Official Luthiers Forum!

Wondering if anyone might know of a source. Would like to buy a second set for "good", kind of like a pair of Sunday trousers.
I will probably be chastised for this, but would like to save the time involved in sharpening to the "scary sharp" level.
Perhaps a supplier that offers a sharpening service?
Thanks
Nelson

Most new chisels don't come ready to use. Several of the retailers will sharpen them for you for a fee.

Well, to keep it scary sharp, unless you want to pay a small fortune, you'll need to learn to sharpen eventually. If you can learn to build a guitar, you can learn to sharpen. There are lots of lessons all over the internet on techniques. Buy a cheap chisel and use it to practice. It really isn't that hard, just a little intimidating at first like every thing else. Give it try!

As for time, the time invovled isn't much once you get it down. Old time woodworkers spent more of their day sharpening than using them, but you don't have to. It's just part of the game.Scott Thompson38466.6925462963

_________________
Scott Thompson
Port Townsend,WA

"In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room"
-Billy Bragg

Lie Nielsen is now making chisels and they come really sharp -- not to say you couldn't improve the edge on them, but they are the sharpest chisels I have ever seen right out of the box.

They are about $50 each though....

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I recently bought some japanees chisels from Grizzlyand they came with a nice sharp edge. Very good price too.

_________________
Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Nelson, Have you ever looked into a tormek or similar sharpening system? Once you get the technique down, it's a 30 tune-up on the stone and you're back in biz.

Nelson, that should have read 30 SECOND tuneupPwoolson38466.7680092593

I've always sharpened my own chisels using waterstones or the scary method but between 40+ hrs a week at my day job and 30+ hrs a week building archtops I'd rather spend my "spare" time cruising the OLF asking questions like this.
I mean, really, would you rather spend time sharpening chisels or conversing with your fellow OLFERS?
I see that the Lie Nielsens are made of A2 and look rather spiffy.
Nelson

I think the major problem with this idea is that the chisel's wouldn't stay sharp. Even if you used them very sparingly they would quickly dull and then they would be dull when you need them the most. You'd end up having to sharpen them anyway.

It would be nice of chisels came pre-tuned-up. I find the initial tune up process to be a bit of a chore. But you'll always need to sharpen them regularly. It's what I do while waiting for glue to dry.

Nelson,
I have several different sets of chisels( German, American and Japanese). I bought some Japanese from Japan Woodworker and they came sharp. They also seem to hold the edge a little longer. I don't know why but it does seem to be that way.

_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Being a woodworker and a woodcarver that does 95% of my work with hand tools only, sharp tools is something I understand well.

There is a difference between tuning your chisels to their required performance level and then keeping them sharp once you get them there. There are alot of good chisels out there and the major difference in the price is due to how much tuning is required on your part once you get it. For example, marples blue chips can be tuned to perform as well as any chisel out there, but it takes alot of work on your end. You are basically paying to not have to do that work when you get chisels like the Lie-Nielsons. Some of the steel does help hold the edge better, but most good ones once tuned hold their edge pretty well.

After a chisel is tuned properly keeping the edge is pretty easy unless you drop it, voice of experience. Most people struggle with sharpening because they never really complete the tuning process or even know that you have to do it, and they are trying to sharpen a chisel that isn't refined enough yet to hold the edge.

Let me know if you're interested in more information, there's lots available.

Larry,
Please tell more. I for one always seem to be in need of re-sharpening. I suppose it is for the very reasons you mention above. Any tips/techniques/etc would be Greatly appreciated. TIA

_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Looked at the prices of the chisels at Japan Woodworker.
Wow!
Makes a Tormek look rather inexpensive.
Nelson
npalen38467.6628009259

I used to be able to keep the chisels and plane blades very sharp without a lot of effort. Now it seems I've lost the touch. Gotta keep in practice, or it takes too much time. Once you learn how and keep the tools in good shape, it's a lot easier. Don't use them until you can't stand it any more, stop when they are still pretty sharp.

Anyone have any words of wisdom on how to keep waterstones flat?

appropriate grit of sandpaper on a plate of glass or granite works for me, or you can buy one of the expensive flattening stones/irons.

It sounds like most people just need practice and time, but if there is enough interest I would be willing to pull together a paper on tuning and sharpening chisels by hand. I don't use a tormex or a grinder.

There's information available in lots of different sources and different techniques and I would just be pulling together the different things that I think works well. I probably won't have anything to tell you that you don't already know.

I certainly don't want to take up anyone's time including my own if it isn't needed. Otherwise feel free to send me a message and I'll try to answer if possible.

I have a 'good' set and a day-to-day set. My father inlaw was over helping with the renovations one time, I came back from the hardware store to find he'd used one of the good ones to knock the heads off a few protruding nails. I nearly cried, I'd spent nearly an hour the day before honing all the good ones. I couldn't say anything about it being a $50 chisel, he was 'helping' after all.

Lock up the good set!