Chisel is a woodworking tool with a sharp edge and a wooden or metal handle. Together with the use of a mallet, woodworkers use this tool to chop off a chunk of wood, carve wood with intricate details, or scrape the wood surface.
Uses of Chisel
You can use a chisel to create carpentry joints such as dovetail, mortise, and tenon. Woodworkers collect different types of tools for various purposes. Often, they use larger chisels for heavy chopping and smaller ones for intricate work.
Over time and with constant use, the blade becomes dull. When the blade is blunt, chopping off wood will be difficult and will take time. So, from time to time, you’ll need to sharpen your chisel.
You can sharpen a chisel in two ways. One, you can use a sanding paper. When a sanding paper isn’t enough, you can use a grinder. The method of sharpening a chisel depends on how bad the blade is.
Sandpaper Sharpening
You use sandpaper to sharpen a chisel if the blade is still edgy but blunt. Chisel sharpening with sandpaper requires a few tools and won’t take long. You need sheets of sandpaper at 80, 150, and 220 grit, a piece of glass, a basin of water, a honing device, a glue, and a solvent.
The glass should be one-fourth inch thick. Start sharpening your chisel with the 80-grit sandpaper. Cut a piece and glue it to the glass. Glue sandpaper on the back of the glass to avoid sliding.
Repeat the process with the 150- and 220-grit sandpaper. Every few seconds, dunk your chisel in the basin of water to prevent overheating. Overheating can destroy the tempered steel of the chisel.
The honing device helps you determine the right angle of the bevel. If you’re new to sharpening your woodworking tools, it’s best to use a honing device. As you get lots of practice, you’ll be able to sharpen your tools without one.
Remember, the chisel has two sides. So, don’t forget to flatten the back part of your tool. The ideal measurement for lapping the back side is 2 inches.
Grinder Sharpening
If your chisel looks terrible and the edges are blunt and chipped, you’ll need more than sandpaper sharpening. Using sandpaper on a chipped chisel will take precious time.
Instead, use a grinder. If you have to chop off the edge, do it. From there, you can work your way towards creating a new bevel angle for your chisel.
With this method, you’ll need a grinder, a honing device, a basin of water, and a marker. Mark the chisel with a permanent marker to determine the blunt metal for removal. Grind the tip until you remove the blunt tip.
Next, set the right angle for the bevel. The correct measurement is 25 degrees. After sharpening the edge to this measurement, create another bevel at 30 degrees. This new bevel will benefit you in your next woodworking projects.
During the process, make sure to dunk your tool into a basin of water. The water prevents overheating. A bluish streak on the metal means you’ve overheated the metal. To remedy this, you’ll have to grind the metal until the bluish part is gone.
Conclusion
Chisel sharpening doesn’t require special skills. Moreover, you don’t need to spend a fortune to bring back sharp edges. Learn and practice, and you’ll master this simple activity.
Please Share This Article 🙂
