📝 See The Supporting Blog Here! (Extra Info) freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/how-to-sharpen-a-chisel/ More of this style of content coming next year! Hopefully with more regularity too!
This is such a great product to be putting out for free. You Matt make it so easy to get into woodworking and i love you so much for it! Thank you from the buttom of my heart
Matt! Me and my wife got into woodworking mostly because we enjoyed your videos so much. A million thanks for these sharpening guides. I guess we did it correctly, as we ran out of bandages after going mental on mahogany end grain with freshly sharpened chisels. Maybe do a safety-oriented video on chiselling techniques next? Just kidding, keep doing what you do! BR from Finland.
Looks like you are explaining every single detail ... and especially it sound like you are doing this in front of idiots. So, thank you very much for the entertaining and with great educational value video, Matt:) Subscribed!
That was the best sharpening tutorial I've seen so far. All the necessary theory, all the practical advice, all done up in an entertaining package. Nice one. ♥
By far, one of the most excellent instructional videos I have seen in quite some time. Clear, concise, and well organized. Thank you for your efforts on this! I very much appreciate it.
Loved this video you explained everything with one exception. You showed the protrusion stop jig. Most newbies won't know that they need to make that jig. A angle finder is needed. That is the only thing I would recommend adding to this video. Other then that, I enjoyed it alot. Great job. I plan on watching more of your videos. PS I literally dropped my chisle a few times will working yesterday. It's been a while since using and sharing so wanted to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything and found your video. Made me laugh watching it bounce off everything, because I seem to drop mine alot.
Was a joiner for 26 years, 50 now not done it for a few years but was taught old school apprentice, first learn to sharpen your tools, saws was my favourite. Sorry first thing was making 14 cups of tea at the same time! Liked watching this video good tips. Made me think about coming back
Deadly sharp... I have watched you for years and I am still so impressed by your unswerving ability as a teacher. Thank you for the video! Merry Christmas Matt!!
Brilliant delivery, concise, full of all relevant information and no irritating music. With this approach you will succeed at whatever you turn your hand to.
Another benefit of the secondary bevel is lesser surface area to ‘stone’ so it’s also quicker to sharpen, especially on site. You’re also correct about the waste considerations too. Great video mate. Thanks
Good afternoon from a rather sunny day on in Essex: I’ve been trying to get in to woodworking for a while , with RUclips as my only guide. Up to now it’s largely been American creators with aircraft hangers full of commercial power tools. I’m glad I’ve found you as I was shocked when a chisel purchased to have a go wasn’t sharp straight from screwfix. Thanks for such a great video I’ll be binge watching for a while
I'm into my 60's and I was aware that everything needs to be kept sharp to work properly but wasn't aware it was such a rabbit hole! You have obviously been taught by craftsmen/women and have now become a craftsman yourself. Your passion and knowledge is precious. Thanks for sharing. I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet but I've seen old conveyor belting used on the floor in areas where you are likely to drop tools.
I’ve been learning sharpening for 5-6 years now, Matt, your a gem of information making the complex simple to understand, thanks for your dedication to the craft❤
Don’t do any wood working and don’t even own a good chisel, but I found this fascinating. A very professional presentation and throughly enjoyable to watch.
I’ve seen many sharpening videos over the years but this not only made perfect sense but also when I tried it I got a chisel that I could shave with in under a minute
One of the best sharpening tutorials I've seen. Keep it simple. Works every time. Been a woodworker for nearly 40yrs and I still follow the method used by a 60yr old from when I 1st started, grind, hone, strop. He stopped working 4.30 every Friday, opened his chisel roll of about 30 various chisels and sharpened the lot to razor sharp in in the last 30mins. Quick and easy.
You're a bad man. I own just about every single sharpening system around and have been eying up a Tormak for years. I would have saved so much cash (and time) going straight to it.
Excellent video. When you are in teaching mode, you really shine. I’ve been a (serious) amateur woodworker for 45 plus years and there have been dramatic changes in materials and techniques. Second to adhesives, sharpening has seen the most I believe. For me, the key to keeping a sharp edge (as opposed to setting it when bought new or after damage) is to make the process easy and quick. If it’s easy and quick, then I do it; if it’s complicated, then the temptation is to leave the process until the next time. And the next time. I also use a Tormek for the primary bevel. I then switch to a Veritas honing jig for the secondary bevel. There are 2 problems to that combination. Firstly, it is too easy for the chisel to move from square on the Veritas jig; if that happens, then your edge won’t be perpendicular to the whole blade. I don’t know why but I’ve tried 3 of these guides and once worn, they let the chisel move. Second issue is that the 25 degree setting on the Tormek is not the same as the 25 degree setting on the Veritas jig. At one point, I thought it was me but the ever-helpful people at Axminster confirmed that it was a known issue. You can compensate for it once you know the issue but with equipment costing an arm and a leg, it should be right first time. I also have and use the scary sharp system for when I’m out and about - that usually means some or daughters. All scary sharp is very refined abrasives stuck to a flat surface (eg marble or glass) and you work through the grits/microns. In that way, you have one piece of glass (in my case) about 12” x 6” which takes me from around 1000 grit upto 15000 grit. Very convenient but the abrasives are not that cheap to buy and it’s easy (for me) to tear them when in use. I’ve collected enough oil and Waterstones to re-pave my patio. As Matt says, keep it simple; for a quick re-sharpen, I might only use 4000 and 8000 grit. The Lie Nielsen jig is great but over £100. I have made a series of wedges out of stacked MRMDF and cut on my table saw to 27 and 32 degrees. With a strip of MRMDF down the side of each wedge, I can just reach for the 27 wedge (for a chisel) and put that secondary bevel back to perfection in 30 seconds. As Matt says, it matters not a jot if your primary or secondary bevel angles are not 25 or 27 or 30. Just keep the same angle and nobody will ever tell the difference. It’s not a dark art; it’s not difficult but I would suggest that you will never get satisfaction unless all your edge tools are as sharp as Matt shows.
I really love the free hand approach, two stones (and a really coarse one for grinding), finish on a strop. On plane irons and wide chisels I can feel the angle. Narrow chisels I fall back to a guide, otherwise I create a nice skew chisel for my pole lathe. No power outlets in my basement, so no Tormek for me. I follow Richard Maguire's method ("get sharp series"). But I agree, nice video, great summary, great presentation. I like the no rubbish approach (as always)!
@@pufango4059 in my experience, there are only 2 people who can afford to be so certain about anything. The first is Jesus and the second is a sociopath. You really do need professional help with your mental health. Without this, you never will grow up and be mentally stable
You convinced me, I subscribed. If I may add that the honing guide is extremely useful for those who do not have years of experience in honing by hand, also if the central wheel is replaced by two narrower wheels a bit further apart, with one wheel being very easy to tilt. Thank you so much.
The word you’re looking for is ‘distinct’. The chisel had a distinct dip. Great video btw. This is the way I was taught at school. So many others’ videos don’t demonstrate the secondary bevel. So happy to see the correct technique being demonstrated here 👌
For any newcomers debating the whole free hand sharpen vs honing guide thing. Here is my advice. Start out with the honing guide. Learn what the chisel should feel like and look like when it's truely sharp. Only then! should you try to replicate it freehand. Starting out freehand without someone knowledgable to show you or at least having something to compare against is a recipe for a frustrating experience.
Why would you ever want to freehand sharpen tools? What unknown benefit does that impart? Is it something you do to simply amaze your friends? Help me out here I'm trying to understand.
There is absolutely no advantage to sharpening freehand. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get as good results freehand, since you cannot maintain the correct angle during each sharpening stroke. It's easy to understand... It's the exact same reason you use miter guide and shooting board rather than cutting 90° and 45° freehand.
@@johncoops6897 there is actually an advantage to sharpening freehand. A convex edge can be more durable than a straight one is. As far as who can do what freehand that varies too.
I’ve been sharpening knives and chisel’s quite a while. Very well instructed mate. 👍👍👍 from East Tennessee. Ok I threw the mate in there to be cool. Still a very well done instructional video that anyone should understand. Crazy thing is I’ve owned a Tormek for like 5 years and have yet to open the box. I think I will break it out now. I’ve had a welder in box longer. It can wait. 😉✌️
I thought I was the only wood worker to purchase a tool or WW machine and have it sit in a box on the basement floor for up to a few years. Now I feel better. thanks
Welcome back, Matt. I don't know if I looked away and missed a vid, but I have missed your enthusiasm. And your teaching skillz (forgive my English language... I do know better).
Love Love Love this video and can't wait to view more. I'm a very novice woodworker collaborating with my son on a Kumiko project. After a few dozen pieces, my chisel is dull. That's how i found you. I feel like now know absolutely everything I need to sharpen my chisel. You make it look so easy! But now i need to order sharpening equipment.
Wow, good details and I learned some things. I've got an Ezarc Honing Guide and a two-sided (400/ 1000) stone I've been using -- this works for me and my 60s diabetic woodworking hands. Anyway, many thanks for providing this instruction, sir 👍
ok that works... and fast! provided the chisel wasn't used to emboss an epitaph from granite... But after it was flat and hand ground to about 25' it was a walk in the park on a sunny day. I had 3d printed a jig like yours but with 2 bearings... I am impressed by the repeatability and sharpness is offcourse off the chart! can't wait to use it. Thanx
Why in heavens name did Axminster let you go. Joy to watch, wish I had your knowledge and I'm 76 and thanks to you still learning. Keep the videos coming.
Thank you, Matt... never owned chisels before; used them to notch some wood as soon as they arrived from the seller... noticed mega edge damage, then realised there was no 2nd bevel edge on any of them.
The quality of this video is exceptionally sharp 😉 Really well made. I can be considered to be a bit of a perfectionist and I am in admiration!. Well done 👏
This was a great video! It really helped me to better understand what I feel is a bit of a daunting task as someone who is new to sharpening. Thanks for sharing!
Its 3:00 in the morning. I have nothing with wood nor the chiseling of it. Or a workshop… what so ever. Yet im 15 min in and ill keep watching. Its fun, informative and a great watch/listen
What an enlightened and entertaining young man you are my friend. Even an "old boy" like me (63+) can learn from a young whippersnapper! I've got just about the full gamut of chisels, from a 0.5 mm homemade chisel, used for stringing, to several 40 mm ones- one of which is a Japanese chisel, bought from "Roberts Tools", probably before you saw daylight for the first time! Forty years ago the stuff you're using today wasn't around, or wasn't easily available, so ... I learnt how to sharpen freehand. But I am coming round to the more modern, and more efficient, ways of going about it. There years ago I moved from Paris, France to Brittany in the west of France. 80%+ daily humidity has turned my chisels into lengths of rust. I stored them in a damp place while doing work on the house. There are a whole set of NOS (new old stock) Ulmia German chisels with fantastic steel- the closest to Japanese in hardness. These were further hardened by a Master craftsmen friend who is great at re-tempering steel. I'm going to have to hone a certain thickness to remove the rust pitting and get back down to a fine FLAT sole. In order to do this I have decided to use a large flat plate given to me by an engineering shop, and to go through different grits (I have plenty of hard steel to hone down) of Emery paper, before going back to water stones. Have you ever come across this particular problem, and what is your view of this approach please? I was a cabinet maker and furniture restorer for nearly thirty five years, and despite not actually doing much work, I would still like to get these tools back into razor sharpness. Greetings from France Ralph
I can report that after a couple of hours work, my chisels are much sharper. End grain oak test: not quite “knife through butter” - more “spoon through cheese” but getting there. It seems in the last couple of years of sharpening, I’ve completely neglected the back of the blades! They weren’t flat, that’s for sure. Thanks again Matt
Hi Matt! Never seen your channel but had this video suggested on my homepage. Nice work, but please get a stone holder, stone rocking on that mesh fabric is not consistent. Freehand sharpening for the win!
Thank goodness for a man that knows the importance of building and removing a burr to get a chisel super-sharp! Good video - my teacher was a master craftsman who taught me to build a burr and then "snap" it for the ultimate sharp edge. However, so few people seem to know about this traditional method of achieving super-sharpness.
Wow. Been a cabinetmaker for almost 50 years and never used a honing guide or a whetstone or a tormek. Dry grinder, oilstone and my palm as a strop, I guess when you work in a fast paced cabinet shop you get good at doing the basics quickly 🙂👍🇦🇺🇺🇲
Just seen your response, which is similar to mine. I guess the product of apprenticeships of old. I wouldn't decry the use of guides etc, plus to be honest being away from the trade for a long time now, probably these water stones and diamond stones have come to be popular after I would have been interested in buying them.
For quite some while I am using the VERITAS Mk.II Honing System the major set back being that neither planing blades nor chisels can be securly fastened perpendicularly to the surface; the screws easily loosen - and you are gone. Thus, it was not terribly difficult for you to "seduce" me to buy the VERITAS Side Clamping Honing guide which arrived whithin 2 days. It really functions and works wonderfully, keeping the blades / chisels very tight and securly in place. As we are talking about geometry, it is a bit tricky to make a precise jig for the different angles; today, I made something very close to the jig you're using. HOWEVER, this suggestion for further improvement: it will be helpful (at least for the beginner!) to make the jaws 2mm deeper; thus, the blade will stay in place when you loosen the screw to adjust the blade for the correct angle. Again: thank you very much for your knowledgeable advice!
I've just 'discovered' you Matt. I've got to say you cut straight to the chase and explain everything so clearly. And saying that it is not cheating using a honing guide, makes me feeling not so bad with myself. Thanks a bunch Matt.
At 10:15, Matt uses his diamond stone to flatten his water stone. At 13:09, he flips his 1000-grit stone over and flattens the 6000-grit side of the water stone on the same diamond stone he just used to flatten the 1000-grit side. Don't you have to wash the water stone and diamond stone thoroughly to remove the 1000-grit slurry generated earlier before flattening the 6000-grit side? Without washing, won't you transfer some 1000-grit to the 6000-grit side so that even the 6000-grit stone will function as a 1000-grit stone? As a related question, what is an appropriate grit for the diamond stone used for flattening? Thanks!
Matt's videos educate, whilst many RUclips woodworkers merely entertain. Wonderful stuff Matt ! A sub-30 miniute tutorial is ideal for content and attention span of the viewer. Well done again Matt, I'm learning so much from your tuition.
A caveat for all who may use the L-N or similar guide: tighten it down tight! If you do so only finger tight you may actually be presenting your chisel minutely out of 90 degrees to the stone. I have that mushroom-handled screwdriver Matt uses, and I should have used it! The result was regrinding to 90 degrees and an extra thirty minutes of hard work.
16:53 - I do fully agree with you on that one, but at the same time I have to admit I have respect for the craft. As someone who does alot of sharpening it is really impressive to me watching some of the absolute masters do freehand sharpening. It is also a hobby of mine and I spend time honing that craft, it makes me both relaxed and focused... and sometimes frustrated. If I just need a sharp knife/tool to do something though, even I will just slap it on a tormek or belt grinder so I can move on with what I was actually doing asap. Sometimes the process is the point, other times the result is.
📝 See The Supporting Blog Here! (Extra Info)
freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/how-to-sharpen-a-chisel/
More of this style of content coming next year! Hopefully with more regularity too!
This is such a great product to be putting out for free. You Matt make it so easy to get into woodworking and i love you so much for it! Thank you from the buttom of my heart
Thank you for all your work
Matt! Me and my wife got into woodworking mostly because we enjoyed your videos so much. A million thanks for these sharpening guides. I guess we did it correctly, as we ran out of bandages after going mental on mahogany end grain with freshly sharpened chisels. Maybe do a safety-oriented video on chiselling techniques next? Just kidding, keep doing what you do! BR from Finland.
The music in the background ruins your video/point. You are a very knowledgeable chap and I respect your advice.
Looks like you are explaining every single detail ... and especially it sound like you are doing this in front of idiots.
So, thank you very much for the entertaining and with great educational value video, Matt:) Subscribed!
Best sharpening video I’ve seen so far, very pragmatic, logical and beginner friendly. Great work, thank you 🙏🏼👍🏼
That was the best sharpening tutorial I've seen so far. All the necessary theory, all the practical advice, all done up in an entertaining package. Nice one. ♥
Paul Sellers does it better no need of any fancy electric tools.
By far, one of the most excellent instructional videos I have seen in quite some time. Clear, concise, and well organized. Thank you for your efforts on this! I very much appreciate it.
This is the most comprehensive instruction I've seen on sharpening. As we say in the States, you covered all the bases.
The word you were looking for is 'palpable'. Great video.
Loved this video you explained everything with one exception. You showed the protrusion stop jig. Most newbies won't know that they need to make that jig. A angle finder is needed. That is the only thing I would recommend adding to this video. Other then that, I enjoyed it alot. Great job. I plan on watching more of your videos. PS I literally dropped my chisle a few times will working yesterday. It's been a while since using and sharing so wanted to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything and found your video. Made me laugh watching it bounce off everything, because I seem to drop mine alot.
Superb exposition of the basic science behind the practise of this outstanding woodworker.
This was actually entertaining to watch and quite informative. Best presentation of process and procedure.
You would be a great shop teacher.
I find myself constantly coming back to this video as a refresher for the various stages in sharpening. Really comprehensive guide, thanks Matt
Indeed!
Got this vid saved in my DIY / Tools hotbar folder for easy access.
I appreciate you Matt, and the community. Love you all and hope your holidays have and will treat you well
Was a joiner for 26 years, 50 now not done it for a few years but was taught old school apprentice, first learn to sharpen your tools, saws was my favourite. Sorry first thing was making 14 cups of tea at the same time! Liked watching this video good tips. Made me think about coming back
Deadly sharp... I have watched you for years and I am still so impressed by your unswerving ability as a teacher. Thank you for the video! Merry Christmas Matt!!
Brilliant delivery, concise, full of all relevant information and no irritating music. With this approach you will succeed at whatever you turn your hand to.
Another benefit of the secondary bevel is lesser surface area to ‘stone’ so it’s also quicker to sharpen, especially on site. You’re also correct about the waste considerations too.
Great video mate. Thanks
Good afternoon from a rather sunny day on in Essex: I’ve been trying to get in to woodworking for a while , with RUclips as my only guide. Up to now it’s largely been American creators with aircraft hangers full of commercial power tools. I’m glad I’ve found you as I was shocked when a chisel purchased to have a go wasn’t sharp straight from screwfix. Thanks for such a great video I’ll be binge watching for a while
I'm into my 60's and I was aware that everything needs to be kept sharp to work properly but wasn't aware it was such a rabbit hole!
You have obviously been taught by craftsmen/women and have now become a craftsman yourself. Your passion and knowledge is precious. Thanks for sharing.
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet but I've seen old conveyor belting used on the floor in areas where you are likely to drop tools.
New conveyor rubber is even better
I’ve been learning sharpening for 5-6 years now, Matt, your a gem of information making the complex simple to understand, thanks for your dedication to the craft❤
Don’t do any wood working and don’t even own a good chisel, but I found this fascinating. A very professional presentation and throughly enjoyable to watch.
I’ve seen many sharpening videos over the years but this not only made perfect sense but also when I tried it I got a chisel that I could shave with in under a minute
One of the best sharpening tutorials I've seen. Keep it simple. Works every time.
Been a woodworker for nearly 40yrs and I still follow the method used by a 60yr old from when I 1st started, grind, hone, strop. He stopped working 4.30 every Friday, opened his chisel roll of about 30 various chisels and sharpened the lot to razor sharp in in the last 30mins. Quick and easy.
You're a bad man. I own just about every single sharpening system around and have been eying up a Tormak for years. I would have saved so much cash (and time) going straight to it.
So that's how you do it!! I've been trying for 70 years to get it right and now I see how. Ta Muchly!
A no bullshit concise tutorial about sharpening chisels - this is how I have always done it (since 1974) - well done
Someone who actually wants to impart information, in other words teach, rather than show off..brilliant. So much experience and expertise. Thank you.
Excellent video. When you are in teaching mode, you really shine. I’ve been a (serious) amateur woodworker for 45 plus years and there have been dramatic changes in materials and techniques. Second to adhesives, sharpening has seen the most I believe.
For me, the key to keeping a sharp edge (as opposed to setting it when bought new or after damage) is to make the process easy and quick. If it’s easy and quick, then I do it; if it’s complicated, then the temptation is to leave the process until the next time. And the next time.
I also use a Tormek for the primary bevel. I then switch to a Veritas honing jig for the secondary bevel. There are 2 problems to that combination. Firstly, it is too easy for the chisel to move from square on the Veritas jig; if that happens, then your edge won’t be perpendicular to the whole blade. I don’t know why but I’ve tried 3 of these guides and once worn, they let the chisel move. Second issue is that the 25 degree setting on the Tormek is not the same as the 25 degree setting on the Veritas jig. At one point, I thought it was me but the ever-helpful people at Axminster confirmed that it was a known issue. You can compensate for it once you know the issue but with equipment costing an arm and a leg, it should be right first time.
I also have and use the scary sharp system for when I’m out and about - that usually means some or daughters. All scary sharp is very refined abrasives stuck to a flat surface (eg marble or glass) and you work through the grits/microns. In that way, you have one piece of glass (in my case) about 12” x 6” which takes me from around 1000 grit upto 15000 grit. Very convenient but the abrasives are not that cheap to buy and it’s easy (for me) to tear them when in use.
I’ve collected enough oil and Waterstones to re-pave my patio. As Matt says, keep it simple; for a quick re-sharpen, I might only use 4000 and 8000 grit.
The Lie Nielsen jig is great but over £100. I have made a series of wedges out of stacked MRMDF and cut on my table saw to 27 and 32 degrees. With a strip of MRMDF down the side of each wedge, I can just reach for the 27 wedge (for a chisel) and put that secondary bevel back to perfection in 30 seconds. As Matt says, it matters not a jot if your primary or secondary bevel angles are not 25 or 27 or 30. Just keep the same angle and nobody will ever tell the difference.
It’s not a dark art; it’s not difficult but I would suggest that you will never get satisfaction unless all your edge tools are as sharp as Matt shows.
I really love the free hand approach, two stones (and a really coarse one for grinding), finish on a strop. On plane irons and wide chisels I can feel the angle. Narrow chisels I fall back to a guide, otherwise I create a nice skew chisel for my pole lathe. No power outlets in my basement, so no Tormek for me. I follow Richard Maguire's method ("get sharp series").
But I agree, nice video, great summary, great presentation. I like the no rubbish approach (as always)!
A serious amateur wood worker ! No such thing . Go back to your office job
@@pufango4059 in my experience, there are only 2 people who can afford to be so certain about anything. The first is Jesus and the second is a sociopath.
You really do need professional help with your mental health. Without this, you never will grow up and be mentally stable
@@pufango4059 I bet you're really fun to spend time around
U
thanks for nice info..i work with this tools 123 years and never knows some of your info....greetings from croatia
You convinced me, I subscribed. If I may add that the honing guide is extremely useful for those who do not have years of experience in honing by hand, also if the central wheel is replaced by two narrower wheels a bit further apart, with one wheel being very easy to tilt. Thank you so much.
The word you’re looking for is ‘distinct’. The chisel had a distinct dip. Great video btw. This is the way I was taught at school. So many others’ videos don’t demonstrate the secondary bevel. So happy to see the correct technique being demonstrated here 👌
You're a good teacher Matt i could watch your videos all day thanks.
For any newcomers debating the whole free hand sharpen vs honing guide thing. Here is my advice. Start out with the honing guide. Learn what the chisel should feel like and look like when it's truely sharp. Only then! should you try to replicate it freehand. Starting out freehand without someone knowledgable to show you or at least having something to compare against is a recipe for a frustrating experience.
Great shout, I like that.
Why would you ever want to freehand sharpen tools? What unknown benefit does that impart? Is it something you do to simply amaze your friends? Help me out here I'm trying to understand.
There is absolutely no advantage to sharpening freehand. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get as good results freehand, since you cannot maintain the correct angle during each sharpening stroke.
It's easy to understand... It's the exact same reason you use miter guide and shooting board rather than cutting 90° and 45° freehand.
@@johncoops6897 there is actually an advantage to sharpening freehand. A convex edge can be more durable than a straight one is. As far as who can do what freehand that varies too.
Thank you for explaining the purpose of the secondary bevel!
I’ve been sharpening knives and chisel’s quite a while. Very well instructed mate. 👍👍👍 from East Tennessee. Ok I threw the mate in there to be cool. Still a very well done instructional video that anyone should understand. Crazy thing is I’ve owned a Tormek for like 5 years and have yet to open the box. I think I will break it out now. I’ve had a welder in box longer. It can wait. 😉✌️
I thought I was the only wood worker to purchase a tool or WW machine and have it sit in a box on the basement floor for up to a few years. Now I feel better. thanks
Love your sense of humor and witty hysterical quips
this mans an international woodworking treasure. defend him at all cost.
Yessss! All channels have their own path and naturally yours should be instruction based videos. You have a knack for teaching.
Welcome back, Matt. I don't know if I looked away and missed a vid, but I have missed your enthusiasm. And your teaching skillz (forgive my English language... I do know better).
Love Love Love this video and can't wait to view more. I'm a very novice woodworker collaborating with my son on a Kumiko project. After a few dozen pieces, my chisel is dull. That's how i found you. I feel like now know absolutely everything I need to sharpen my chisel. You make it look so easy! But now i need to order sharpening equipment.
Wow, good details and I learned some things. I've got an Ezarc Honing Guide and a two-sided (400/ 1000) stone I've been using -- this works for me and my 60s diabetic woodworking hands. Anyway, many thanks for providing this instruction, sir 👍
Loving the knife display behind you
I want to start a business as sharpening, (chisel, grooming sissors etc) and this video was very helpful!! Thanks.
wow! Great presentation, dude! by far the most comprehensive & logically presented guide on the matter that I've seen, thank you
ok that works... and fast! provided the chisel wasn't used to emboss an epitaph from granite... But after it was flat and hand ground to about 25' it was a walk in the park on a sunny day. I had 3d printed a jig like yours but with 2 bearings... I am impressed by the repeatability and sharpness is offcourse off the chart! can't wait to use it. Thanx
The best intro on a tool channel ever, and the first time I really laughed loud!
Glad your back missed these video's
Through my experience with burning, rounding and using cutting blades I really appreciate and can confirm the advice given by Matt. Thanks.
Yes dude, yes! I loved this tutorial. So very useful. THANK YOU!! Great pace, great visuals, great, great tone. Well done mate.
"Bang on!" Learning new British slang every video!
Why in heavens name did Axminster let you go. Joy to watch, wish I had your knowledge and I'm 76 and thanks to you still learning. Keep the videos coming.
Best tutorials in RUclips! Thank you!
Excellent video. Very informative. Trying hand cut mortise for the first time. Need a very sharp chisel. Thanks for the video!!
How'd it go?
Much more concise and entertaining than the first version. I can see why you've been going through and remaking these.
Excellent guide. Knowledge is power!
Thank you
Thank you, Matt... never owned chisels before; used them to notch some wood as soon as they arrived from the seller... noticed mega edge damage, then realised there was no 2nd bevel edge on any of them.
Glad you are back to a how to video. Learnt shitloads by watching your channel. Thanks!!
Great explanation of techniques for us amateurs
great to see you back, favourite wood chanel of all.. all the love.
Great to see you back, missed this type of content
Excellent presentation. No wasted dialog when something doesn't work on camera. Very helpful and entertaining.
Love your videos. Always informative and done in a way that keeps me captivated. Thank you.
Good to see you back Matt. ☺
The quality of this video is exceptionally sharp 😉
Really well made.
I can be considered to be a bit of a perfectionist and I am in admiration!.
Well done 👏
Hello from Texas, Thanks for the sharpening tips!!
Lovely to see you back in business Matt! Good work!
The clarity, conciseness and depth of your tutorial videos are excellent. Thank you
This was a great video! It really helped me to better understand what I feel is a bit of a daunting task as someone who is new to sharpening. Thanks for sharing!
Nice to see you again! Have a safe and productive New Year.
Its 3:00 in the morning. I have nothing with wood nor the chiseling of it. Or a workshop… what so ever. Yet im 15 min in and ill keep watching. Its fun, informative and a great watch/listen
Very good. Thank you very much!
Many greetings from Munich
you explain every thing so well . awesome video
What an enlightened and entertaining young man you are my friend. Even an "old boy" like me (63+) can learn from a young whippersnapper!
I've got just about the full gamut of chisels, from a 0.5 mm homemade chisel, used for stringing, to several 40 mm ones- one of which is a Japanese chisel, bought from "Roberts Tools", probably before you saw daylight for the first time! Forty years ago the stuff you're using today wasn't around, or wasn't easily available, so ... I learnt how to sharpen freehand. But I am coming round to the more modern, and more efficient, ways of going about it. There years ago I moved from Paris, France to Brittany in the west of France. 80%+ daily humidity has turned my chisels into lengths of rust. I stored them in a damp place while doing work on the house. There are a whole set of NOS (new old stock) Ulmia German chisels with fantastic steel- the closest to Japanese in hardness. These were further hardened by a Master craftsmen friend who is great at re-tempering steel. I'm going to have to hone a certain thickness to remove the rust pitting and get back down to a fine FLAT sole.
In order to do this I have decided to use a large flat plate given to me by an engineering shop, and to go through different grits (I have plenty of hard steel to hone down) of Emery paper, before going back to water stones.
Have you ever come across this particular problem, and what is your view of this approach please?
I was a cabinet maker and furniture restorer for nearly thirty five years, and despite not actually doing much work, I would still like to get these tools back into razor sharpness.
Greetings from France
Ralph
Subscribed and liked, because I watched all the way to the end and enjoyed it.
Wonderful videos, thanks for another easy to follow lesson. We appreciate them.
Perfectly timed. Tomorrow’s job - sharpening my chisels (which is a nice way of decompressing after a full-on family Christmas 👍)
I can report that after a couple of hours work, my chisels are much sharper.
End grain oak test: not quite “knife through butter” - more “spoon through cheese” but getting there.
It seems in the last couple of years of sharpening, I’ve completely neglected the back of the blades! They weren’t flat, that’s for sure.
Thanks again Matt
Best breakdown I’ve ever seen…. Thank you!
Hi Matt! Never seen your channel but had this video suggested on my homepage. Nice work, but please get a stone holder, stone rocking on that mesh fabric is not consistent. Freehand sharpening for the win!
Love your videos and the humour that goes into them 🙂
Thank goodness for a man that knows the importance of building and removing a burr to get a chisel super-sharp! Good video - my teacher was a master craftsman who taught me to build a burr and then "snap" it for the ultimate sharp edge. However, so few people seem to know about this traditional method of achieving super-sharpness.
Wow.
Been a cabinetmaker for almost 50 years and never used a honing guide or a whetstone or a tormek. Dry grinder, oilstone and my palm as a strop, I guess when you work in a fast paced cabinet shop you get good at doing the basics quickly
🙂👍🇦🇺🇺🇲
Just seen your response, which is similar to mine. I guess the product of apprenticeships of old. I wouldn't decry the use of guides etc, plus to be honest being away from the trade for a long time now, probably these water stones and diamond stones have come to be popular after I would have been interested in buying them.
You are genuine nice guy. Wish you the best.
Yet another great video. Love your humour, makes life interesting. Not dull.
Brilliant presentation. Best yet
Best sharpening video I’ve seen so far
For quite some while I am using the VERITAS Mk.II Honing System the major set back being that neither planing blades nor chisels can be securly fastened perpendicularly to the surface; the screws easily loosen - and you are gone. Thus, it was not terribly difficult for you to "seduce" me to buy the VERITAS Side Clamping Honing guide which arrived whithin 2 days. It really functions and works wonderfully, keeping the blades / chisels very tight and securly in place. As we are talking about geometry, it is a bit tricky to make a precise jig for the different angles; today, I made something very close to the jig you're using. HOWEVER, this suggestion for further improvement: it will be helpful (at least for the beginner!) to make the jaws 2mm deeper; thus, the blade will stay in place when you loosen the screw to adjust the blade for the correct angle. Again: thank you very much for your knowledgeable advice!
happy to see you again at the workbench! Nice instructional video!
I love the new style of video Matt!!!
I've just 'discovered' you Matt. I've got to say you cut straight to the chase and explain everything so clearly. And saying that it is not cheating using a honing guide, makes me feeling not so bad with myself. Thanks a bunch Matt.
At 10:15, Matt uses his diamond stone to flatten his water stone. At 13:09, he flips his 1000-grit stone over and flattens the 6000-grit side of the water stone on the same diamond stone he just used to flatten the 1000-grit side. Don't you have to wash the water stone and diamond stone thoroughly to remove the 1000-grit slurry generated earlier before flattening the 6000-grit side? Without washing, won't you transfer some 1000-grit to the 6000-grit side so that even the 6000-grit stone will function as a 1000-grit stone? As a related question, what is an appropriate grit for the diamond stone used for flattening? Thanks!
Merci pour cette démonstration parfaite claire et complète.
Matt's videos educate, whilst many RUclips woodworkers merely entertain. Wonderful stuff Matt !
A sub-30 miniute tutorial is ideal for content and attention span of the viewer.
Well done again Matt, I'm learning so much from your tuition.
It is always good practice to learn something new. Thanks
Well, this was very educating, but he sure can talk, in a nice way, of course. Jolly good video 👍
A caveat for all who may use the L-N or similar guide: tighten it down tight! If you do so only finger tight you may actually be presenting your chisel minutely out of 90 degrees to the stone. I have that mushroom-handled screwdriver Matt uses, and I should have used it! The result was regrinding to 90 degrees and an extra thirty minutes of hard work.
Glad you are back happy Christmas and thank you for the refresher
This video series it the most comprehensive and informative video series on sharpening around. Great work Matt. Thanks for passing on experience
Great video. Very informative and entertaining. Thank you.
16:53 - I do fully agree with you on that one, but at the same time I have to admit I have respect for the craft. As someone who does alot of sharpening it is really impressive to me watching some of the absolute masters do freehand sharpening. It is also a hobby of mine and I spend time honing that craft, it makes me both relaxed and focused... and sometimes frustrated. If I just need a sharp knife/tool to do something though, even I will just slap it on a tormek or belt grinder so I can move on with what I was actually doing asap. Sometimes the process is the point, other times the result is.
excellent explanation. never ever seen better
That's good to see you again! Back to basics 🤩
Love this channel. It’s a genuine resource for wannabe-woodworkers like me!