Sorbey chisels not holding an edge
spitfire
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
Is it me or is it that Sorbey chisels simply do not hold an edge. I make a habit after finishing a project too sharpen all my chisels. I use water stones up to 8000 and always put a seciondary bevel too.
right now afte rtthis, I stared making drawers. My 1/4 inch Sorbey cannot hold an edge as I work on dovetails on red birch which is the secondary wood for my drawer sides and back! The edge seems to hold up better for the larger wider chisles but after 4 drawer sides I look at the edge and gee whizz its bent jagged etc. It is worthless.
The steel just does not seem hard enough. Interestingly I have a 1/4 inch master mechanic chisel identically honed and sharpend and it holds an edge much longer. It needs to be the steel
comments?
Replies
Spitfire,
Several months ago (last summer, IIRC), there were a number of comments on several woodworking forums covering this very subject. A number of people commented that their Sorby chisels would not hold an edge and suspected that it was the heat treatment. Others commented that there were no problems with theirs holding a good edge. The whole thing seemed to be rather hit or miss, as far as the quality control on the heat treatment went.
So...from the information that you posted, it looks like you may have gotten some of those chisels that have the poor heat treatment. I'd look at seeing whether you can exchange them for properly heat-treated chisels or get your money back. Another option would be to re-heat treat them -- either yourself or by someone with the knowledge/equipment to do so, if you don't have it.
Beste Wünschen auf ein glückliches und wohlbehaltenes Neues Jahr!
Tschüß!
Mit freundlichen holzbearbeitungischen Grüßen aus dem Land der Rio Grande!!
James
Danke!!
I can confirm the hit-or-miss thing with the Sorbeys. A year ago, I bought two Sorbey mortise chisels; a 1" and a 1.5". The 1" holds its edge really well. The 1.5" went dull after creating a single large mortise (1.5" x 2" x 1.5" deep) in red oak. I'd resharpen, pound out another mortise, etc. Very frustrating.
I took the bad chisel back to Woodcraft. They exchanged it, no questions asked, with the one remaining 1.5" chisel they had in stock. The new chisel held an edge for 2-3 of those big mortises at a time. I had to spend a LOT of time flattening the back of the thing though (it was a long ways out of true) and it doesn't hold an edge as long as that 1" chisel though. I would have returned it, but it's hard to find 1.5" mortise chisels and it did the job well enough.
Despite loving that 1" chisel (which I now suspect was a fluke), I will probably never purchase another Sorbey chisel. Life's too short to waste on unreliable suppliers.To the man with a hammer, all the world is a nail.
Barr.
Are these the ones with the octagonal boxwood handles?
If so, as stated, the steel is hit or miss.
Steepen the bevel until you are happy with the performance.
J.P.
Yes,
I purchased them on line I cannot even remember from whom!
Even a tool with marginal steel can be useful.Just play with the bevel angle a little.I am sure once you get a good edge that holds, the chisels will be OK.J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
JP,
Which way would you go. To a more or less acute angle.
You need to steepen the angle.If you have a 25 degree bevel, look to increase it to about 30 degrees to start.If you don't have a bevel gauge, then just eyeball it.I do not use a bevel gauge for my chisels. After a while, you will find what works and measuring the bevel will not even be a consideration when you go to re-sharpen.Do you have a grinder to help facilitate the process?J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
Yes, they have the octagonal hanldes!!
I wish I knew from whom I purchased them. I think it was form woodworkers supply on line.
I will check to see iof I can contact Sorbey directly and work something out
PLEASE!!! DO NOT STEEPEN THE BEVEL!!! The problem is obviously soft steel! You cannot make a good chisel out of soft steel with ANY sort of sharpening system. You could take a small propane torch and heat the chisel tip until the edge just begins to glow redly and then plunge the chisel into water. I have done this with many tools and the fix is pretty reliable, of pretty good quality, and takes but one or two minutes. Otherwise send them back for new ones as they are definitely defective.
Personally I could fix them a LOT faster than I could package them and ship them... so I would do that. When you fix them as I describe only a small section of the tip is hardened... so after several regrindings (likely also several years) you may need to repeat the process.
Whats wrong with steepening the bevel?J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
Steepening the bevel has no effect on the source of the problem. I am assuming that he wants chisels to cut wood with. Soft steel won't cut well with ANY bevel angle. It is easy to harden the edges though, and then he'll have a fine working chisel.
Edited 1/27/2007 12:17 am ET by bigfootnampa
Changing the bevel is a prety quick and easy way to test. Before getting out a torch and possibly ruining a tool. Of course if it is a piece of junk already then I guess there is not much lost.I used a set of the blue marples chisels for years before getting a better set. When chopping I noticed a better edge retention with steeepening the bevel. The steel of those blue chisels was relatively soft, but with changing the bevel, they became quite serviceable.Of course this is just my experience. Can't say for sure that anyone else would have the same experience using this technique.J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
As mentioned, if you are chopping the DT's waste out, just steepen the bevel. Many new chisels come at 25 degrees or so and it is expected one will begin honing a steeper bevel.
I have some Sorby paring chisels. Must have gotten decent ones. I did add a 3-5 degree micro bevel which once it grows to encompass more of the primary bevel, I grind it back low and begin again. Hold up well.
For the bench chisels, expect to use a 30 or even 35 degree bevel. Use as low as you can for penetration, but really, if you are chopping the waste out penetration isn't as much an issue. Holding the edge is. So just begin honing a steeper bevel until you obtain a balance between penetration and edge retention.
Take care, Mike
Spit, thanks a million, in reality about $450 for the 9 -piece set that I was a mouse click away from ordering . Money is not the problem, quality is.
I have been looking for a complete set of high quality bench chisles for some time. I do have a fine bunch of oldies-great steel and edges- but I want a full rack of new bench chisles to go forward. Not what LN/ the new brits etc. want to sell. I was looking for Henry Taylor (as I have their carving tools) but can find no merchants at a reasonable price or availability. I insist on fractional inches a 1/8 to at least 1 1/4 not mm. Thanks again, Paddy
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