How to Sharpen a Point on a Chisel

Woodoworking chisels only work properly when sharp.

With a steady hand and a keen eye, woodworkers create intricate detailed designs from wood pieces that others would just as soon burn or discard. A chisel is one of the woodworker's most important tools, slicing and peeling areas of the wood to help create the designs. A sharp chisel can cut smoothly and evenly across the grain of wood with minimum effort, while a dull instrument gouges and tears at the wood, creating scratches or holes. As a chisel dulls over time, the woodworker must sharpen the edge to maintain good technique.

Things You'll Need

• Grinder
• Grinding wheel
• Honing oil
• Sharpening stone with finishing side
• Leather

Instructions

1. Hold the chisel cutting-edge down against a flat wooden surface. Gently rock your wrist back and forth, applying pressure across the surface. If the chisel moves with your wrist, the end is uneven and must be ground. If not, move to step three.

2. Attach a medium grit grinding wheel to your grinder.. Hold the chisel flat in front of the wheel and slowly push it towards the wheel. You will see sparks fly when uneven parts of the chisel end contact the wheel. Grind the edge down until it is completely flat and straight.

3. Coat the sharpening side of a sharpening stone with honing oil to lubricate the chisel and prevent causing uneven edges. Hold the edge of the chisel directly perpendicular to the stone and move it in one direction across the stone. Do not go back and forth, as this can create irregular edges. Continue until the edge of the chisel is completely smooth and square.

4. Set the support of your grinder to an angle of 25 degrees, which is the angle of the head of most American chisels. Place the support directly in front of the grinder so that it can easily support the edge of the chisel.

5. Hold the chisel against the stone, using the support to create the angle of the chisel to the grinding stone. Manually turn the stone with your hand to create small marks on the chisel head. The marks should be in the direct center of the chisel's face; if not, adjust your support accordingly until it is in the proper place.

6. Activate your grinding wheel. Rest the chisel against the support and gently press the face of the chisel against the turning wheel. Move the chisel back and forth across the wheel's surface. Continue until the front face of the chisel is completely evenly ground, creating a smooth, reflective surface.

7. Oil the sharpening stone again and press the bottom of the chisel against the stone. Working in one direction, polish the bottom of the chisel against the stone until it forms a smooth, reflective finish.

8. Turn the chisel over and run the cutting edge lightly against the sharpening stone to remove burrs from the grinder. The surface should be completely smooth when you are finished.

9. Turn the sharpening stone over to the finishing side. Oil this side of the stone and run both the top and bottom edges of the chisel against this surface to remove burrs.

10. Hone the edge of the chisel by gently pulling it across the face of a piece of leather. This will remove any micro-burrs from the surface, creating a completely smooth cutting area.

Tips & Warnings

• Find grinders and other supplies for this project at woodworking specialty retailers and some arts and crafts or home improvement centers.

• If you are unsure about the make or angle of your chisel, you can measure it with a protractor.

• Grinding stones produce sparks and can cause shrapnel. Always wear protective goggles when working with grinders and sharpening stones.

References

• Bob Vila: How to Sharpen a Chisel
• Woodturning Wiz: How to Sharpen Chisels
• Corner Hardware: How to Sharpen Chisels and Plane