Worksharp and chisel angle

[jonathan55]

Worksharp and chisel angle

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I am starting to get bitten by the hand tool bug! I think one of the things that has held me back is sharpening or at least the mystique around sharpening. I finally practiced enough to sharpen a scraper and it's the coolest thing! I'm hooked! Chisels are next!

Yesterday I bought the Worksharp 3000.

I have a set of unused Marples chisels that I got when Rockler here went out of business. What angle is best for chisels? A secondary bevel?

Any thoughts are welcome!

Jonathan
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[herb fellows]

It really depends on your specific use, but generally I would say 25 degrees, with anywhere from 27 to 30 degrees for a secondary angle.
I think you'll like the Worksharp, especially if you're working difficult wood where you need a quick tune up frequently.

[Work Sharp]

Work Sharp here...

Our intention when developing the WS3000 was to provide a 25° bevel setting for common bench chisels. If you desire a keener edge for paring chisels for example, you can sharpen them to 20°. If you plan on using a mallet to stike your chisels then I would recommend a more robust 30° angle. The 35° setting was intended for mortising chisels.

What would I recommend?
Sharpen your Marples to a 25° primary bevel and then micro-bevel them on the 3600 grit micro-mesh at 30°. This will do two things: make a strong cutting edge and make re-honing the edge a 3 second chore.

Hope this helps. If you have any more questions please call us at 800-597-6170.
We love hearing from and helping our customers.

Work Sharper, Not Harder.

[phrog]

In his book, The Complete Guide to Sharpening, Leonard Lee states:
"Chisels work best when ground at the lowest possible included angle consistent with edge retention."
He suggests that a 25 degree bevel angle be used for "utility" chisels except in smaller sizes such as a 1/4 inch or narrower. His reasoning is that mallets are often used on utility chisels and if you hit the smaller chisel with the same force as a larger chisel, you will transfer more force to the narrower edge and, therefore, may deform the edge. He considers it appropriate to put a 30 degree bevel on these narrow chisels. I recommend Leonard Lee's book to anyone who is interested in sharpening.

Basically, his recommendations are the same as Work Sharp's.