My first attempt with my new T-4

[Lemme]

Hi all
Just wanted to share my first attempt with my new T-4. Practicing with an old chisel.

First shot was with freehand, to get the feeling of the machine. It did not turn out so well. I found it very difficult to get the edge aligned.
So I bought the SE-77 jig to see what difference it would make. I adjusted the machine with TormekCalc2 (and with great assistance from JVH – thanks!).

And for a rookie like me, it made all the difference. Straight edge and sharpness as it was new.

[Ken S]

Lemme,
Loosely borrowing part of a phrase from Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, "One giant step for a Tormeker".
Enjoy the journey.
Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

From the looks of the edge, my guess is that the back of that chisel is as pitted as the front. Unless you grind the back flat (or at least the portion of the back near the edge) you will never get all those nicks out of the edge. Nevertheless, an old chisel like that is good to have around for rough work.

[Ken S]

Good points. From your work experience years ago as a carpenter, you know better than most of us that chisels must do more work than pristinely cutting dovetails. Leonard Lee wrote about putting a quick edge on one of "the great gathering" of chisels to fix the garden gate. (His Sharpening book should be part of every sharpener's personal library.)
In truth, properly preparing the back of a chisel is usually more difficult and labor intense than sharpening the bevel.

Carry on!

Ken

Herman, I am relieved that you have survived the Texas freeze.