How To Sharpen a Chisel (The Correct Method)

📝 See The Supporting Blog Here! (Extra Info) freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/how-to-sharpen-a-c… More of this style of content coming next year! Hopefully with more regularity too

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.

I find myself constantly coming back to this video as a refresher for the various stages in sharpening. Really comprehensive guide, thanks Matt

Through my experience with burning, rounding and using cutting blades I really appreciate and can confirm the advice given by Matt. Thanks.

I appreciate you Matt, and the community. Love you all and hope your holidays have and will treat you well

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. ♥

Superb exposition of the basic science behind the practise of this outstanding woodworker.

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!!

This is the most comprehensive instruction I've seen on sharpening. As we say in the States, you covered all the bases.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Love your videos. Always informative and done in a way that keeps me captivated. Thank you.

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

Much more concise and entertaining than the first version. I can see why you've been going through and remaking these.

Thank you for explaining the purpose of the secondary bevel!

You're a good teacher Matt i could watch your videos all day thanks.

Love your videos and the humour that goes into them 🙂

wow! Great presentation, dude! by far the most comprehensive & logically presented guide on the matter that I've seen, thank you