Chisel sharpening/testing question

[James Carmichael]

OK, it's been 2 days since a sharpening thread started, we're way past due:

Relative newbie, I'm using scary sharp on plane irons & chisels. It is working wonders on the plane irons, those fluffy shavings never cease to amaze me.

On the chisels, I'm not so sure. I'm flattening the backs for the first 1" or so of my bench chisels. After working up to 2000 grit, they easily shave leg hair, but the Garrett Hack test of shaving end-grain pine and making sure the cut is smooth across makes more sense to me. they will do this, but not with the back flat against the wood, unless I press the blade down hard with a thumb. Is that indicating an accidental back-bevel? I'm using a 30* micro-bevel with a jig. I've free-handed and can't tell any difference with/without the jig.

Also, how "easy" should the end-grain shaving be? I have to go fairly hard to get a shaving.

Thanks,

James

[Michael Perata]

Also, how "easy" should the end-grain shaving be? I have to go fairly hard to get a shaving.

James

I just took a freshly sharpened 1" Sorby bench chisel (Norton 8000) to a freshly cut 1x2 piece of pine. If I lay the chisel flat on the end grain it simply slides off, as it should since the back is flat. If I raise the chisel up a couple of degrees, it makes a very nice thin shaving, but I need to stand behind the chisel to make the cut. Not monster effort, just "effort".

[Tony Zaffuto]

Jim, I go to 2500 on wet/dry paper, on a granite surface plate, and then polish using a 3M autobody compound (can't think of the name off hand, but if I remember, I'll post it tomorrow). I use a side holding jig for chisels and plane blades, flatten the backs of each at least 1", to a mirror polish, and with a similar polish to the bevel.

In one of your earlier posts, you alluded to an earlier life involving firearms and writing. If thats the case, thanks for much enjoyment you gave to me and thousands others in your articles, etc.

[James Carmichael]

Jim, I go to 2500 on wet/dry paper, on a granite surface plate, and then polish using a 3M autobody compound (can't think of the name off hand, but if I remember, I'll post it tomorrow). I use a side holding jig for chisels and plane blades, flatten the backs of each at least 1", to a mirror polish, and with a similar polish to the bevel.

In one of your earlier posts, you alluded to an earlier life involving firearms and writing. If thats the case, thanks for much enjoyment you gave to me and thousands others in your articles, etc.


Sorry to dissapoint Tony, I am not the "Jim Carmichel" who was (is?) shooting editor for Outdoor Life. His name doesn't have the "a" in the last syllable ;)

I was a competitive shooter/hunter/reloader for years, just no time for it anymore, maybe when I retire.

[Tony Zaffuto]

As an addendum to my post of yesterday, after I go through 2500 wet/dry, I then use an automotive compound 3M Perfect-it III. This is the final "rubbing out" compound for car paint jobs, and it will give you a mirror polish on chisels and plane blades without rounding over edges. A quart size container cost me all of $11.00 a year and a half ago, and I've barely even used 1/4th of it. Either polish off the haze on soft cloth or leather. Becareful of the edge--it is doubly scary sharp!