Chisel Sharpener
- Thread starter SteveF
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bobbybirds
Established Member
In before Jacob... Woot!
What is best is what works for you best. If you take to freehand sharpening and get good, sharp tools then awesome! If you use a jig and like it and it gets you good sharp edges they awesome!
You can obviously try practicing freehand honing before spending money on a jig and see how you make out, which is not a bad idea, but don't be ashamed if you find a jig works better for you. Nothing wrong with that either! I find I sort of mix it up more these days. I find the narrower the blade, the more success I have with freehand. The wider the blade, the more I have to rely on my jig. Don't know why really, but there it is...
What is best is what works for you best. If you take to freehand sharpening and get good, sharp tools then awesome! If you use a jig and like it and it gets you good sharp edges they awesome!
You can obviously try practicing freehand honing before spending money on a jig and see how you make out, which is not a bad idea, but don't be ashamed if you find a jig works better for you. Nothing wrong with that either! I find I sort of mix it up more these days. I find the narrower the blade, the more success I have with freehand. The wider the blade, the more I have to rely on my jig. Don't know why really, but there it is...
dunbarhamlin
Established Member
Steve
Let us know which part of the country you're in. The best way to start is to find someone who can show you how. Ultimately, you will likely need to learn to hone free hand, and it doesn't take long to learn. But most important is that you get used to working with properly sharpened tools, so solicit the help of someone local and stick to their method, whatever it might be.
Let us know which part of the country you're in. The best way to start is to find someone who can show you how. Ultimately, you will likely need to learn to hone free hand, and it doesn't take long to learn. But most important is that you get used to working with properly sharpened tools, so solicit the help of someone local and stick to their method, whatever it might be.
mseries
Established Member
There are lots of videos on Youtube for this subject and lots of ideas for homemade and commercial devices to assist.
Grahamshed
Established Member
It's a bit late in the evening for popcorn and it gets between my teeth anyway, but tea and biccies sound good.
Corneel
Established Member
Hi Steve,
What sharpening media do you have? Do you have a wetstone, maybe something like the India stone you can get at a hardware store? Do you happen to have a grinder? If not, get them. Doesn't need to be expensive.
First look at how the chisel looks like. If the edge is badly chipped, or the angle is way to steep, you might want to start on a grinder first. Clean the grindstone first. You can get a diamond dresser around 7.50 quid nowadys. Have a look at the adminster site or so. Then grind the bevel, close to 30 degrees. When the edge is chipped, I first remove the chipping with the chisel at 90 degrees to the stone. That makes a very blunt chisel of course! Then grind at 30 degrees. Press the chisel lightly against the rotating stone and move the chisel left to right to left continously. Feel with your fingers just behind the edge for heat (don't be afraid, the grinder won't bite you). When it gets warm to the touch, dunk the chisel in a nearby bowl of water. Continue until you have almost a sharp edge, just a little line of glistering still to be seen on the edge.
If you can feel a burr on the flat side of the chisel now, remove it. Lay the flat side of the chisel flat on the wetstone and move it back and forth until the burr is removed.
Then go to the wetstone, if it has two sides, start on the coarse side. Poor some oil on the stone. Put the bevel on the stone, and feel how it kind of clicks on the stone. Very easy to feel this. Have a finger near the bevel end to put pressure there. The other hand is also kind of low on the chisel to hold it on place. Now rub the chisel back and forth, using all the stone surface until you feel a burr on the flat side of the chisel. This is very important. As long as there is no burr, you haven't got a sharp edge yet.
Repeat on the fine side of the wetstone. Then remove the burr. Put the chisel with the flat face flat on the fine side of the wetstone, finger pressure just behind the and move it back and forth again.
You can now strop the chisel. With a piece of leather, or MDF, or even grocery paper. It should be flat, so glue it down if neccessary. Repeat the above sequence like how you did on the wetstone. This polishes the edge.
This procedure won't give you un "ultimate" edge, but more then sharp enough for the job at hand. It takes some practice, but you learn while doing. If you want to read a much better description of the process, follow this link: http://www.antiquetools.com/sharp/
What sharpening media do you have? Do you have a wetstone, maybe something like the India stone you can get at a hardware store? Do you happen to have a grinder? If not, get them. Doesn't need to be expensive.
First look at how the chisel looks like. If the edge is badly chipped, or the angle is way to steep, you might want to start on a grinder first. Clean the grindstone first. You can get a diamond dresser around 7.50 quid nowadys. Have a look at the adminster site or so. Then grind the bevel, close to 30 degrees. When the edge is chipped, I first remove the chipping with the chisel at 90 degrees to the stone. That makes a very blunt chisel of course! Then grind at 30 degrees. Press the chisel lightly against the rotating stone and move the chisel left to right to left continously. Feel with your fingers just behind the edge for heat (don't be afraid, the grinder won't bite you). When it gets warm to the touch, dunk the chisel in a nearby bowl of water. Continue until you have almost a sharp edge, just a little line of glistering still to be seen on the edge.
If you can feel a burr on the flat side of the chisel now, remove it. Lay the flat side of the chisel flat on the wetstone and move it back and forth until the burr is removed.
Then go to the wetstone, if it has two sides, start on the coarse side. Poor some oil on the stone. Put the bevel on the stone, and feel how it kind of clicks on the stone. Very easy to feel this. Have a finger near the bevel end to put pressure there. The other hand is also kind of low on the chisel to hold it on place. Now rub the chisel back and forth, using all the stone surface until you feel a burr on the flat side of the chisel. This is very important. As long as there is no burr, you haven't got a sharp edge yet.
Repeat on the fine side of the wetstone. Then remove the burr. Put the chisel with the flat face flat on the fine side of the wetstone, finger pressure just behind the and move it back and forth again.
You can now strop the chisel. With a piece of leather, or MDF, or even grocery paper. It should be flat, so glue it down if neccessary. Repeat the above sequence like how you did on the wetstone. This polishes the edge.
This procedure won't give you un "ultimate" edge, but more then sharp enough for the job at hand. It takes some practice, but you learn while doing. If you want to read a much better description of the process, follow this link: http://www.antiquetools.com/sharp/
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
The main thing is to bring up a burr right across the edge. If it's very blunt this can take some time and it's tempting to give up too soon.
Random Orbital Bob
Established Member
Or........just get a Tormek (ducks and gets crash helmet) 
Corneel
Established Member
Get the cheapest grinder you can find. Or get the Tormek, which does the same thing but costs more then the shed you are building. 8)
Here are some of these cheap dressers. I have the T-shaped diamond thing, works perfectly. But the dressing stick works too.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/stone-dressing-and-cleaning-tools-dept208006_pg1/
Here are some of these cheap dressers. I have the T-shaped diamond thing, works perfectly. But the dressing stick works too.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/stone-dressing-and-cleaning-tools-dept208006_pg1/
At college, I use a Tormek for grinding and hone with fine ceramic diamond stones. And that is the easiest way for me.
At home I only have oil stones; coarse for grinding (very slow), med and fine india then soft Arkansas for final honing.
At home I only have oil stones; coarse for grinding (very slow), med and fine india then soft Arkansas for final honing.
Dangermouse
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If you read all the posts and threads on this forum A/ you will be 101 before you finish and B/ you will be so confused you will give up woodworking immediately !
So its not rocket science, get something to sharpen it on and then have a go. Use a jig if you cant do it free hand, or free hand if you don't like a jig. But just get on a do it !!!!!!
So its not rocket science, get something to sharpen it on and then have a go. Use a jig if you cant do it free hand, or free hand if you don't like a jig. But just get on a do it !!!!!!
Corneel
Established Member
If you really want a jig don't get that one! Overprised heavy fiddly prone to make skewed irons. The cheap side clamping eclipse clone is much better. But really, give it a try without the jig. Its's not difficult to do it freehand.
bobbybirds
Established Member
I use the MKII and like it very much. I find it very functional and effective for me.
Corneel
Established Member
Better spend the money on a good honing stone like an arkansas. I like waterstones which work very nicely but are also messy. But for the job at hand a fine/coarse india and a strop is plenty good enough.
bugbear
Established Member
Corneel":132ajnyz said:
And the strop can just be a big of MDF and some chrome polish. Cheap as chips.
BugBear
