How many sharp edge tools?

[Cameron Wood]

How many hand tools in your shop that are sharp e.g. arm hair shaving or will be again at next sharpening?

I count 92, mostly Japanese but 14 western planes, shaves, draw knives, etc.

Not including utility knives, marking gauges, glue chisels, power tools. I don't have a lathe so none of those either. Another dozen or so in work truck.

[Jimmy Harris]

I have no idea. But probably less than 50, even if you counted chisels. I try not to collect tools that I don't often use. But most of my tools have a sharp edge, seeing as I'm a primarily hand tool woodworker.

[Tom M King]

I don't think I have as many as 92 pounds of them, if you don't count the plane bodies, but here are a couple of chisel toolboxes. These don't include the timber framing chisels or carving chisels that are in other toolboxes. HVAC scale.

[Jim Koepke]

How many hand tools in your shop that are sharp e.g. arm hair shaving or will be again at next sharpening?

Counting my planes was given up at ~60. Since then many more have been acquired. Then there are the combination planes with as many as 50 blades each. A pretty good set of hollows and rounds and other molding planes.

It is likely that more planes have come into my shop and left with a new owner than many people have in their shop.

Then there are the chisels & gouges…

A couple of my hatchets & an axe might be sharp enough to shave arm hair.

jtk

[Edward Weber]

More than I want to count

[Cameron Wood]

Counting my planes was given up at ~60. Since then many more have been acquired. Then there are the combination planes with as many as 50 blades each. A pretty good set of hollows and rounds and other molding planes.

It is likely that more planes have come into my shop and left with a new owner than many people have in their shop.

Then there are the chisels & gouges…

A couple of my hatchets & an axe might be sharp enough to shave arm hair.

jtk


Have you sharpened a whole set of blades for combination planes, or as needed? That would be a labor of love to have a whole set that are really sharp since many are probably rarely or never used.

Another question could be:

What percentage of your edge tools are in sharp, working condition?

[David Carroll]

Most of the tools in my day to day kit are shaving sharp. But that's because it's how I left them. I tend to strop as I go, so nothing really ever gets dull. The only exception are tools that will need grinding. Those wait until I have a bunch to do.

DC

[Jim Koepke]

Have you sharpened a whole set of blades for combination planes, or as needed? That would be a labor of love to have a whole set that are really sharp since many are probably rarely or never used.

Another question could be:

What percentage of your edge tools are in sharp, working condition?

I have sharpened at least one full set of plow blades and most of the beading blades. More than one of my sets of plow blades have many sharp blades.

jtk

[Jimmy Harris]

Most of the tools in my day to day kit are shaving sharp. But that's because it's how I left them. I tend to strop as I go, so nothing really ever gets dull. The only exception are tools that will need grinding. Those wait until I have a bunch to do.

DC
Same here. Every one of my tools is sharp. I always sharpen them when I first buy them, store them sharp, and then resharpen them after each use. Even if I just take a couple of shavings, I'll still leave the tool out for sharpening at the end of the day before putting it back. I might just swipe it on the strop a few times, but I won't ignore it. I like having everything ready to go. The downside is, it can take me an hour or more to clean up and sharpen all of my tools when I'm done working for the day, so I have to factor that in to my schedule.

[Edward Weber]

If it's not sharp, I don't consider it as a tool.
I have many old chisels that need rehab and sharpening but as of now, they're just steel, not tools.
All of my normal use tools are always kept sharp

[Tom M King]

When I had a couple of helpers, they had a standing order that when I was working on something by myself and they needed something to do to clean up and when that was done to sharpen chisels. I have a lot of sharp chisels. They had a hard time reading a tape measure, but thought sharpening chisels was fun.

[Cameron Wood]

If it's not sharp, I don't consider it as a tool.
I have many old chisels that need rehab and sharpening but as of now, they're just steel, not tools.
All of my normal use tools are always kept sharp

Good point of view.

[Cameron Wood]

Same here. Every one of my tools is sharp. I always sharpen them when I first buy them, store them sharp, and then resharpen them after each use. Even if I just take a couple of shavings, I'll still leave the tool out for sharpening at the end of the day before putting it back. I might just swipe it on the strop a few times, but I won't ignore it. I like having everything ready to go. The downside is, it can take me an hour or more to clean up and sharpen all of my tools when I'm done working for the day, so I have to factor that in to my schedule.

That's a lot of sharpening! I think my daily user planes go a month or two between sharpenings, and there are lots of chisels, so if one is not sharp enough, there are others. They get sharpened in batches a couple of times a year.

[Reed Gray]

A whole bunch! Funny thing, I saw a turner dull his skew chisel on the lathe bed. He took it to a 60 grit CBN wheel to resharpen the edge, stropped it, and then shaved his arm. Most of mine have a finer edge than that though...

robo hippy

[Scott Winners]

I can't really give a good answer here. I do have a box of 'steel' that needs a lot of rehab to become tools again. However, I am also pretty new at this and suspect I have a number of tools I haven't sharpened since three plateaus ago. When I find those tools (ahem, 4 1/2 Bailey) I ask myself if I really need to keep this tool at all.

At my current sharpening skill plateau I know I have my carcass saw, two chisels at 1 inch width, my block plane, 2 card scrapers, and 3 Baileys, #s 3, 6 and 8, and an 11 point crosscut saw. Everything else in my shop is at least one plateau in sharpening skill behind the present.

[Allan Hill]

A lot. I don't count, but easily 100, counting chisels, saws, plane blades, drawknives, carving tools, drill bits and who knows what else. I generally don't let my tools go dull and leave them on the bench or in the tool cabinet. If they get dull, I sharpen them and put them away.

[Jim Koepke]

A lot. I don't count, but easily 100, counting chisels, saws, plane blades, drawknives, carving tools, drill bits and who knows what else.

We're counting saws, drill bits and draw knives? What about scissors, gardening tools and metal working tools?

There are likely more sharp drill bits in my shop than most people have tools that are not drill bits. That's even if metal cutting bits are not included. There are various types of bits for boring though wood only. There are more than two complete sets of auger bits sharp. Then there are twist bits with a tang for a brace, gimlets for a brace, gimlets that have their own handle, spoon bits, forstner bits and spade bits, brad point and center bits.

There is a lot of sharp in the shop. People are often warned about a lot of sharp things around.

512508

That picture was taken over a dozen years ago. There are now five of the missing Buck Brothers sizes in the set. Many other chisels have been added and subtracted over those years.

jtk

[Cameron Wood]

If you can shave with a saw, then count it!

[Eric Brown]

This question made me stop and think about it. Off the top of my head it is in the thousands. However, many are in collections. If I limit the numbers to what is in my tool cabinet then the answer is closer to fifty. Unlike others, I don't sharpen after using planes and chisels. Instead, I sharpen before use. This makes me plan out the process and tools I will using. Saws are a different animal. They don't seem to dull very fast. Like Jim, I have a lot of bits for my braces. Certain sets are kept sharp, but I have hundreds in the "to be restored" category.

[Cameron Wood]

The number will be going up. I'll probably spend 2-3 hours on these.


512639

[Stew Denton]

That is a tough question for me. I have quite a few planes and chisels that are boxed up, waiting for me to have a place to work, that will need to be sharpened. I also have a few planes and chisels in tool drawers and tool boxes in my garage and in a tool box in the storage bedroom that are currently sharp. Certainly several of those are probably sharp to that extent, but probably not all of them. All of them are what I would describe as sharp enough to be very serviceable, but have been used since last sharpened. The only ones that are still sharp to the extent mentioned are those that I use most often or am likely to use fairly often.

My guess is the answer is somewhere between a dozen and 15, probably closer to a dozen or so. (I hope I don't get kicked off the forum because of that fairly low number.)

As in everything I don't have a place to work very conveniently at all, and things will mostly not get a rehab job or sharpened until I have a place to work, but hopefully that will happen within 3 or 4 months.

Regards,

Stew

[Kent A Bathurst]

As near as I can tell, I am one - just one - shy of the number I need.

[Jim Koepke]

As near as I can tell, I am one - just one - shy of the number I need.

LOL!

There are more than needed for my needs. Just the same, recently ten more were purchased and three or four were given to my grandson.

jtk

[Cameron Wood]

As near as I can tell, I am one - just one - shy of the number I need.



Yeah, I think 3x as many as needed is closer around here...

[Cameron Wood]

The xmas chisels are cleaned up and about 95% sharp. All by hand. Some had a pass on the Makita sharpener, but that is by hand as well. Wire wheel, #600 w/d, even some pumice, diamond plates, water stones to 8k. Handles: scrub pad, #320 sandpaper, tung oil

They slot in well AFAS sizes with existing ones.

512868

[Jim Koepke]

They slot in well AFAS sizes with existing ones.

Looks like a nice group of chisels and gouges there.

I have no idea what "AFAS sizes" might be.

jtk

[Cameron Wood]

Looks like a nice group of chisels and gouges there.

I have no idea what "AFAS sizes" might be.

jtk

Thanks. "as far as" is what I meant, but maybe that's not a real acronym.

[Cameron Wood]

I wanted a nice wide chisel for on the job paring and hinge mortising etc., and got these. Timber chisels are bigger & the handles fit my hands better than the oire nomi, & a batch costs the same as one chisel, especially if one is willing to do some cleanup and restoration, which I enjoy. The widest one is 48mm, about 1 7/8". These were just under $100, including tax and shipping. Quality is shown by the handle being shortened probably 2" by repeated pounding, while the blade has only gotten modestly shorter from sharpening.


515431

[Jim Koepke]

I like having a set of short chisels among my tools. They are very handy for close work and hinge mortises.

515432

These three are the most used of my Butt Chisels. From left to right: a 1-1/4" Stanley 4xx series (the knurling at the top of the socket was from the factory on these), a 1" Karpenter and a 7/8" Witherby.

jtk

[Edward Weber]

I like the ball end on the Karpenter, looks like it fits well in the palm for pushing.

[Cameron Wood]

I like having a set of short chisels among my tools. They are very handy for close work and hinge mortises.

515432

These three are the most used of my Butt Chisels. From left to right: a 1-1/4" Stanley 4xx series (the knurling at the top of the socket was from the factory on these), a 1" Karpenter and a 7/8" Witherby.

jtk


I was watching restoration of some chisels on Youtube- one tang and one socket. At the end he held them up, the socket one by the metal part and said that you have to be careful as that kind of handle can come loose, allowing the blade to drop on foot or floor.

Any thoughts on that?

[Edward Weber]

I was watching restoration of some chisels on Youtube- one tang and one socket. At the end he held them up, the socket one by the metal part and said that you have to be careful as that kind of handle can come loose, allowing the blade to drop on foot or floor.

Any thoughts on that?
Traditionally, a socket fit is just a dry pressure only fit.
As always, it depends on the wood, the chisel, how it's used, etc. Once properly fitted, they will hold securely, or at least until the humidity changes.
I use epoxy on all my socket chisels to keep them from loosening up.
Where I live, it's low humidity in the summer and every handle in the shop shrinks to the point where some hammer heads get loose. In the winter, everything tightens back up.

[Jim Koepke]

I like the ball end on the Karpenter, looks like it fits well in the palm for pushing.

Yes, it is rather comfortable against the palm. The ring at the base also fits nicely between my fingers if it needs a tap or two from a mallet.


I was watching restoration of some chisels on Youtube- one tang and one socket. At the end he held them up, the socket one by the metal part and said that you have to be careful as that kind of handle can come loose, allowing the blade to drop on foot or floor.

Any thoughts on that?

One does need to be careful with their socket chisels. Over time a few of mine that used to fall off regularly have stayed put for a couple years now since treating them to an adjustment.

There are a few chisels in the shop that need handles. The current to do list is rather long. If time allows maybe some pictures and procedures on fitting socket chisel handles can be posted.

If morse taper tools can hold solid in metal, it shouldn't be difficult to have similar results with wood.

jtk

[Kent A Bathurst]

Yeah, well, the thing is that when I get that “one more” the situation remains the same- I still need just one more

[Ben Ellenberger]

Not counting saws I’d guess I have about 40 edged tools (planes, chisels, knives, gouges, etc.)

Related question - how many of your edged tools have drawn blood?

I managed to nick my finger sharpening my scorp last night, which reminded me once again I really should keep some band aids in my garage.

[Jim Koepke]

Not counting saws I’d guess I have about 40 edged tools (planes, chisels, knives, gouges, etc.)

Related question - how many of your edged tools have drawn blood?

I managed to nick my finger sharpening my scorp last night, which reminded me once again I really should keep some band aids in my garage.

My edged tools do not attack me much. Though my pocket knife got me today when it was used to cut some Gorilla Tape.

Years ago, band aids were kept in my wallet. Different times with different work environments. My fingers don't need them as often now that there are a lot of sharp things around.

There are a few kept in the shop just to keep Candy calm by not having to walk in the house holding a rag around my finger.

jtk

[Ron Selzer]

Yeah, well, the thing is that when I get that “one more” the situation remains the same- I still need just one more


Me too
My weakness is when James Spangler posts another tool for sale. I have bought a Stanley 3,4,5 plane from him, along with block planes, screwdrivers, etc. When my wife sees them she puts them on display in living room. I can use them as long as they are put back CLEAN.
Ron

[Edward Weber]

Well, now that Ben has Jinxed us all, I'm pretty much on the same page as Jim.
Whether it's time/experience or the fear of pain, it doesn't happen often.
I like to keep all the tools in use "sharp", it's the semi-sharp to dull ones that cause the problems. When they get dull, they get set aside or sharpened.

[Cameron Wood]

I cut my finger on the side of a chisel the other day. The finger joint box I was paring has some blood accents.

Need to dull those edges down...

[Cameron Wood]

I got the biggest one cleaned up and 95% sharp and it is on the job.
This one is a bench chisel & was not in too bad of shape except the boxwood handle is cracked and the hoop is missing. Got it fully sharp & shown next to one from the set that I got in the '80s and one from another set.
they are 42mm wide- the common widest in a set of ten.
Edit- I used a jig to establish the bevel as it was all over the place and some chips to remove.

515539515540

[Kent A Bathurst]

Me too
My weakness is when James Spangler posts another tool for sale. I have bought a Stanley 3,4,5 plane from him, along with block planes, screwdrivers, etc.

I guarantee you missed a few, Ron. I got proof.

[Ron Selzer]

You got some before I saw them
Ron

[Cameron Wood]

This one's done. Filled the handle crack with a shaped bit of wood, made a hoop from a 1/2" pipe coupling & fitted it, and made a sheath.

515640515639515641

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