Chisel bevel angle

[wbrent]

I picked up some framing chisels locally and noticed the bevel angles seem to be random. Bought them from someone who buys, restores and resells tools. I think he just ran various sanders and polishers over them to clean them up. They have some sentimental value for me since they were made in my humble home town of Saint John New Brunswick over a hundred years ago. By Josiah Fowler. I have three up to 1 1/2" plus a 3" slick. My question is; are all framing chisels typically set at 25 degrees or so? Like most of my bench chisels? Before I go grinding want to make sure I'm doing right. Looks like a lot of metal to remove. Thanks.

[Heartwood]

25º is better for softwoods, and that's what Barr's are set to 'cause that's what most people in the Northwest are using, I think.
30º is good for hardwoods (more durable but doesn't pare quite as well), and Sorby's and other English-made chisels are usually that angle since they have mostly oak there.
So it's nice to have one of each. I wouldn't regrind the angle but just use it at whatever angle it's at with whatever species you use, as long as it's between 25º-30º.
I'd want the slick to be 25º regardless of species since it's mostly used for paring.

[Dave Shepard]

All of my chisels are 30° with a 32° microbevel. My slicks are 25°.

[wbrent]

Thanks guys. That's what I thought. Guess I have some grinding to do. The 1 1/2" chisel is currently at 45 degrees? Yikes. 

[swmn]

agree with Heartwood.