Thread: Honing Guides and Cranked Chisels

Hi Mat--got a picture you can link to?

I'm not sure what is meant about the gradual curve--do you mean along the blade length before the cranked portion? Or the cranked portion itself?

fwiw, while I don't have the Hirsch/TC ones, I do have some Henry Taylors and a Crown or two--and some longish no-name vintage ones. They all work in the jig but one day if they ever get too short they wouldn't.

Mostly I hand sharpen/hone anyway so it's not much an issue anyway. But if it were that the blades had a slight curve, it will only mean a degree or two I suspect, so I wouldn't care.

Take care, Mike

This is what I am talking about.

Hi Mat,

I think these would be problematic in nearly any jig I am aware of. Quite a different shape for cranking them. Probably easier from a manufacturing point of view, though.

I think most of the difficulty in using a top-clamping jig would be getting the bevel set reasonably close. One would have to do it by eye the first time and then make a quicky jig which uses projection as the basis for determining angle. Once in the jig at the correct projection, I think the jig would hold onto them.

I think the concave curve would register on both sides of the lower clamp bar and the top would "find" where it wants to hit on the top convex portion. But without having any to attempt this, I would be hesitant to say it will work.

I think these shaped chisels would be in the category of easier to hand sharpen than mess with a jig on a regular basis.

Take care, Mike

There is enough straight section to work in most guides that are on the smaller side. Don't know about the Veritas one though. Absolutely no dramas in the flat Stanley guide that clamps over the honed tool. Not so good in the el cheapo type guide that clamps from the sides.

Good workers these chisels too, really handy. Stopped me having to mess around making my own cranked ones with the oxy.