Mortice chisel cleaning?

[Scoly2803]

Started playing with my mortise machine and found that after the first cut there was a buildup of wood particles on the outside flat surfaces of the chisel.
How do you clean this? I tried sandpaper and it was very slow. Seems it might be best to soak a bit.
What can I do to stop the build up? Is this just typical?
Thanks
Steve

[Tom Miller]

Never seen (or heard of) anything like that on my mortise chisels, so I'd have to say definitely not typical.

What kind of wood are you working with? Is it pitch buildup? These surfaces should be lapped shiny smooth, in which case it's hard to imagine anything (except perhaps pitch) building up. After lapping smooth, a good waxing would be next.

Regards,
Tom

[justaguy]

Maybe the chisel had an anti-corrosive protective coating that was not removed?

[Scoly2803]

Tom
Yeah! Pitch buildup. The wood is walnut. Will get out the glass plate and sandpaper to smooth the sides and give them some wax.
Thanks
Steve

[LCHIEN]

I wouldn't be so fast to use sandpaper on my cutting tools!
Try some pitch remover blade cleaner first or simple green and if that works, then wax it.

Just doesn't seem right to me to be sanding on them.

[Tom Miller]

Just doesn't seem right to me to be sanding on them.

That was my initial reaction, too. But when Steve mentioned the glass plate, I assumed he was into the "scary sharp", which I think is just the ticket to get the (clean) lapped surface.

If it's pitch on the sides, though, a cleaner (naptha) would be a good first step.

Regards,
Tom