Posted on Chopping Mortises Mangles Chisel?
|
#1 posted 268 days ago |
I had this same problem chopping the mortises for my bench in doug fir. What I did was buy the 7 piece wood handled chisel set from Harbor Freight. I flattened them really well and sharpened them up using the method that (some popular UK woodworker who’s name I don’t remember right now) showed in a youtube video. It is free hand sharpening where you lift the handle up more as you end the sharpening stroke. This creates almost a domed surface instead of a flat bevel. This creates a higher angle at the tip while reducing the amount of material you actually have to take off. This worked phenomenally for a few reasons: 1) the softer steel did not chip, 2) they sharpened quickly, 3) I could bash on them all I wanted without worrying about hurting anything, 4) the set comes with a 1 1/2” chisel which is great for those big mortises. Now, I’m not saying you have to do it this way, but it worked very well for me, and let me save my nicer chisels for more delicate work. -- Brian T. - Exact science is not an exact science |
