Problem with an old chisel

[Yorkshire Sam]

I have a collection of old woodwork chisels both bevel edged and firmers from various makers such as Marples, Stormont, John Bull, Clay and a few others. I am quite please with most of these old chisels and after much practise, flattening and titivating I can now get a really sharp edge on most of them... ( I mean really pare hardwood end grain sharp). But I am having a struggling with a 5/8th Bevel edge from Bell and Son. I can get it sharp but but not super sharp which I have come to expect now from these old chisels. The chisel is in good nick and appears of the same vintage as the other oldies but no matter how I try I cannot get it as sharp as I want. Is this likely to be the chisel or can someone shed light on what I might be doing wrong before I consign it to the 'Paint tin' opening draw and find a replacement?

 

[tobytools]

maybe the steel is just too soft at the business end. it was the same when i purchased a narex chisel, but when i ground it back and re honed it,it was fine.

some will go crazy for me saying this but what system did you use? and how flat is your flat (face)
free hand or jigs,...
strops and compounds can make a huge difference..

with a bit more information on your part we may be able to advice you..

TT

 

[Yorkshire Sam]

maybe the steel is just too soft at the business end. it was the same when i purchased a narex chisel, but when i ground it back and re honed it,it was fine.

some will go crazy for me saying this but what system did you use? and how flat is your flat (face)
free hand or jigs,...
strops and compounds can make a huge difference..

with a bit more information on your part we may be able to advice you..

TT

I use oil stones, a medium and fine stone depending on whether its a quick tune up or a total resharpen, followed by leather stropping with green polishing compound. Normally have no problem getting a good edge on most of my chisels, just this one. But I will try your suggestion of a regrind and then full sharpen see if it improves. All my chisels have the backs flattened and polished up before being put into use.

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

I use the absolutely cheapest 2" chisels from toolstation or screwfix when I am scraping steel boats at work. I sharpen them on a grinder. It works out better and more efficient than any scrapers you can buy. As an experiment I have tried to sharpen these chisels on my diamond plates and I can't get them anywhere near as sharp as my woodworking chisels, a mixture of Narex, vintage ebay buys and lidl chisels (which are nearly as cheap as the toolstation ones but do take a good edge).
Some steel it seems just will not take a good edge.
Paddy

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Perhaps it has been overheated by careless dry grinding at some point and lost its temper ? Or it could be it never was a good one. I guess steel making was more variable in days gone by. We now can produce poor quality consistently :wink:

 

[worn thumbs]

I think we sometimes get a bit carried away by enthusiasm for old tools.Old is really no more than a descriptor and is not a signifier of innate quality.Of the numerous old chisels I have bought over the years there were four absolute duds.Two crank handled paring gouges were traded in to the dealer I bought them from.One outcannel gouge I re-hardened and tempered and it is now a favourite and sadly,a really ancient socket handled chisel is only used for can opening as it seems beyond redemption.

It can help to find a tame engineer with access to a hardness tester.If the steel is hard enough,sharpening should bring the chisel back to life.