Just getting started

[Chris shultz]

I'm just getting into woodworking and I have a set of old Stanley Professional chisels. They are a bit warn and require a good amount of work to make new again. Are these chisels worth the time to bring back to life or should I invest in a new set. Any thought on it would be a great help.

[Nick Stokes]

They are most likely worth the effort to sharpen and use. In my opinion, spending the time to perfectly flatten the back isn't necessarily a good option for getting started... You don't need a mirror finish on the chisel to chop the waste of a dovetail. It makes it easier, and probably slightly more accurate... but not essential to get started.

I would sharpen them up with some sandpaper on the top of a cast iron surface in your shop, and get after it.

[David Eisenhauer]

Sharpen them up and use them. At worst, later on down the road you will have a set of "utility" beaters that you don't mind abusing. At best, you have the set that fits you perfectly. Most chisels can be made to chop/pare wood, with varying degrees of ease and/or effectiveness. This set will get you used to using chisels and, if desired, you can then start fine tuning your preference for iron style and handle length/diameter/shape for another set. Most everyone ends up with at least two sets of chisels at some point if they continue with hand tool wood working and you have one set in hand. This process will also get you started (if that is the case) in sharpening hand tools, which is, in itself, another stand-alone subject. Have fun.

[Robert Engel]

Just because they are old doesn't mean they are a set of beaters.
These could very well be a quality set of chisels but you will never find out if you do not take the time to do it prepare them properly.

First, you MUST flatten the backs. Not necessarily the whole back but at least 1/3. If you don't start here, you will never get a properly honed tool.
Second, honing = polishing = mirror finish and again I disagree with the poster. Once flat, you need to polish the back also.

Sharpening is a big learning curve for the beginning ww'er. I recommend watch some videos on proper sharpening. I guarantee there is much more to it than "sharpen them up" "get to it", etc. You will have to learn proper technique and that will depend somewhat on what system you choose. (sandpaper, diamond stones, water stones, ceramic stone, natural stones, or some combination). I would start with a sharpening jig and eventually move to freehand sharpening.

Finally, sharpening and honing are different tasks. Sharpening involved removing metal with stones up to 1200 grit and honing involves polishing with very fine stones, like 8000 and 12000 grit.

The one big thing to remember when honing is never move to the next grit until you have created a burr.

I would start with a coarse FLAT stone (like 250 or 300grit) and see how much work it will take to flatten the backs.
If they have severe concave or convex surfaces they have been misused and won't be salvageable.
If that checks out then examine the edges. I would plan on regrinding the bevel (which means you need a grinder with the right wheel and a decent tool rest).

Good luck let me know if I can help you with specifics of sharpening supplies.

[Jim German]

Depends on what you want to do with them. I'd agree with Nick, don't go nuts trying to sharpen them, clean em up a bit and get to cutting some wood. I certainly wouldn't go nuts with a 12000 grit stone.

[Bill McNiel]

I have had a "set" of Stanley 60s for over 45 years. They have been used, abused and reconditioned ad nauseum. While I also have other more expensive, task specific chisels, the 60s remain my most frequently used ones. Flatten the backs, learn to sharpen properly with these and you won't be afraid to venture forth.

[David Costa]

I am in Robert's Camp. Whether they are old or new, they still need to be sharpened properly. A quick spit shine is a sure way to NOT enjoy woodworking, as dull tools are just no fun. Taking the time to learn to sharpen your tools is well worth the effort, and will make your woodworking experiences and results better.

[Lee Schierer]

I agree that they should be cleaned up and sharpened. Since you are just starting, I wouldn't recommend spending a fortune on a bunch of fancy sharpening stones just yet. I recommend you do a search for "Scary Sharp (http://primeshop.com/access/woodwork/scarysharp/)" sharpening method, which uses flat sheets of sandpaper glued on a smooth surface such as a piece of plate glass or marble floor tile. You can get the required wet/dry sandpapers at any automotive store. Start with 120 grit and work your way up to about 2000 or 4000 grit. You can get set up using this method for less than $40 and for a beginner it works really really well.

[Jim Dwight]

I have tried several sharpening systems over the years and have settled on a WorkSharp 3000. I got it cheaply when somebody, maybe Home Depot, advertised an incorrect price but stood behind it several years ago. I would have never paid the normal ~$300 for it but at around $100 I decided it was a deal. Works great. I got a couple extra disks and finer sandpaper but the stock relatively coarse sandpaper is all you really need. I just looked and it appears it is down to ~$200 now.

I agree you really do not need a powered sharpener but it sure makes the dull job of sharpening go quicker. I have and still use an old Craftsman set of chisels in addition to my Footprint "good" chisels. I doubt yours are either as bad as my Craftsman or as good as my Footprint but I'd love to be wrong on the good side. The Craftsman sharpen quickly but dull quickly too. They are still useful for cleaning glue off and occasionally for chiseling. My point is that even not-so-good chisels have a place - if only to stop me from using a good chisel for some things I do with them. by all means sharpen them up and see what you have. No need to flatten the backs initially. If the steel is good, then do it. But you can see what you have without that step (which is a good thing to use a powered sharpener for). When I hand sharpened, I changed the angle a little on the final grit to reduce the work. An edge guide is a nice thing to have too.

[David Costa]

A few people have made the point that you don't need to flatten the backs for now. Again, I agree with Robert's post that the backs must be flattened. An edge is simply the intersection of two planes. To simplify, the finer the point, the sharper the edge. If your back is not flat, you are fighting a loosing battle, as both planes (the back and the bevel) should be addressed. If the back is not polished, then you just won't achieve the edge that your chisels have the potential to reach. The good news is that once you flatten the back, you generally only need to address the bevel side in future sharpening sessions.

[Chris shultz]

All this information is greatly appreciated. I am familiar with polishing and sharpening certain steel since I've been doing it a few years at my job so i think with a little practice I will get the hang of hand sharpening. Started cleaning up the chisels today and what a difference already. Picked up a bunch of wet/dry sandpaper so we shall see how it progresses. Still a lot of work to do but I think they will clean up just fine. Thanks to everyone again for the information. 323871

[Brian Henderson]

They are absolutely worth restoring, especially if you're new at it because if you do anything horribly wrong, it's not a brand new expensive set of chisels that you've damaged. Watch some videos on YouTube on restoring and sharpening chisels, make sure you flatten the backs and practice a lot. Once you have the hang of it, then go for your expensive chisels if you want to, I think you'll get some great use out of properly tuned Stanleys.

[Mike Cutler]

I agree with the others. Keep them around and teach yourself to sharpen them.
I have a few of those chisels, and they're not bad. They'll take an edge and keep it for a fair bit. If you're going to whack on them with a mallet, get a wooden mallet. That plastic handle will get up messed with a metal faced hammer.

[Justin Ludwig]

Why start off doing things only half way? Here's a quick vid to get you started.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOMGWkKh2M4

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Looks like you did a great job cleaning up the chisels. You do not mention where you live, but, if live near Columbus Ohio, I can help you put that initial edge on the chisel.

Flattening the back should be easy part if you have a flat surface, so don't stress that. If you have trouble establishing the initial bevel, be sure to say something and let us know how it works out.

To answer your question of "is it worth it"? Well, I have a very eclectic mix of chisels. I have some nice Stanley chisels (old and new), Lee Valley PM-V11 bench chisels, and even some "cheap junk stanley chisels" (like these: http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-150-Series-3-Piece-Chisel/dp/B00002X1YO) and just so we understand each other, I just used those cheap "junk" chisels to do some hand cut dovetails in oak with no problems. They do not hold an edge like my better chisels, but I have them tuned up and sharp. Your chisels are certainly better than those. I actually have two sets of these. One was given to me by my Father. The other set I purchased for about $3 at target from the discount bin so that I could practice sharpening without ruining my "good chisels".

[lowell holmes]

Actually, the old Stanley chisels are not junk. I have some and they sharpen well and hold an edge. I have them in my carpenter's apron for use when out and about. They do a good job chopping mortises as well as paring.

[Bill Ryall]

All this information is greatly appreciated. I am familiar with polishing and sharpening certain steel since I've been doing it a few years at my job so i think with a little practice I will get the hang of hand sharpening. Started cleaning up the chisels today and what a difference already. Picked up a bunch of wet/dry sandpaper so we shall see how it progresses. Still a lot of work to do but I think they will clean up just fine. Thanks to everyone again for the information. 323871

I have a few of those style chisels. I have found the steel to be pretty good and they hold an edge well. They are absolutely worth cleaning up and using. Take the time and sharpen them properly- poorly sharpened tools are frustrating to use.
I would recommend the Scary Sharp system to start- quality wet/dry sandpaper and a piece of plate glass. (says the guy who just invested $300+ in diamond stones) There is nothing wrong with it, it works well and is inexpensive. You can then experiment with other machines and stone types.

[Chris shultz]

Well, after some time and effort put in and a few dollars spent, I think these Stanley's are looking pretty good for the condition they were in.325282

[Frederick Skelly]

I agree that they should be cleaned up and sharpened. Since you are just starting, I wouldn't recommend spending a fortune on a bunch of fancy sharpening stones just yet. I recommend you do a search for "Scary Sharp (http://primeshop.com/access/woodwork/scarysharp/)" sharpening method, which uses flat sheets of sandpaper glued on a smooth surface such as a piece of plate glass or marble floor tile. You can get the required wet/dry sandpapers at any automotive store. Start with 120 grit and work your way up to about 2000 or 4000 grit. You can get set up using this method for less than $40 and for a beginner it works really really well.

+1. Scary sharp is the easiest, least costly way to start. For you, just starting out, trying to flatten the entire back can be discouraging because it can be time consuming. But you really do need to get the lower 1/4 to 1/3 as flat and as shiny as you are able. Both of these are important to getting a sharp edge, and as someone earlier noted, dull tools are no fun to use. A mirror like surface is one that shows few if any very fine scratches - you can literally see yourself in it. Be aware that you may not achieve a mirror surface the first few times you try. That's ok. You'll get better with practice. Do the best you can, then go cut some wood. Next time, it'll get a little better. And so on.

Post a note asking for more advice if you need it. Everyone will be glad to help.
Fred

Edit: just saw your last post. Looks like a good start to me. If you haven't already, you might work up through the grits to a 2000 automotive paper.