Replies

1. 
   BrentS | May 25, 2009 04:19am | #1

   Hi Alan,

    

   Prepare the backs like any other chisel. For the bevels I use diamond files.

1. 
   alanplanesaw | May 25, 2009 04:38am | #2

   Brent,

   Thanks.  Polishing the back I know.  The challenge, to me anyway, is how to sharpen the bezel.  Particularly, how to sharpen in the inside corner of the L.

   Alan - planesaw

1. 
   joinerswork | May 25, 2009 11:07pm | #3

   Alan,

   Carver's slipstones.  Specifically, the knife-edged, wedge shaped ones.

   Just like sharpening a carver's vee chisel, only inside-out, and larger:-))

   Ray

1. 
   alanplanesaw | May 26, 2009 02:58am | #5

   Thanks Ray.  I'll look for the stones you are talking about.

   Alan - planesaw

2. 
   danmart | May 25, 2009 11:15pm | #4

   Allan

   If you have a 1" corner chisel, you have a "firmer" chisel. I have one I used for pounding corners in the early days of timberframing. As technique and time went along, most of the framers I was working with drifted to the Japanese chisels and finished corners with larger straight chisels.

   I made a departure of sorts when I decided(on my own) to move away from the steep angle bevel and go with a long and lean angle. I know others will say that isn't good for pounding with a heavy mallets but I found the corners needed a super sharp edge on the entire tool. For me, I chose to shape the tool differently when I saw this Japanese timberframer demonstrate this with his tool. He couldn't speak english very well but I got the message: his stuff was laser sharp. OK that's old news here.

   Instead of keeping the chisel dead straight around the entire corner he angled back the cutting edge from the corner so the points furthest from the corner were angled back. This gave a slicing cut as the point of the corner cut first. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. Bells and whistles went of that day. I dug my old boy out and reshaped it. I was one happy camper. Truthfully, when the doubters at the shop gave it a try they really liked it-- enough to regrind their old chisels. Might be something to try.

   I'd have to dig in the dusty box to find it these days. I'll see if I can find it. I am no longer pounding oak beams in the cold. Life in the shop pays the bills now(not much more)so I am not using the old "sword" like those days.

   Dan

   
   

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   Edited 5/25/2009 9:57 pm ET by danmart

1. 
   alanplanesaw | May 26, 2009 03:03am | #6

   Dan,

   Spent a week at Duke last month.  Wish I had had this "conversation" prior to that. 

   Anywho, I like the concept of what you are describing.  My guess, in looking at the corner chisel I picked up at the auction, is that the former user used a file to sharpen it.  And not real good. 

   I have done some work of flattening and polishing the back, but it still needs some more work to get it right.  I "hear" what you are saying about the angle of the bezel and the swept back look of the cutting sides.

   Now, my question, is how to "grind" the corner chisel?  If you were starting with one where the bezels are not good, how would you get started?  How would you then hone it and keep it sharp?  How in the sense of what tools?  Power?  By hand?  With what specific tools?

   Thanks,

   Alan - planesaw

1. 
   danmart | May 26, 2009 04:51am | #7

   How did I sharpen my corner chisels. Answer: quickly and painlessly or I would have given up on them like many other friends did.

   My solution was to us a small disk that I bought in a car parts store. They are small wheels with an arbor that you use with a pneumatic hand held grinder. They are usually about 2-3"diam. I put this in my drill press at the highest speed. I have a 2 axis table with a vise attached. I would put the chisel in at the desired grinding angle and just run the edge on the disc back and forth then to the arkansas(olde days).

   Lots of other guys used their belt sanders with a fine belt then touched it up with the stones. I did this and found it to be a good way to go especially out on the work site. In both cases you are working with a flat grind. May be an idea you can use?

1. 
   alanplanesaw | May 26, 2009 05:24am | #8

   Dan,

   I comprehend the belt sander approach.  (That might be what I try.)

   However, I want to understand the other.  Any chance you can provide a link that shows the 2-3" disks you are referring to? 

   Thanks,

   Alan - planesaw 

1. 
   danmart | May 26, 2009 01:00pm | #9

   I'll see what I can do.

2. 
   danmart | May 26, 2009 05:16pm | #10

   However, I want to understand the other.  Any chance you can provide a link that shows the 2-3" disks you are referring to? 

   Here is a photo of the tool I pulled out of the toolbox. It shows the disc and a pack of the extras I got from the local Advanced Auto. I might add, this is what I use to cut metal and shape hacksaw blades to make scratch stock tools(beads, coves..) It is great. The decision you have to make is: make the spinning tool stationary and move the object being shaped or lock the tool(chisel in your case) in a vise and free hand the grinder. With practice either one works. Wear goggles, it throws sparks big time.

   In my case I am showing a pneumatic tool, you can fit out a drill or another source to provide the speed. My friend uses these disc on his lathe. He likes to put his tapered drill chuck in the driving side of his lathe and put the tools on the tool rest to support the as he grinds. Unlike grinding on a wheel, you can see the surface as you grind. I have skews with hollow grinds and skews with dead flat grinds. I'll save this for another discussion I have to get back to the lower desk I am fitting out partitions on right now. I have my laptop on the table so I thought I would write to you on my coffee break.

   adios

   dan