Dull chisels are dangerous and useless. They slip, they tear wood, they require force that leads to accidents. Sharp chisels slice through wood like butter. Night and day difference.
The Angle
Primary bevel around 25 degrees. Secondary (micro) bevel at 30. The micro bevel is what actually cuts.
Don’t obsess over exact angles. Consistency matters more. A jig helps beginners stay consistent.
Sharpening Media
Oilstones – traditional, work great, need oil. Slow cutting but produce fine edges.
Waterstones – cut faster, need flattening regularly. My preference for most work.
Diamond plates – stay flat forever. Good for flattening backs and rough grinding.
Sandpaper on glass – the budget option. Actually works well. Start with 220, work up to 2000.
The Process
Back first. Flatten the back on your coarsest stone. Polish it smooth. This only needs doing once per chisel, but it must be flat.
Bevel next. Establish the primary angle, then hone the secondary. Work through grits – coarse removes metal, fine polishes.
How To Know You’re Done
Shave end grain cleanly. If it cuts clean shavings, you’re sharp. If it crumbles or tears, keep going.
Light reflection – a sharp edge won’t reflect light. Any bright spots need more work.
Maintenance
Strop between sharpenings. Leather with compound keeps edges keen for longer.
When stropping stops helping, full sharpen. Usually every few hours of use.
