Boatbuilder's Slick - What bevel on edge?

[Jacob Reverb]

About 6 months to a year ago, I saw an article in WoodenBoat magazine on how to make a boatbuilder's slick from an old truck spring.

I have my truck spring, etc., and I'm ready to grind a rough bevel on it, but I can't find that issue of the magazine anymore, so I don't know what primary bevel to put on the edge. I'm guessing 30° to 35° but can anyone advise me on what it should be? Also, should there be a secondary bevel or "microbevel" on the edge?

Thanks for any help.

[Nate Carey]

Jacob, I believe you're right at 30°...and a micro bevel at 35°...

[Adam Cherubini]

Are you going to use this for boat building? Assuming you are using it for it's intended purpose and regardless of what the application is, I suggest grinding at 20 degrees, add a small rounded secondary, and don't be afraid of a few degrees of back bevel.

Slicks are just big paring chisels used (principally) for smoothing curved surfaces. Ditto for large framing chisels. Carpenters basically started mortises with axes or by drilling. Notches wewre done with saws and axes. Framing chisels pared those joints smooth.

Adam

[Barry Vabeach]

I have an old slick and it is a very shallow angle, I haven't measured it but I am guessing near 20. I don't have a back bevel, but the chisel has a slight belly on the back side about halfway up, I think I read that this was an intended feature to allow you to control the shaving.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

wouldn't that all depend a lot on the lumber you plan to use and the specific application of the slick?

I suppose you could use just the one slick but, different grids will lend themselves more or less well to different sorts of operations.

Oak boats or pine or cedar.