How do you sharpen your chisels?

[hk538]

I've been thinking about how nice it will be to finally get set up for carving, or at least learning more and I started wondering about sharpening.
I've read a few things that promote stropping for the most part, but how about gouges and V tools? I have an oilstone, but it won't take care of all the sharpening, right?

What do you use?

Greg

 

[DaveO]

I am not a carver, but I just got the new Hartville Tool catalog and they are having a sale on their sharpening products. Here is a good kit for carving tools: http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11923

HTH, Dave

 

[clowman]

Not sure, but would a wolverine jig be of any use at all here?

 

[hk538]

I thought about something like a Tormek, but I prefer to hand sharpen as I feel that I have more control. Hartville Tool has quite a few sharpening kits. I may try a couple of med and fine Slipstones. I'd appreciate any other suggestions:-D

Thanks again,
Greg

 

[sapwood]

Oops! I posted a nice long reply to your question Greg, then realized I had confused your query with another post. :BangHead:

Nevermind! :slap:

Sapwood

 

[woodguy1975]

I use my tormek to grind and hone the bevel and then use the slips to get rid of the burr. I typically use the Tormek in a freehand mode without any type of jig for them. Works just fine. You jut have to have the slips to get rid of that burr. Turning tools are fine with a burr, but carving chisels need to be slipped to a nice point.

Thanks,

John

 

[Phillip]

i'll use my tormek to regrind or reshape tools, but the actual sharpening happens on waterstones. if you plan to leave carvings from the chisel a hollow ground bevel, even one as shallow as the tormek leaves, will be a hindrance. i follow with slips for the insides and strop on shaped mdf for the inside bevel and flat mdf for the outside bevel. i use microfine green compound on the mdf. my two cents.

phillip

 

[Ray Martin]

Does anybody still use plate glass and sandpaper? I use sandpaper for the chisels I use on Saturdays since the volunteers we get at Habitat for Humanity sites are sometimes confused about whether you can chisel through nails, concrete, re-bar, etc. I just put the bevel back on them and give them a bit of sharpening.

I do fairly well with water stones (I'm sure a lesson with a real pro would move me up a level). I only use these stones on my own shop tools... nothing volunteers will be using.

Ray

 

[hk538]

I finally got around to working on the Grizzly gouges I ordered a week ago. They finally showed up yesterday and did they need work. The bevels on all the gouges were VERY steep and needed to be leveled out more. To cut with them as they were, it was almost like you were holding them at a 90° angle to the workpiece:-D
Broke out the Makita angle grinder this morning and put a half-used sanding wheel on to work the profiles down. After getting this finished, I grabbed my different grits of wet/dry sandpaper and started working on them again at the bench. Also used my oilstones, but not much. These things are primo now with a nice edge that hopefully will last. One thing I did discover was, instead of using the sandpaper with a front/rearward motion, like when you're carving, I used a sideways action and rotated the gouges as I sanded along the main portion of the chisel. Went from 220 to 1,200 grit. 1,200 was the finest I have at the moment, but it worked nonetheless. I plan on picking up some finer grain next time I'm close to the auto parts place and trying this route again.
Thanks for the suggestions
Greg

 

[4yanks]

I use the sandpaper method for most of my sharpening. I rarely let them anywhere near a grinder. On cheaper tools I have done some reshaping of the bevels as you did. I finish them up on a buffer (an old 7" grinder mounted backwards with muslin wheels) for gouges and a flat piece of maple charged with buffing compound for chisels.

 

[hk538]

Does the buffing compound come in different grits or are they all the same?

Greg

 

[4yanks]

It comes in different grits. I get mine from Lowes. I'm sure you can get it at HD as well, it is also sold by WW stores. Where I buy mine the manufacturer provides a display with recommended applications. The one I use most is green. Not the color of the cap, but the material in the tube.

 

[hk538]

I'll look for some. Thanks again

Greg