Are my chisel sides skewing my bevel?

[1275gt]

Hello,
I'm relatively new to woodworking and I posted a while ago seeking advice for a workbench. I got some good feedback and I'm starting to buy tools and learning how to sharpen and maintain them. Behold my chisel woes. I'm using a genuine eclipse 36 guide (older one with imperial measurements) and my bevel is constantly skewed, I've tried pressure on one side and I can't get it out, I've now resorted to free hand and I'm still not quite removing it. I was just about to modify the guide as per some instructions I've seen here and YouTube then I held a ruler to the sides and they're far from straight. Could this be the cause of the skewed bevel? Does anyone have any tips on how to free hand the bevel square? Will modifying the eclipse help or maybe use a Veritas jig which clamps from the top?

I've attached some pictures I'm not sure they will help but please ask and I can take some more. The pic of the bevel is after I've tried to correct it.
1"½ is the worse but all have come variety either concavity or convexity affecting the sides.

Thank you in advance.

 

[1275gt]

Pictures that failed to upload.

 

[AndyT]

I think your main bevel is a bit skewed and your honing has followed it, despite your (good) pressure on the other side.

If you look at the last photo, on the narrow flat bit of the back, the line where it meets the ground bevel is not at 90° to the sides, I think.

The solution is to regrind.

 

[MikeG.]

Is it sharp?

I think we get too fixated on having perfect looking edges/ bevels. If it sharp, that's good enough. Too much good tool steel has been wasted in the last few years in pursuit of perfect primary and secondary bevels.

 

[1275gt]

It was sharp-ish I didn't progress through the other grits as I knew I wasn't rectifying the issue, if I progressed and stropped it would definitely be sharp. I'm not striving for absolute perfection and mirror polishes, but I would like to be able to learn the skill of correcting a skewed bevel so all my chisels in the future don't end up this way.

 

[toolsntat]

Are you saying that the bevel looks askew or the cutting edge?
If it's the bevel there could be a difference in the thickness of the chisel body itself. I have one that does this and it irks me somewhat :roll:
Andy

 

[Ttrees]

If you keep sharpening it freehand as it is, it may give more of a clue of what's going on.
The edge shouldn't be that much out if the heel is square, unless the guide was throwing it off.
(which looks like the case to me)
If not, and you are compensating to get your bevel even, then you might notice the heel of the bevel on one side having a longer area than the other, if you keep sharpening freehand.
Checking it with a slim offcut resting on the back/face polished side whilst it is on a plate
will tell you if its parallel with the surface plate/hone like winding sticks do.

Tom

 

[Bod]

The first two pictures show the chisel (or rule) to be bent.
Only slightly, and in the case of the chisel, it's not enough to cause any problems in use.
Regarding Eclipse 36's, one jaw side is straight, the other is curved, to create a single point of contact, for firm grip. Unless there is a blob of paint in the wrong place, I've never found fault with these.
Continue as you are, to get the chisel really sharp, then try it, I don't think you will find difficulty in use.

Bod.

 

[Rorschach]

Is it sharp?

I think we get too fixated on having perfect looking edges/ bevels. If it sharp, that's good enough. Too much good tool steel has been wasted in the last few years in pursuit of perfect primary and secondary bevels.

I'm with Mike, I expect all of my chisels are off square by a little bit, I have never noticed any trouble using them. I try my best to get them square but I don't lose any sleep over it.

 

[toolsntat]

Which model 36 do you have?
The bottom one struggles when the edges are left thick whereas the top struggles with uneven edges.
Cheers Andy

 

[Nigel Burden]

I wouldn't worry too much about that skewed bevel. I have one or two that are like that but the cutting edges are sharp, and the skew can be taken out with subsequent sharpening. I don't even know whether the angle is 22, 25, 28 degrees, but they do the job for which they were intended. I think Paul Sellers mentioned that the cutting angle isn't critical, as long as it's around about 25 degrees.

Nigel.

 

[woodhutt]

As Andy says, are your chisels seating properly in the guide?
Take a look at the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBHd7x6ySSQ

Admittedly the guide in the video is an Eclipse copy, but you can see that the chisel recesses needed to be deepened for the chisels to sit square in the guide with the chisel upper surface contacting the underside of the shoulders. From the pic of the lower guide in Andy's reply, you can make out what the problem might be.
I have an Eclipse copy which I've tuned per the video and it functions well (straight bevels).
Pete

 

[RWood]

almost certainly not sitting flat in the honing guide, or perhaps the top o thi chisel is not wholly parallel to the bottom - regardless, its not a problem as long as its sharp, and the edge is as near perpendicular to the length as you can get it - if it works, it works