How to Sharpen a Chisel | Paul Sellers
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Chisels come from the manufacturer needing preparing or initialising as well sharpening. How do you check they are flat and get them sharp? Paul shows you the process he follows. This gets them to the level we need for crisp and accurate work.
For a beginner friendly guide on how to sharpen chisels, see our sister site: commonwoodwork...
For more information on these topics, see paulsellers.com or woodworkingmas...
![[UNCUT] “บอสณวัฒน์” ลากไส้!! ใครหนุนหลัง "แม่ตั๊ก ป๋าเบียร์" I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 30 ก.ย. 67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QlD7mU2KKRk/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Full Episode] The Restaurant War Thailand ศึกพ่อค้าซ่าแม่ค้าแซ่บ Episode 2 | 29 ก.ย. 67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/r3lfLNH6Ke4/mqdefault.jpg)
We've added English subtitles to this video.
We work hard to reach as many people around the world and help them learn woodworking. We need your help to translate our videos subtitles to your language and progress our work.
Please contribute translations here: th-cam.com/users/timedtext_cs_panel?tab=2&c=UCc3EpWncNq5QL0QhwUNQb7w
Paul cardi
I would like to know how much pressure to apply when sharpening chisels, planes etc. Do you press as hard as you are able or just apply moderate pressure?
I’ve now translated the English Language, into the Norwegian Language. I hope, that it will help, to get You more wievs. I REALLY enjoyded this video.
Thank You, Sir!
Best Wishes from Norway!😀👍
As a deaf person, it really helps a lot! Thank you very much!
@@bern1437 press as hard as you like/can but only as long as you are well controlled and safe!
Because of this video, I’ve went from never sharpening my chisels because I had no idea how to, to sharpening all of my chisels, new and old/damaged, to very good working condition. Thank you very much, very comprehensive video!
This is literally the highest quality footage I’ve seen on yt
I will say it just once here. Sandpaper has its place short term for someone trying to find out if woodworking is for them. In the long term it is expensive and inconvenient. There is a famous song that says, "Diamonds are forever." and then another that says something like "Diamonds are a man's best friend." or something close to that. Anyway, EZE-Lap 3x8 plates in Coarse, Medium and Superfine are all you need.
Diamonds are forever, but the nickel plating that holds the very thin layer of diamonds in place most certainly is not. In my experience, diamond stones get less effective over time, especially if sharpening harder steels.
You can also be unlucky and experience streaking, where a few large particles are more raised than others, or those around it haven't survived. In which case the best thing to do with an expensive diamond stone is to toss it and buy a new. With an oil or water stone, this can also happen, but is a lesser problem, because you can lap the surface down to a new fresh one.
An oil stone might not be forever, but it lasts a lifetime. That's enough for most of us.
For softer steels, and no expectations that they will last a lifetime, diamond "stones" are excellent. They remove metal faster, and require little to no maintenance.
Hi Paul, I began to get more serious with woodworking a few years ago after forced retirement and now have been renovating an old cottage in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. What I have come to appreciate are craftsmen who willingly share their experience and wisdom with novices like me. I greatly appreciate your informative and clear videos. They have helped me immensely, sometime prior to me attempting a job, but mostly after I have made a mistake. Your information regarding tool care and maintenance and your knowledge of processes have helped me become more proficient and to understand what I am doing far better. Thank you.
Art Heen i looked at EZE LAP and nearly fainted. Three stones would cost me more than ive spent on my whole toolset! I buy my tools at bootsales and refurbish :)
Paul, great advice and as soon as I get the actual money for them I intend to buy a set of diamond stones. For the moment I have an oil stone and sandpaper for the finer polish and of course an old leather belt that no longer fits lol. Your video on making simple rabbits helped me out immensely last night because it was late and I didn't want to just fire up my router table while the kids slept, and I found out that a cross cut saw and a very good sharpened chisel can make perfect rabbit joints without all of the hammering.
Love your work Mr Sellers
I'm so glad you mentioned 2x-3x a day! I was afraid I was doing something wrong to my tools, because I found myself needing to sharpen about that often.
Wow, what a detailed video! Many thanks Paul.
Mr. Sellers that was a nice tip on the wood chisels. Can you eventually do a video on wood lathe chisels they are extremely hard to sharpen and I don't have a clue on how to go about it! I really do appreciate all your videos.
Thanks for reminding me (again) that what needs sharpening is the cutting edge, not the entire tool.
after hours of googling and over-thinking 'what is the BEST chisel?', just a good old Paul Sellers video will get you're feet back on ground and remind you that just a simple set of chisels will surely get you going.
Thankyou Paul for this. At last the real way to sharpen! The results are fab!
what stones are you using? They look really nice and seem to work extremly well. Thanks for the video. I have to say your backgroud does the trick. When someone with a thousand planes talks about sharpening I definitely listen ;)
Making a burr is the key to proper sharpness. Don't let this point slip by you. Cheers!
Paul, I'd like to thank you. After dozens of videos and two sharpening books, there was something about this video in particular that made me realize that sharpening chisels is not really so complicated, and that it's better to just keep doing the basic movements that you demonstrate, get back to cutting and carving, and the super fine edge will eventually happen.
Thanks Paul, you are a great teacher
Thanks Paul. Really helpful and to the point! Much better than other videos that are full of fluff and talking to get them longer for no reason! Thanks again :)
Please can you advise on the diamond stones you use and where to get the best ones and avoiding the not so good ones, thank you for your tutorials, I would love my chisels to be that sharp 🙏🙏
Thank You Paul well done.
Right, I'm off to initialize my chisels
Just makes it look easy, you can tell he’s done that a few thousand times. Thanks Paul
After watching your tool maintenance video(s), I finally spent an afternoon sharpening all of my chisels, planes, and a cross cut saw that was passed down from my grandpa. I have been binge watching your educational videos and am looking forward to gaining more knowledge from those videos still out there. Thanks Paul.
what are the grits of the stones you're using? Also what is in the spray your using? Is it just water? Have just discovered your channel. Awesome to see this kind 'guild' level care and knowledge.
With the Lancashire accent, I was worried there was a bear! All the respect from Yorkshire.
Brilliant! Thank you so much.
How comforting to see a no nonsense tutorial on this matter . Keep it simple and to the point . Bravo Mr. Sellers .
Thank you so much for this video! Great explained instructions!
Awesome video sir! I guess no need to buy a 100$ sharpening jig
Many thanks.
Hey Paul! Thanks for the tips. Have you ever thought of doing a video about your shop and bench set up?
Hello Paul, Do you have a video on sharpening mortising chisels? I just purchased two of my first. Thanks!
Thank you for your knowledge
Excellent.
Point blank no run around straight to how to correctly sharpen a chisel and wind up with a absolutely sharp chisel. The Master of woodworking, I wish i had half your knowledge. Thank you for sharing.
I love Paul's videos. He's the first woodworking teacher I 've ever seen with all his digits.
hahah that's funny, maybe it's because he mostly uses handtools.
I made a strop with a piece of an old pair of blue jeans. Works great!
Same!
Cool! I wasn't pleased with having to use some leather…
Thank you for these great videos. I'm always glad to see new content from you. Your videos helped me restore some old chisels. I took them to about 600 grit, that being the finest abrasive I had at the time, and they would cut well enough. But I was amazed at how much better and easier they cut after taking them through 2000 grit. You've allowed me to restore a whole arsenal of chisels and plane irons. Thanks very much!
was wondering what the other grits were other then the 1200 for polishing thanks great video thank you.
From watching another video he did on sharpening planes, he said it's 250, 600 and 1200 for the three grades 👍
Every single one of your videos inspires me to go buy some tools and start working some wood. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Paul.
Awesome video Paul, subscribed!
Super fast! Only took decades of preparation and experience. Well done. Thank you.
Sorry, it's a little off-topic. Would you mind sharing your insights on drawknives? What are they useful for? How to sharpen them the simplest way? Thanks.
Easy-peasy! I just need to run out and get three diamond sharpening stones, a leather strop block, and some buffing compound. :P
Hi Paul, I am unable to maintain a set angle when sharpening my chisels by hand, and they end up being misshapen at the edges, can you offer any advice. Is there a good guide tool that you would recommend?
Hi Paul and thanks for educating me. What are the grid that you use (?,?,1200) thanks
Do you use auto glass cleaner for the slurry .i bought some norton glassstones and a diamond stone ,so i dont want it to rust..
Paul, you are truly inspiring. You make everything look so effortless and easy but I know that is from years of practice. Still, it gives the rest of us hope that, with practice, we too can achieve similar results. Anyway, thanks for sharing the convex bevel sharpening method. This has made sharpening soooo much easier. I am much more likely to resharpen more frequently if I can do it quickly and easily by hand rather than fiddling with honing guides and readjusting the guide for micro bevels etc. I may still use a guide for regrinding a primary bevel but for quickly resharpening chisels and irons this is awesome!
You use such beautiful and descriptive words and terminology: That which is no doubt steeped in centuries of 'particularness' to the specific tool or device in which the original and therefore subsequent tradesmen were taught over the millenia.
Do you need to flatten the whetstones after sharpening the chisels?
Great
Wow! I wasn't going far enough with the Burr, I didn't expect it to be visible
You mentioned the fine grit stone is 1200; what grits do you used for coarse and medium?
Fartwrangler - my guess is one is 600 and the other 300
well, maybe in 20 years i'll be that good at sharpening my chisels
Thank you so much for all the great videos and articles Paul! I have learned so much from watching you show us how to do it.
Today I managed to sharpen a chisel for the first time in my life and can't believe how easy it actually is. Used only 1 diamond stone that has 400 & 1000 grit sides and the cutting edge is plenty sharp for what I want to do. Thank you very much!
Thanks, master
Spot on! Fast, easy, effective. No guides, no nonsense, just sharp chisels.
Nice video. Maybe you could next time takes some close-up pictures of the rough surface and the clean one. We can't really see it properly on video. Keep up the good work!
Im glad i saw somebody comment his name/channel on somebody else’s woodworking video & that I searched his name and found out he’s a woodworker
Paul, I was directed your way by videos by James at Wood By Wright and Rex Kruger. I really appreciate the quality content you put out. I've learned a lot. I recently dumped most of my large power tools as part of a downsizing, but have been building my hand tool collection and working on my skills. Thanks for the instruction and inspiration!
Hello, what brand, what type are your sharpening stones?
Three years at (wooden) boat building college and we were never told about rubbing compound on a leather, or 3 different weight sharpening stones either. Wonderful to see a master craftsman sharpening this chisel. I was blessed to find 3 old Sorby chisels, buying them out of a mixed box, because their handles felt so silky smooth compared to the others, not knowing about the Sorby family until afterwards, and finally know how to look after them properly. Even without knowing enough, they have been a joy to use.
Thank you Paul, I'm getting better at sharpening but not quite there yet. Your vids give me the direction and confidence to carry on. Regards Mike
Hello Paul, merci pour tous ces conseils; quelle est la référence de ces pierres à aiguiser et quel fournisseur ?Thanks
good video, but I don't like the idea of using polishing compound on wood, not at all. Ideally I try to keep the sharp edge as flat as possible at all times because using a soft surface can bend the unsharpened filings on the end to bend taking the almost sharpened tip with it. I will work on a very flat surface until every bit of access metal has been removed from the sharpened edge. I'll check it with a magnifying glass to make sure there are no filings left after wiping it clean and that there are no reflections coming from the sharpened edge itself.
My father always told me "a dull chisel is dangerous, because they slip"
Although I understand your theory behind not wanting to use polishing compound on a “soft surface”, there’s no real need to worry to the degree that you are. Why? Because the polishing compound does just that; polishes, it doesn’t remove the metal in the way that diamond stones, etc, do, so to speak.
As you can see, Paul’s way works and has done for 2 decades plus. Also, this is a method they used for cut throat razors, and many years ago they were done on a belt and we all know how sharp they were. Also, not a flat surface.
For a flat surface to put sandpapers on, I used an old glass coffee table top. Glass is great to use for a known flat surface because any glass that is not flat can be easily observed by the optical distortion of anything behind it. If the glass is curved in an area, it will have a slight fun-house mirror effect. Thanks Paul, keep up the videos!
Glass that isn't true doesn't necessarily cause a distortion or fun-house effect. It depends on the curvature on both sides of the glass. Sunglasses, for example, curve. And old CRT TVs.
But yeah, poured glass tends to be quite flat due to the production method. Much like the ice on a quiet lake is true for the same reason.
Best glass for this would be float glass. FWIW
You video is very helpful. Thank you very much! Question regarding touch up:
Suppose we've initialised the chisel, used it for some time and now it's gone dull from normal use. If there are now nicks in the cutting edge, would you still start with the coarse grain for **touch-up** work, or would you start with the medium grain?
Paul, first, thank you for your Book and all the videos! They are very helpful.
In both you specify Auto Glass cleaner not window glass cleaner. What’s your thinking and experience with that, please?
Yeah 2021: find more time to get my tools sharp. I might as well be chiselling with at axe handle at the moment.
Getting serious about sharpening is when we finally get serious about woodworking.
@@mechadebzilla There comes a time in every bodgers life where you look at your latest frankensteins monster, the hidden cuts on the inside where the pencil line was drawn a little quick, the filler (and sanding and thick painting (then usually resanding and repainting)), the endless endless gouging, grain splits because you didn't cut round first before cutting through. Quick, dirty and functional but only its father could love it. And you think; I spend more time fixing than I do making. Time to sharpen that chisel. I fear I will forever be to woodworking as the devil is to the religious; a necessary evil but mainly there as a warning to others. Journey of 100 miles starts with the will to step forward. Long may you continue to be the beacon of good practice.
Where do you get those whetstones from please?
Paul is my absolute 'go to' for woodworking tool advice. Easy to follow steps and he never over complicates things that don't need to be complicated. Thank you.
how necessary is the buffing compound? Does making it shine have any benefits other than looks?
What are you spraying onto the stones?
Yeah, really. He never did say what that was - although, the container said "glass cleaner".
@@robira1313 found another of his videos where he explains. And yup, glass cleaner!
I’ve just received the Eze-Lap Diamond Plates today, Paul. I’ve given them a try to see what the results are and it’s not come out the way your chisels have (clean and shiny). Is that because yours are used plates and mine simply need to “bed in”, so to speak?
Also, do you have any tips regarding cleaning them too, please. Many thanks.
I have a 14" smooth bottom jack plane that I restored. My problem is I can not get the blade to protrude thru the bottom of the plane. Any ideas?
Excellent. Just sharpened my first chisel yesterday. I did not get the infamous burr. Back to the shop to get it. Using a carborundum dual stone with carborundum oil. Got both for $2 at estate sale. Looking forward to sharpening all my fathers old chisels.
Excellent. How to sharpen tools and measure accurately are the hardest things about woodworking. Thank you for the excellent demo! I also appreciate no music or additional noise in the video, very soothing, low key, effective, and to the point.
great video. the amount of skill, knowledge, experience and patience you show is truly remarkable. thanks for sharing.
Hi there from Portugal,
Another nice info :D
Obrigado(Thanks) Master P.Sellers
What was you spraying on the blocks thanks James
I had the same question. Followed the video details to commonwoodworking.com/sharpening-a-chisel/, scroll down and it mentions spraying with auto glass cleaner.
Plain water works too. For oil stones obviously use fine machine oil or better a fine cutting oil or honing oil (basically the same). And for water stones only tap water, no soap / additives whatsoever.
Wanted to throw something out on this method. Having owned these stones for a while, and I rarely ever use the coarse stone. Unless you are regularly wrecking your tools, buying new tools, or restoring old tools, it's way to coarse to use regularly. Even the fine stone I'm not using that often. Once you flatten the back and establish a bezel, you won't need to use such coarse stones to maintain a sharp edge.
If you have a good set of tools, I would recommend buying just the super fine, and then a 5000 or so grit stone, to maintain an edge. Just buy some MDF and some rough grit sand paper to flatten backs and establish a bevel. Will save you a ton.
90% of the time, it takes a few strokes on the 5000 and then the strip and I'm good to go. I'd hit the super fine if I been going too long between sharps.
I did as you said with a set of new Irwin Marples chisels, using a glass plate and 1000 grit sandpaper. Never done anything like this before. It worked a treat. 6 chisels, all sharpened and working. Many thanks. If I can do it, anyone can.
Hey Paul! Great video. Is the leather strop really necessary? I don't have one, but I do have water and oil stones. Sadly the ability for the community to add translations was deleted by TH-cam, otherwise I would've happily submitted a Dutch translation.
Leather strops are excellent. Definitely get one
Paul,Thanks again for the straightforward step-by-step method for making a chisel ready for use. I use a Worksharp 3000 with diamond (lapidary disks and leather strop wheel) to make mine ready. I found a set of 6 at Harbor Freight that look the same as the infamous Aldi chisels. Price was $8 with the always available 20% discount coupon. Again, thanks/Bill
Just a quick thank you. This video and many of your others have been tremendously helpful to me.
I found quite a few options for a block of buffing compound. Do you have any recommendations or are they all, for this purpose, pretty much the same? Thank you for this and all of your videos, they have been very helpful.
Hi Paul, Thanks for your videos - they are fantastic inspiration and so informative! I have bought some leather to make a strop, and it looks like you have the suede side up, but all the other videos on making a leather strop on youtube seem to have the suede side down. Can you comment? Many Thanks, Dan
Do you know why I dub the edges on planes irons when I try and flatten the back with sandpaper.
Hi Paul - I do enjoy your videos and its great to see someone with your skills not afraid to use good old planes and tools that don't cost a fortune. I do get tired of all those guys who have to have very expensive tools to do their work. I was fed up today as it was raining hard but after watching your video I decided to go to the workshop and sharpen all my chisels and gouges which was quite a task. I have mainly Ashley Isles and Robert Sorby but do have a few Two Cherries and the odd Japanese chisel which I have picked up over the 55 years I have been working in wood. I had gone through my drawers and checked and sharpened everything that needed it when I came across a chisel I picked up in a lea market about 45 years ago, It is a 2" Sorby cast steel firmer chisel which I mainly used to do the final fitting of my guitar neck joints. Ithas been retired for ssome time as I had purchased a set of Ashley Isles and began to use the 50mm instead. The one thng I had forgotten was how hard the old chisel was and what a fantastic edge it can produce. The one thing that puzzled me was that it did not seeem to like my Diamond stones ( It haad never bneen sharpened on those as they are a much later buy ) The diamond did not work at all well but my water stones produced a superb edge albeit taking much longer than mmy more modern chisels. I will definitely be using that chisel more in future and it just goes to show that they knew a thing or two about making tools back then as it must be pre war. Keep up the great work Stay safe - Dave.
I love this method and the razor sharp results! In essence the convex edge achieves the “micro bevel” so many others fuss over. This is way faster and really, I’ve never experienced any sharper with jigs, wet grinders, abrasive wheels, etc. An added benefit is you never need to regrind when the microbevel gets too big 🧐
what stones is he using , I have tried a few and I have never got the speed of cut he has .
Thanks, Paul. The best results I got using dry sandpaper. It doesn't wear as quickly as wet paper and you make lesser mess. But when dealing with a ruined bevel one should not be afraid to start with a very coarse grit.
Wow I never appreciated just how much work goes into sharpening your tools, you make it look easy though. Thank you for this video, it will be a big help when I need to do this!
My chisel is uneven. The left side is nice and sharp where the right side is dull and for some reason doesn't grind down evenly with the other side. I need help with this
Just found and followed this tutorial and my chisels now slide through teak like butter... Thanks so much Paul. Great work.
My understanding on diamond stones has always been that you want to sharpen only in one direction. That way a small ridge of metal builds up behind the diamond, and supports it, making the stone last longer.
Amazing how you take so much time and care and how detailed you are teaching me how to sharpen my chisels.. thank you so much
As a 100% disabled person, I request these stones as a gift from you, I would be very grateful if you send them as a gift. Please, I would appreciate it if you could give a positive answer, thank you in advance. Best Regards, Abdullah Menevse ❤🙏🙏🙏❤
Mr Sellers, my partner is a real fan of yours. Can u suggest a carpentry book that is enjoyable without replicating the topics you cover? He enjoys joint-making especially, many tks.
I enjoy your videos -- very practical. I have used wet or dry sand paper for years to sharpen my chisels and irons; but your tips and methods have improved the result tremendously. Using glass cleaner as the lubricant is an especially good tip, as it carries away the waste and makes the paper last longer. Now, I need a project! Many thanks.
I love this guys work bench it’s actually been worked on
Same! All I could think was, I gotta get a better work bench!
I’m tired of seeing these work working guys that have pristine benches lol
@@francoiscaloz5299 it's the funniest thing to me, "woodworkers" presenting from an unworked workbench. Sellers is the best woodworker on TH-cam anyway.
Paul, thanks for the video. I bought the Aldi chisels you recommended and while they are cheap and good, it took me a long time flatten due to unusual concave back. They seemed to be twisted. Also one of chisels had one side much thicker than other side. After a few hours of belt sanding followed by diamond stones, I managed to get all of the chisels flat. A considerable time investment. Though I like the chisels I wonder if I spent more money I wouldn't need so much effort.
I'm a decorator but I also fix sash windows etc.
My dad is a retired carpenter and he gave me his chisels and whetstone, which came in a case.
Before I watched any videos 🤦♂️ I managed to put a 12 mm groove straight up the middle on _both_ sides of the stone.
Can I fix that or should I just get a new stone? 🤷♂️
I have brand new 12 piece Pfeil “Brienz” collection. I have no idea what the Brienz stands for, but I am also new to the world of wood carving.
Do these chisels need to be sharpened before using them? I cut a few tiny slices in basswood and it was like slicing butter. I am under the impression Pfeil come properly sharpened. I could be wrong, am I? Thanks!