My first test with a chisel

[Antz]

Ken,

I know several carpenters as well that "sharpen" chisels by tossing the old ones out and buying a new one. I did two for a friend of mine who was going to throw them out and when I said I could sharpen them he didn't believe me. He was using them for breaking off nail and screws heads. When I was done I could shave my arm hair with them and push cut printer paper. Needless to say he was speechless.

By the way has anyone noticed sharpening chisels seems to "flatten" the wheel? I started sharpening a chisel and I could feel a very slight high spot on the wheel but towards the end it was gone and upon inspection the stone was completely flat and true. Maybe a freak occurrence?

Antz

[Ken S]

Interesting observation, Antz. A lot of gouge sharpening can cause a groovein the grinding wheel. It seems logical that the opposite, flat sharpening, might cause the grinding wheel to wear flatter.

Ken

[Scott an Edge]

I have spent most of my time sharpening knives, however a colleague rescued a small Marples chisel from his wife's regular paint tin opening and stirring duties to see what I could do with it on the T-8.

First order of business was to grind the excess rust off using the side of the grinding wheel just so it could sit squarely in the SE-77 jig. The next step was to remove the damaged edge (about 3-4mm) then I started on the new 25deg bevel.

I was very happy with the result, my colleague has vowed to never let his wife or a paint tin lid near it again.

Cheers Scott

With any luck there will be a before and after pic attached.

[Scott an Edge]

The chisel 'renovation' led to breathing some new life into an old Hand Plane that the same colleague had found at a garage sale. The blade had seen a bench grinder on many occasions and had multiple bevels and blued spots from excessive heat.

Cheers Scott
PS. I realise that this is a 'chisel' thread, however it was related to my earlier chisel post ;-)

[RickKrung]

This has been a good and interesting thread to read.  Really covers it.  A couple things that I thought of:

1) For a small square to use would be:
   a) one of the smallest machinist squares.  I don't have a photo, but they are easy
        to find with a search.  I have a cheap import set of four that I use all the time,
   b) a small adjustable square, such as a combination square.  I have a Starrett that
       came from my father's machine shop, that I cherish.  It is extremely useful because
       it can be extended only as much as you need for use with the chisel in the jig.


2) True the wheel.  The photo of your wheel says to me that the surface is clogged and needs to be cleaned.  It has been a long time since I sharpened any "dirty" tools, but I cannot recall ever having my wheel become that dirty just from the tool.  The coarse side of the stone grader may clean a lot of it, but at this point, it sounds as though you have not trued the wheel yet, since it was so new.  I am certain that I did not true my first wheel when it was new, but with what I know now, I would have.  That also eliminates the "assumption" that it is true and round coming from the factory, which may or may not be true. 

Many of us have acquired small "stones" for cleaning our SJ stones, which is quite fine and loads up quickly, at least in appearance.  Nagura Stone or "Rust Erasers".  Search on either term and you should find posts on this.  This is the type I prefer. And here is a great discussion thread on the topic, in regard to the SJ wheel.  I don't know that any of these would work for the SG stone, but something else might.  I think the Nagura Stone could work as it is actually a stone, whereas the rust eraser types are a plastic medium (like very firm sponge) with some sort of grit embedded. 

There was a recent post on the FaceBook page about using sandpaper to "true" the stone (but I think it really only "conditions" it).  That could be useful here, with the right kind of sandpaper.  A diamond plate could be quite useful as well.  Coarse one.  Some use these for conditioning the surface of a trued wheel after some use.  I use a 1000 grit one for setting the grit on my SG stone, which I use as the second stage sharpening, after using the SB stone coarse.  I have used it on the SJ wheel to refresh the surface rather than truing, which would take off more material.

Rick

[dusmif]

Thank you Rick, a very interesting points that I must look into..
Alf.

[RobinW]

I really feel like making a complaint!

Imagine taking one's wife's can opening chisel and turning it into something sharp! What's the world coming to? What's the poor wife going to do now? Her can opening confidence will be severely dented. There was no information whether the errant husband concerned supplied his wife with a suitable replacement tool.

Good to see that Scott has progressed to plane blades - photos show good level bevel grinding, and no great striations. I generally do my plane blades (for both steel bodied and old wooden bodies types) at 25 degrees as I usually do small amounts of finishing rather than large amounts of stock removal.

Also how is Dismuf getting on after his initial enquiry? Is he getting up the learning curve?

[Elden]

RobinW,
   Are you sharpening your plane blades? Just think of all the exercise your muscles are missing because of a sharp blade. Then also think of the lost revenue of the sandpaper manufacturers!?

[dusmif]

Hi All,
Thank you RobinW, I am glad that you asked, it gave me the opportunity to update my progress.
Regarding the chisels, with the help and good advice from members here, I managed to safely say that I am nearly there, actually I am very pleased with my results and I can't stop showing anybody (friends) visiting my workshop how sharp are my chisels.
This morning, I decided  to try my wood planer blades, I have been putting it off from day one, to tell you the truth I was not sure if I could make them without ruining them.
Anyway this morning I said what would be the worse thing that could happen, ruin a blade, so after reading the instruction I took the task and started all 3 of them.
I am pleased with the result, they are not perfect I am sure, because the edges seems a bit rounded, I think because I made them by a belt sander some time ago, so they are not touched by the stone; being at the corner it is not so important to me and I do not wish to keep removing steel to even them with the rest, by time they will be even, I think as I do the next time.
Now the next step is the wife's scissors, I bought the jig, but still I am not sure about this, I am trying to find an old scissor to try on it first.
I wish to thank you All for your help to familiarize myself with Tormek, which, I  alone would have been a long high learning curve.
Alf.
Adding some photos to try and explain what I have said:

[RobinW]

Yes Elden, I do sharpen my plane blades now and then. Likewise I only use them now and then! However the amount of woodworking undertaken has now become more then than now!

I'm now at the stage where one has to balance the projected amount of exertion against perceived muscle toning and recovery time! Or maybe I'm just a bit more wise.

Glad to hear that Dusmif is getting up the chisel learning curve and happy with his progress.

I was expecting to see photographs of hand plane blades, not a planer thicknesser (or jointer).

Although I have never attempted planer blades, I would be aiming for similar to the results shown above by Scott and his plane blade. However, Dusmif, if the blades meet your requirements, it's not for me to criticise, but I would encourage you to aim higher next time.

[dusmif]

Yes Elden, I do sharpen my plane blades now and then. Likewise I only use them now and then! However the amount of woodworking undertaken has now become more then than now!

I'm now at the stage where one has to balance the projected amount of exertion against perceived muscle toning and recovery time! Or maybe I'm just a bit more wise.

Glad to hear that Dusmif is getting up the chisel learning curve and happy with his progress.

I was expecting to see photographs of hand plane blades, not a planer thicknesser (or jointer).

Although I have never attempted planer blades, I would be aiming for similar to the results shown above by Scott and his plane blade. However, Dusmif, if the blades meet your requirements, it's not for me to criticise, but I would encourage you to aim higher next time.

Thank you Robin, Hand planer blades I have done none yet, but I will post photos as soon I do any.  As I said, I am happy with my planner blade as a starter and yes you are right I know they are far from Good, but being my first try, ( they are sharp considering ) I can't fully complain. I will sure take your advice and aim to do better next time I need to do them again.
Alf.