Sharpening chisels in the field.

[Rooster]

I use a modified version of the "scary sharp" system with different grits of wet/dry sandpaper and a piece of float/plate glass to sharpen my framing chisels.  I have a piece of float/plate glass that I use at home, and I use slicky-back sand paper or I will use spray adhesive on regular sandpaper to adhere it to the glass.

I work with a lot of re-claimed beams that have nails that have been rusted off, leaving parts of the nail still embedding into the beam... and because of this, I often nick or dull the cutting edge on my chisels.

Taking the glass with me to the job-site is not always the best option, since I already have broken one piece of glass in the back seat of my truck.  I have found that a waste piece of polished granite works great for sharpening my chisels at the job-site. 



 

Maybe we can talk Brad_bb into posting a video on how to sharpen a framing chisel...eh?

Rooster

[drobertson]

Not a bad idea, done this sort of thing a few times with other cutting tools, it would almost seem to helpfull to bring a few extra chisels, kinda like an extra chain saw loop,  thanks, for the reminder,  david

[Rooster]

David,

Yes, bringing along a back-up chisel is a good idea...I have a few that I use regularly, but I have my favorite, and others are dedicated to either green wood or nail embedded reclaimed dry wood. 

Also, not everyone owns multiple chisels...they tend to be expensive for both hobbyists and professionals alike.  I used a single chisel for my first three barn projects, and finally took the plunge and got a few more as I found good deals.

Thanks,

Rooster

[Raphael]

I've got a couple of soap stone counter top samples I used in the same way.
My backup chisel was a freebie someone had broken the working edge clean off using it as a lever.  Took a lot of sweat equity to restore a proper bevel and working edge but the price was right.

[piller]

A few years ago I bought a Barr timber framing chisel which came with a sheet showing recommendations for sharpening.

I also bought a large dual sided diamond stone, I think it's 4" x 10", it has a mounting base.  In the field I can easily and quickly sharpen my chisels by hand using the diamond stone with Barr's method.

The sharpening diagram shows that you start with the top of the chisel facing down and the cutting edge of the chisel touching the stone,  holding the chisel to get an angle of about 30 - 35 degrees (flat back of the chisel to the stone).  Then you push the chisel forward and down on the stone, the angle starts at 30 - 35 degrees, goes to 25 - 30 degrees, and ends up at about 10 degrees.   The instructions say  "you want to end up with a toe edge that is slightly rolled, not blunt and squared".   

Anyone else using this sharpening method?

[Dave Shepard]

I have two DMT diamond stones, 4"x10" so that covers all four diamond grits. Then I have a King 8000 water stone for polishing. I have a jig that I use for chisels and slicks. I hone my primary bevel to 30° then put a micro bevel on at 32°.

This is my jig for chisels and slicks. I do have a Veritas MKII that will work for chisels, but this is easier. I have a digital angle gauge, one of those little cubes about an inch and a half square to set the angle. The idea is based on the jig Jack Sobon uses, but he just has the board with the notch that he puts ina vise. I don't have a vise, so it screwed it to a piece of dunnage.

[S.Hyland]

I use a cheap aluminum oxide two sided stone for most of my basic sharpening. Cheap enough to keep em everywhere with a bottle of light mineral oil. For my slicks and other finer edges I use an 800 and 4000 grit water stone. But I usually leave that home.
I use this bizarre method of sharpening my large chisels and would be curious if any one else does. I have always found it awkward to have the stone stationary on a bench, so I brace the chisel with my body and hold it with my left hand. With my right hand I hold the sharpening stone and use fast circular stokes. The chisel stays put and the stone moves. The advantage that I have found is that the bevel is in full view all the time and the circular strokes seem more conducive to keep a constant angle than the back and forth motion.
It really seems to get a great edge fast 8)!  Am I the only crazy person that does this? 

[clww]

I really like that jig you have there, Dave. Gives me an idea to make one myself! smiley_sidelightbulb

[shinnlinger]

I have a harbor freight vertical belt sander with 180 grit just like this....http://www.bigtreetools.com/articles/sharpening2.html

it works very well AND is very fast

[Brad_bb]

A belt sander like that is good when you have a significant chip in the edge of your chisel and you need to remove significant material to remove the chip.  It's also good when you pick up a flea market find, with an abused edge and you need to remove significant material to restore a proper flat back and edge.  Maintenance sharpening, which is usually what field sharpening would be, should be far less aggressive. The sandpaper method like Rooster describes or use of stones by hand is appropriate.  It usually takes from 1 to 5 minutes to restore the edge, provided you haven't let it get too dull.  If you use a belt sander every time you're going to wear down your chisels quickly, because you'd be removing more material than need be.
Rooster and I are planning to make a number of videos soon on a number of topics.  Should be fun.

I have a harbor freight vertical belt sander with 180 grit just like this....http://www.bigtreetools.com/articles/sharpening2.html

it works very well AND is very fast

[shinnlinger]

The system doesn't take off much because it only takes 3 seconds to sharpen.  My chisels are not noticeably shorter after 5 years or so and I have one in my high-school wood-shop where High School students sharpen lathe tools all day, every day.  If this thing would make them shorter I would know by now!  I can guarantee you that  my 6 classes of kids everyday all year long put ALOT more abuse on tools than any one individual on here ever will.

As the flyer says "you can restore the edge to perfect sharpness by grinding off only 0.001 inches of metal. This means that you can sharpen a chisel 1000 times before 1 inch of blade has been consumed."

If I have a knick I will put 120 or courser on to work it out.  The key is you have to reverse the direction with a longer belt.  The indexed V block is very handy for quick no thinking setups.  The holes are guitar fretboard spacing

$50 bucks or so for a shave your arm sharp in 2-3 seconds with no thinking or setups and you could easily throw this in the truck with your tools.  Think about it.....

[shinnlinger]

Well after 3 years of nearly constant use in the high school woodshop, my old harbor freight belt sander took a poo.  What did I do?  Bought another for $80 and set up the same sharpening setup.  Razor sharp in seconds with no setup.

[shinnlinger]

They key modification is to reverse the direction of the sander.  You can do this with a longer belt.


or you could take the guard off and slide the motor closer and reverse it as well using the stock belt.

[LOGDOG]

Shinnlinger ...do you have the ability to take and post a video of you sharpening a chisel using this rig? I'd like to see how the jig on the table at the foot of the sander plays into the process. (If it's not too much trouble....)

[shinnlinger]

can you post vids here?  I can take some pics to start and see how that works for you.  I labeled each tool in the highschool shop with a letter that corresponds with a setting for the indexed V block.  If you look at the Big Tree tools link I did a few posts up it might even give more insight on this.

Anywho, all the kid has to do it look at the letter and set the block in the corresponding spot and push the handle into the V.  While the sander is running you rotate the gouge to sharpen the whole deal.  FOr a framing chisel you would just hold it there for about 2 seconds.  You can see if it hit the edge of the tool.  You can put a cloth wheel on the power output  to debur by buffing if you want but I don't do that with the kids as they don't hold it at the right angle.

ANyways, razor sharp in two seconds and repeatable every single time.I like that!

Dave

[beenthere]

shinnlinger

can you post vids here?

You haven't been viewing the many vids posted here?  ;)

Get them on YouTube and then copy the URL in your post. 

[LOGDOG]

Sounds like a slick, fast way to sharpen a chisel once you've got it set up. You could even have a rig like that set up in your job trailer if you were portable and going back and forth to a job site.