Flattening chisel backs my way

[Tom Bussey]

Flattening chisel backs my way.

I like to have my chisel backs flat. I built a fixture so that I could grind the sides. I have to have then parallel within .001 or the vise can't clamp on them.

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Then I can clamp on the sides, indicate the flat flat side as parallel as I can get it andgrind the back. it took about .005 off from each to get them just to clean up. I redressed the wheel, and picked up the surface of the chisel with the grinding wheel. For the final cut the depth of cut was .0003 and then there was a total of 3 spark out passes. Now the only stone the back of the chisel will se is the 8000 grit one

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The chisels shown are Marples that I purchased new about 35 years ago for $29 and they have seen a lot of rough use.I plan on finishing the other 3 next week and give them to my son inlaw.

And then my plans are to angle the bottom of the fixture to 20 degrees and then grind the sides of a few chisels Narex premium chisels, back about 2 inches and make them into dovetail chisels. I read the information on them and they are hardened to a Rockwell "C" for 59. Being primarilly a die maker, we tempered our die steel to 58-60 rockwell, any harder and the steel tended to be to brittle and didn't hold up the cutting forces, in operation, in the press. The Narex chisels handles are wood and will the chisel will be used with a mallet so there will be some shock to the cutting edge and that is why I chose the premium chisel and not the Ricter chisel. Not to mention cost.

[Frederick Skelly]

Interesting approach Tom. Thanks for showing us.

[John Erickson]

Nice fixture to hold the chisel while grinding the lands. Do you grind the bevel cutting edge on the surface grinder as well?

[Mike Brady]

That's excellent, Tom. Do you have a close-up of a finished chisel?

[Tom Bussey]

I can not get a good picture of the bottoms to much glare. It is like trying to photogragh a mirror. Wood Craft offered the chisels in the picturs for $19 just before Christmas. I do not like the plastic handles but again for $19 I can live with them. The are listed for $42 now so I would pass, because of the handles. I don't think they will stand up to any chopping.

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The other picture is how I do my bevel angle. When I see sparks comming over the top of the blade I know I am done on the grinder I use a varitas honing guide to do the micro bevel. 1000,4000,and 8000 and a leather wheel with honing compount. If I don't over use the cutting edge by letting it get to dull and my stones are out it takes about 1 minute to restore the cutting edge on a chisel or plane Iron.

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[Stew Denton]

Wow Tom,

Very impressive results.

Far better than what I do, which involves a flat granite block, Mirka Gold, and a lot of rubbing the chisel back and forth.

I'll bet your results are a lot better than mine too.

Stew