Controversial though it may seem, and though adopting micro-bevel methods for sharpening chisels may seem to make sense, a freehand convex bevel actually gives exactly the same sharpness as any micro-bevel method, but takes only a fraction of the time to develop. A convex bevel keeps its edge longer, is stronger than most other bevels and needs no special equipment beyond a pair of hands. Establishing the skill to sharpen the convex camber on the bevel of a chisel is amazingly fast and when you do, you have that skill for life. On the other hand, why take ten times longer using machine methods when simple non-electric methods prove ten times faster and produce pristine results in seconds every time?
While I was teaching this in this week's foundational workshop I though it might be helpful if you saw the sharpening technique we use and have been used for centuries in action. Stones do not have to be flat to use this method, so there is no flattening of stones as with conventional water- and oil-stone methods. This is explained more in depth in two earlier blogs 13 December 2011 Sharpening on Hollow Stones and 11 December 2011 Going against the gods - myth busting.
Sharpening plane irons
We covered sharpening the cutting irons of bench planes too and so I have yet another video we made during lunchtime of Saturday's class that will help you to do the same with your bench planes. That will be up in a couple of days.
Paul, I got your working wood book and dvd set for Christmas. I am completely sold on your sharpening method. The best part is how easy it is and how little time it takes to get back to work. I hope to post my completed European workbench soon also.
At the risk of asking silly questions … why-in your opinion-would narrower-width chisels need fewer strokes than wider chisels ? Intuitively, I'd think they'd all need the same, or … thickness of the blade would be the driving factor ?
This is very interesting Paul. I too use only diamond stones and hone by hand, mainly because they are fast and stay flat and all I have to do is wet them a little with spray water bottle.
You have stated that you like your diamond stones partly because they remain flat, does that mean flat stones do have an advantage over hollowed stone? This seems to contradict what you are saying about water and oil stones which you say work great hollowed out. I don't doubt that you know what you are talking about, but I just want to know if I am understanding this properly, as the there seems to be some inconsistency here.
I have never sharpened my chisels or plane blades with a convex edge before. This sounds interesting and I will certainly try it out. My only reservation is about how well it will work with the bevel down position. What is your experience with that? Another thing I noticed is that you have polished the entire bevel. What, if any, advantage is there to that?
Great post Paul. I was hoping you'd do a video about this technique on LJs.
Stefang - No doubt Paul will answer for himself, but I believe what Paul was getting at was that your stones don't need to be flat to achieve the convex bevel. Of course, the backs of the chisels still need to be flattened to begin with and that is when it is critical to have flat stones.
This method works great. My biggest fear was to screw up, so I started out by sharpening one of the worst chisels in my shop. It was sharper using this method on oilstones, than some of my best chisels sharpened on my tormek. It was also easier to clean up. I have a full set of diamond stones coming in this week I'm just itching to use.
KTMM ,
I am glad these work for you and I know you will enjoy the compactness of this bench. It really works and it's one I use all the time. I just travelled in the States doing masterclasses with one and have done this for about 20 years. Enjoy!
Buffalosean,
It takes about twenty minutes because it is so body-natural and intuitive too. be careful. Once you try it you'll be hooked and become controversial like me. You'll do what feels right to you and be doing it of your won free will instead of doing what everyone else expects of you.
NBeener,
It's not so silly. Distributing the weight over a wider surface seems to take more effort, which according to laws like "Equal and Opposite Forces make sense of silly things.
Stefang,
What I am saying is that when someone uses a hollowed stone they don;t technically need to flatten the stones, but someone some years ago said that you do. That wasn't true then and Its not true now. I went to woodworking shows and watched all of the Gurus you know and respect and watched them create a hollow and then flatten it. it became a ritualistic sharpening that was more Eastern than real. If anyone insists on using natural stones then why not simply let it hollow and use the other flat side for the flat face. At ;east that way there would be only minimal need for flattening as the flat face of the chisel rubbed over the whole face will hollow the blade on a much lesser scale.
That said. In reality we never need to flatten the large flat face once it's done initially during restoration or the first preparation of the chisel. I always flatten and polish the chisel when new or restored. Once that's done it's over. The only part that wears, and it's not even wear but fracture, is the very cutting edge. We get to new unfractured steel by abrading the bevel only and not generally the flat face. That's that fastest way to create the new cutting edge. The large flat face simply gets polished more and more with each sharpening.
Brit,
You are of course right. If an existing stone is hollow and you don;t want to buy a new flat stone, flatten the large face with abarasive paper until flat. I go to 1500 grit wet and dry on a tile I prove to be flat. After that I polish the face with car polish until I see my face and the chisel is done and dusted forever pretty much.
Hope you are well. Greta getting together last year. Been in the US working on the new school in New York. had a great time with a bunch of woodies there.
Hello Al,
Yep. My son Joseph does a neat trick. He goes to 25,000 grit for his gouges and planes because he makes violins and cellos. He has a 3" x 3" x 10" block in a stopped cradle that clamps low in the vise. The cradle is 3 1/8" wide and 12" long with a stop at one end so that the square strop anchors against the stop. He covers each face with leather and charges each face with 15,000 chromium oxide and the next face with 18,000 and the last face with 25,000. The last face is hard leather only which he keeps free of any grit and uses purely for stropping and polishing or should i say buffing.
garagewoodworks,
I suppose when I think about it there is marginally more need for additional control, but I have done this for 48 years now and find one the same as the other now. Practice makes permanent.
That wasn't true then and Its not true now. I went to woodworking shows and watched all of the Gurus you know and respect and watched them create a hollow and then flatten it.
Once the use of sharpening aids became common, a flat stone is preferred simply because a concave stone would create a micro bevel. In other words, the back of the bevel would be off the stone while the front is in contact.
Given that a sharp end is the conjunction of two planes it is really unimportant whether you have a flat bevel surface or a convex bevel surface, as long as the two planes meet properly. With all due respect just because you have been doing it this way for 40 years does not necessarily mean it is a "better" way, or that a flat stone is not needed. It is simply another way of sharpening.
Hi Paul,
As always lovely to see your simple approach to things, I fully follow you and if it was not for the fact I love to stand by my pond with Japanese waterstones and enjoy the process, yes then I would take your way.
However as soon as I feel confident enough I will skip my Eclipse guide and use the magic of the hand.
Hope you are fine and with a smile.
Best thoughts,
Mads
I don't believe that that is the case at all. Both guide and blade follow the cove and so create an arc effect to the bevel of the cutting edge.
I wasn't so much boasting on my 40 + years but saying that for that length of time it has worked exceptionally well and it's so much easier all round. I feel that through daily use sharpening thousands of times this has proven a stronger more resilient edge than the small micro bevel. I explained earlier that there is a marked difference between micro-bevel and secondary-bevel sharpening.
Always good to hear from you Mads. This has been a busy start with the new New York school starting this year, but has been so good connecting with our fellow woodworkers stateside.
I still have time for smiles all around and today I am taking a break to catch up from my US tour.
Best regards,
Paul
Thanks Brit and Paul I can see that a concave bevel would be tougher, and of course I missed the obvious reason for a flat stone. I am a great believer in the axiom that "good enough is good enough" so if this method takes more time than the way I do it now, I will probably stick with my present method, but I do think it is well worth giving it a try. Thanks for sharing this with us Paul.
As always Paul, I am amazed by the extent of your expertise! I tend to not be able to hold a chisel dead flat (on the bevel) through out the entire stroke down the stone when sharpening by hand anyway. With your method I would just have to learn to control (rock back) my ineptitude. LOL
You know, this is such a natural way really that when you start thinking about it is when the issues begin. I didn't realise I was putting a convex bevel on my chisels and plane irons for the first 30 years of doing it every day, then people (gurus of woodworking somewhere in the distant past of Fine Woodworking) starting talking micro bevels and surgery os I started to question my own methods. Everyone and their dog was talking micro-bevels and before you know it you doubt yourself. I followed the ethos for a brief time but then realised this was really not much more than the emperor's clothes. Once people set up their own strategies and bought into using jigs, something no furniture maker, joiner, carpenter or woodworker at working artisans ever did as far as I ever knew did, it's hard to get them to change. Fact is anyone can master freehand skills in a heartbeat and before you know it that bike has two wheels and no rattling, bumping trainer wheels anymore.
""good enough is good enough" and who can tell me what is good enough?
I am never sure what is good enough or not.
If the chisel or blade cuts , is good enough or not or should it be sharper?
I tend to be a perfectionist in everything I do , that could be my issue.
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