Sharpening your Woodworking Tools - Chisels

If you look after your woodworking tools, they will most probably last longer than you. Part of taking care of your tools is keeping them sharp, so they are safe and enjoyable to use. A sharp tool will also give you the best result and will be ready to use whenever the next job calls for it.

Chisels require more sharpening and maintenance than most other woodworking tools to keep them in good order. Like most things, there is more than one way to sharpen a chisel. Some people prefer to use a jig while others prefer to do the job by hand with an oilstone, water stone or diamond stone. It’s personal preference which method you use, but a waterstone is a popular choice.

Waterstones are slightly softer than oilstones so you are left with clean sharp grit as the stone is worn away. Waterstones are available in a variety of sizes from 300 grit to 8000 grit. Reversible waterstones are also available to save you buying multiple stones of different grit. The 1000 grit side can be used for preparing and dressing the tool while the reversible 6000 grit is for sharpening.

To use your waterstone for sharpening your chisels:

1. Place your stone in water for around 5-10 minutes, so it’s soaking wet. For stones in excess of 4000 grit, you won’t need to soak them, just drop water on top. Place the stone somewhere that it won’t slip such as a waterstone holder but if you don’t have one, a piece of fine grit sandpaper secured to your workbench can do the job.

2. Next place your chisel into the honing guide with the bevel facing down and tighten the guide when the bevel is sitting flat on the bench. You want the entire bevel to touch the stone so it needs to sit flat in the guide. Place the honing guide’s wheel on the edge of the stone and place your fingers on the blade and thumbs behind.

3. Apply even pressure and give it several passes by going forward and back. Try to use as much of the stone as possible and also flip occasionally, so you don’t end up with a groove down the middle of your stone. Keep the stone wet by applying water.

4. Wipe the blade clean with a rag and check where it has been making contact with the stone. Wipe the residue off the stone. If needed change the chisel position and continue with the passes.

5. Move up through the finer grits of stone until you are happy with the edge you’ve created.

6. Your chisel will now be shiny and sharp. Some woodworkers stop here while others prefer to add a microbevel.

A microbevel is a very small bevel right on the edge of your already bevelled chisel. This is a future time saver as it allows you to sharpen just the microbevel if you are in the middle of a job and your chisel isn’t as sharp as you would like.

7. Adjust the honing guide so that you can slide the chisel back a tiny distance. Wet your stone, place your chisel down and pull the chisel back with steady strokes. Repeat a few times making sure the handle is at the same angle. Check to see you have a thin line on the end of the chisel blade.

8. Check the back of your chisel for any burrs. To remove a burr, place the chisel completely flat against the stone and do several passes.