edges Its easy to loose so much good steel.
When I do it by hand I only take off just enough to re shape the primary bevel.

There is a debate about micro fissures created in edges when you power grind.
Robson is the man with the info on that subject. I can't say I have noticed any detrimental effect on my tools after years of power grinding. That does not prove or disprove the theory of micro fissures.... I just have not made Any discoveries with it as yet.
I just prefer hand power grinding now as my tools will live longer!

**Dengue** · 31st December 2012, 02:19 PM

hi, I also found an interesting video on sharpening here, by the WoodWhisperer. Has some neat little tricks, like marking the bevel face with black pen before sharpening - helps observe progress.

Once he feels the burr when using his finest stone, he flattens it - that's it!

**Robson Valley** · 31st December 2012, 05:29 PM

I am genuinely surprised that so few wood workers use marker on tool bevels
to display what they are doing in any kind of sharpening process. Huh?
Old trick. Just because it is lacking in Leonard Lee's book is hocus=pocus
crapola. As good as he is and his book is, there are other things to do.

I can tell you for a fact: The black marker shows me that I tend to lean on the RH side of the tools on the stones.
How the Hello would you ever figure that out, otherwise?

Yeah, well, hell. If I ground off too much steel, I'd be shopping for another tool.
I figue that I can grind down a Pfeil 9/15 gouge to nothing in the next 850 years.
Same with stones.
Imagine the terrible trauma of shopping for a new fishing rod because you broke the last one in a big fish.
Man, that is on my bucket list.

Burr. . . schmurr. If your tool edges are so bad that you generate a wire edge in your sharpening process,
You might need some home care, some personal assistance, a few reminders about where your clean clothes are. . .. . .

Apollogys. . I am not in a simple mood tonight.
Get busy. Do the experiments. Learn from the results: good bad or indifferent.

My Family Motto:
"We do not know where we are going.
Nor do most of us care.
For us, it is enough to be on our way."
Le Matelot

**DSEL74** · 1st January 2013, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Dengue

hi, I also found an interesting video on sharpening here, by the WoodWhisperer. Has some neat little tricks, like marking the bevel face with black pen before sharpening - helps observe progress.

Once he feels the burr when using his finest stone, he flattens it - that's it!

That is a common engineer's & tool markers practice. It used to be engineer blue dye now it is often just marker or sharpie. Also used for scraping surfaces. Where the scraper, straight edge or parallel rubs is high where the dye is left is low.

Makes sense to apply it here if you want accuracy.

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