At what angle are wood chisels sharpened? How to sharpen your knife to razor sharpness yourself

A wide range of tools are used in carpentry for various purposes. If professional carvers mainly use electric saws, knives and jigsaws, then they are more in demand in households hand-held devices, which includes a chisel. It is affordable and easy to use, but requires regular maintenance. The convenience and accuracy of wood processing will depend on the quality of sharpening of the chisel. Exist different ways restoration of incisor sharpness, the most effective of which will be discussed below.

Tools and consumables for sharpening

The simplest device for straightening hand carvers is a whetstone. It can be used without special equipment, held in the hands and making reciprocating movements to exert a mechanical effect on the target surface. To avoid injuring your hands, you can wrap one side whetstone with a thick rag or make a sheath to hold it. The stone itself may have different characteristics. Main parameter choice - grain size, that is, the depth of the stitch.

Helps improve the productivity of a work operation special device for sharpening chisels in the form of a sharpening device. In a sense, it is a machine tool, but without an electric drive. Its design is designed to perform two tasks: gripping (a stone or a file) and performing mechanical reciprocating movements on the frame. The work is performed by the user himself, but due to the guides and rigid fixation of the workpiece, the efficiency of processing the cutter surface increases.

Sharpening technique

You should start working on the flat side of the knife. Proper sharpening of this surface will be indicated by the presence of mirror reflection. Regardless of the tool used, during dressing the chisel should move back and forth along the abrasive. If the knife is fixed, then the stone or file will also be directed in a reciprocating pattern. It is important to hold the working element with both hands and make movements smoothly along one trajectory without deviations. As for the pressure, it depends on how dull the chisel is. Sharpening in carpentry workshops is usually carried out in several stages with abrasives of different fractions - gradually moving from coarse to fine grains until finishing. After completion of the operation, dust, metal chips and other waste should be removed with a vacuum cleaner.

Angle editing and chamfering

Maintaining a suitable angle of inclination when sharpening is one of the main conditions for obtaining a high-quality sharp cutter. The correct bevel geometry can only be determined on a grinding device with a bed, which was already mentioned above. On modern models, a scale is provided on which the sharpening angle of a wood chisel is set - on average from 20 to 35 degrees. So, for a regular chisel an angle of 25 degrees is suitable, and for a cleaning chisel - 20.

The chamfer is located directly opposite the abrasive. Again, they often start with coarse-grained stones, but if the cutter is in tolerable condition and requires only light dressing, then you can initially use a medium-grain abrasive. When making minor adjustments or grinding the tip of the cutter, it is important to keep in mind that the surface of the stone itself may be deformed to the point of being unsuitable for further work. This happens when used small area abrasive surface, which leads to the formation of a so-called grinding cavity. The technique of uniformly working with a block along the entire length of its surface will help eliminate the risk of the formation of such a defect.

Final polishing

After the main correction of the chamfer, the important stage of grinding follows. It differs in that the blade achieves optimal condition in the cutting edge part. To solve this problem, polishing devices like leather and felt abrasive wheels and belts are used. Preferably as power unit or carrying tool, use an electrically driven sharpening machine. There are compact household models that are equipped with grinding discs. In this format, the chisel is sharpened by rubbing with an abrasive paste. As work progresses, the operator applies the mixture several times to the blade and working surface of the tape or circle. As an alternative to special sharpening oils, experienced carpenters suggest using soap solutions. However, the soap itself should not be made on an organic basis, otherwise the surfaces of the cutter and abrasive will become greasy.

Features of sharpening chisels and plane knives?

Planers are equipped with knives that are similar in appearance to a chisel blade. Moreover, in some models they can be almost identical in cutter characteristics. But most often the plane is equipped with thinner, rounded knives, thanks to which, by the way, the carpenter can make complex selections of wood pulp. Accordingly, you will need an abrasive that is not as rough as a whetstone - for example, many people use sandpaper of different fractions, as well as polishing devices. If we talk about the differences in the sharpening techniques of chisels and planes, then in the second case less effort is applied when pressing the abrasive onto the working surface. The operation itself is more reminiscent of a finishing process or finishing metal

Conclusion

The nature of the implementation and overall organization of procedures for servicing a chisel may vary depending on the nuances of its operation. It’s one thing if the tool is rarely used and restoration of the blade is required only as a superficial finishing touch, and another thing is regular work with wood in household. In the first case, sharpening the chisel can be done manually with grinding stones, but in the second case, more productive special units will be required. The home craftsman may be faced with the question of choosing the appropriate equipment. According to experts, the optimal result is ensured by household equipment. Possibility of equipping it with different degrees and adjusting the rotation speed allows you to cope with sharpening the knives of chisels, planes and other cutting tools.

For taking out wood in recesses or for chamfering, as well as for trimming wood during processing furniture products, used cutting tool, which is called a chisel. The main components of a wood chisel are a steel blade and wooden handle. There are three types of it: chisels for wood carving, chisels for turning and carpentry chisels.

Working with a chisel is a very complex and time-consuming process, which involves pressing your hand on the tool. If additional effort is needed when chiselling, you can use a special carpenter's hammer, which is called a mallet. Hard wood is used to make it. It should be noted that the mallet is used only for chiselling, and if stripping or trimming is performed, only the chisel is used.

The size of the chisel is selected according to the size of the place that needs to be hollowed out. When working, it is mainly held in the left hand, and in the right, if necessary, the mallet is held. The work begins with light blows, then, depending on the depth, the blows should be stronger.

Sharpening the chisel.

Sooner or later, the chisel blade will become dull and will need to be sharpened. A sharpening stone or whetstone is used for this, but these methods are outdated. Now there are a lot various devices, with which you can sharpen the blade of the tool.

The size of the sharpened angle of the blade depends on what work the tool will be used for. The smaller the sharpening angle, the sharper the blade will be. Of course, it is easier to work with such a chisel, but its wear also increases significantly. The best option will be when the blade sharpening angle is 25 degrees.

If sharpening will be carried out on an abrasive machine, then you first need to set the desired angle, and then clamp the blade in the shoe. It is polished from the beveled side, periodically turning the chisel, now to the right, now to the left. When sharpening, the blade will be hot; to cool it, you can use a special liquid or just cold water.

It is not advisable to sharpen the blade at a small angle. As a rule, after sharpening, a sharp edge is formed on it, which needs to be ground. To do this, you can use a whetstone; grinding is done in a circular motion, turning the blade in different directions.

Come to our workshop.

This article is devoted to sharpening chisels for wood carving. Many novice carvers are interested in the question of how to properly sharpen a tool. Typically, chisels and knives are sold prepared for use, sharpened and refilled. For example, a Tatyanka tool is supplied in this form. Read about it here.
But in the process of work you have to deal with a dull cutting edge and even chips. Chips occur as a result of incorrect movement of the tool when a novice carver tries to select (break out) uncut material. So I got my hands on 2 Tatyanka chisels No. 6. One had slightly noticeable chips on the edge, which, however, significantly interfered with carving; the chisel tore the wood. They tried to sharpen the second one on a knife block, as a result it became unsuitable for wood carving. I have collected examples of defects on the Tatyanka instrument and methods for correcting them in album of the VKontakte group.
I use the hand sharpening method because it is easy to use and the materials are readily available. On the Internet there is a large number of video about sharpening sharpening machines However, without experience, there is a big risk of damaging the instrument, so we’ll leave this option to the professionals. For sharpening we need:

  1. Sharpening stone
  2. Sandpaper No. 80, 280, 600 (waterproof)
  3. Leather dressing belt

So, let's go. I use the sharpening stone for rough processing when leveling the chipped surface of the tool. Alternatively, you can take a sharpening wheel and grind off the excess metal there. The most important thing is not to overheat the tool, otherwise tempering will occur (a change in the structure of the metal, which will affect its rigidity). This is achieved by periodically lowering the instrument into water. Also, an electric sharpener can be used during the initial sharpening of a tool, to remove the initial chamfer.

Then place the sandpaper on the sharpening block. Place the tip of the chisel on the paper. By adjusting the lift of the end of the chisel, we set the future sharpening angle of the tool, approximately 20-25º. It is best to use waterproof sandpaper and wet it when sharpening. In my case, #60 cloth sandpaper is not waterproof, so it will quickly become greasy when sharpening. We begin to move the chisel along the block, you can press it with your left hand. The question arises, how to sharpen a chisel if it has a semicircular profile? You need to mentally divide the cutting edge into several equal planes and sharpen evenly in each plane. After sharpening on rough sandpaper(No. 60) go to No. 280. This sandpaper on paper based, waterproof, so I wet it with water. Sharpening on wet paper is more pleasant and easier. On this sandpaper you can make rotational movements, i.e. Try to sharpen the entire edge in one pass. At the same time, do not forget about the sharpening angle. We switch to the smallest paper No. 600. We finally finish the cutting edge of the chisel. I check the quality of sharpening on the wood; if the cut is clean, then you can move on to the final stage - straightening (refueling) the tool.

Editing is done on a leather belt, lubricated with GOI paste. This stage is described in more detail in the article on. In short, this stage is needed in order to eliminate micro-irregularities on the cutting edge, because when sharpening, the edge is a saw, where the teeth are determined by the grain size of the abrasive. We need the chisel not to saw, but to cut. If the chisel becomes loose and starts to cut worse, then it needs to be re-threaded. You can also edit the instrument on a felt wheel with GOI paste mounted on an electric drive.

The chisel is ready. Good luck with your carving everyone!

There is one true rule: a sharp blade is much safer than a dull one. It's right! The rule applies not only to the production of sharp edges of a chisel, but also to other carpentry and even kitchen appliances. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary that the pointed edge of the chisel is regularly cleaned at least a couple of times a year. If the tool is actively used in work, it is necessary to clean it much more often.

First stage

Even a set of brand new chisels that have not yet been used in work may not be suitable for starting to work with them. Even though they remain sharp for a very long time, you should know how to sharpen a chisel Right. After all, the quality of the work performed depends on this.

If the joinery is a little old, has a little uneven edges or rust, then you can correct this with a sanding wheel. Gently hold the beveled chisel against the grinding wheel to remove large burrs and rust.

To work, you need a three-level sharpening stone - the smallest, beginner and medium, in order to achieve greater sharpness of the chisel. Sharpening stones can be purchased at hardware stores or garden stores, they are quite often used for sharpening kitchen knives. The stone you purchase should come with lubricant, or purchase it separately. Note:

  • Do not use water-based lubricant on oil stones. You need to buy for them special means in construction stores;
  • Waterstones prefer water as a lubricant. They need to be soaked in ordinary water for a few minutes, after which they can be used. This method is quite common in Japan.

Now you need to prepare the stones accordingly. Usually such stones come with instructions. Instructions are also written for oil lubricants.

Sharpening a chisel

We start sharpening ours from the flat side, it should be so sharp that it will look like a mirror. We begin to move the tool intensively along the sharpening stone. It is important that when sharpening, your hand is fixed, so the chisel will be sharpened smoothly. Do not allow yourself sudden movements: everything should be slow and as smooth as possible.

When minor scratches begin to appear on the whetstone, move to the fine-grained side, and then to the very fine side. The flat or, as it is also called, the even side of the tool will be ideally sharpened when it begins to look like a mirror.
Some tips:

  • You cannot move either the whetstone or the chisel from side to side. We move only along the length of the sharpening stone.
  • When working, use the entire surface of the whetstone.
  • Be sure to clean your hands and chisel from dust, as it will obscure appearance products.

Wood chisel sharpening angle

This can be done manually, but there is a very high chance of making a mistake. To get the perfect bevel angle, place the chisel in special device To sharpen, tighten the screws so that the product is firmly secured. The angle of inclination largely depends on the type of chisel being sharpened:

  • cleaning the chisel - set at an angle of about 20 degrees;
  • for a regular chisel, increase the angle by five degrees.

Additional finishes

Usually, after sharpening, the chisel can already be used, but if you want it to be even sharper, then it makes sense to add a microbevel. In fact, this is another small bevel, which is made at the very tip of the chamfer. This is a necessary step when performing very delicate and precise work. To make a micro-bevel, you need to adjust the sharpening apparatus to work at an angle of 5 degrees. Repeat the work done using a fine-grained stone.

With the help of a knife we ​​cook food, cut food and do other housework. Therefore, it is very important that the knife blade always remains sharp. Theoretically, there is nothing difficult in sharpening knives, but in practice it turns out that not everyone can sharpen a blade well. To have an idea of ​​what to sharpen knives with and how to do it correctly, we recommend reading our article.

Before you start sharpening a knife, you need to find out what material it is made of. There are several types of knives:


  • Carbon steel knives are the most affordable, made from an alloy of iron and carbon, easy to sharpen and remain sharp for a long time. Among the disadvantages, it can be noted that the knife blade oxidizes from interaction with food or an acidic environment, due to this, rust and stains appear on the knife, and food acquires a metallic taste. Over time, after plaque forms on the blade, oxidation stops.

  • Low carbon knives of stainless steel- made from an alloy of iron, chromium, carbon and in some cases nickel or molybdenum. Stainless steel knives are inferior in hardness to carbon steel, so they quickly become dull and require regular sharpening. The advantages include corrosion resistance.

  • High carbon stainless steel knives – more high class knives with a high carbon content and additions of cobalt or vanadium. Due to the higher quality alloy, this type knives do not require frequent sharpening and are not subject to corrosion.

  • Damascus steel knives are mainly made as edged weapons, but there are also kitchen options. Damascus steel knife is a multi-layer blade made of different alloys High Quality. The disadvantages include the high cost of knives.

  • Ceramic knives have gained popularity due to their sharpness and ability to long time don't be dumb. But in addition to their advantages, ceramic knives have a significant disadvantage, which is their fragility when dropped from a height and poor resistance to fracture.

    • Sharpening tools

    Touchstone (sharpening stone)


    Sharpening stones are available with different quantities abrasive grains per square millimeter. Therefore, for rough sharpening and finishing grinding, you need to use bars with a minimum and maximum abrasive content. In foreign-made whetstones, information about the number of abrasive grains is on their labeling. Sharpening stones domestic production you have to choose “by eye” or ask the seller which whetstone to use for initial sharpening and which for final sharpening.

    Mechanical sharpener


    Mechanical sharpeners are mainly used for sharpening kitchen knives. Although the sharpening process is quick, the quality leaves much to be desired. For this reason, for hunting and sporting knives, it is recommended to use other sharpening methods.

    Electric sharpener


    Modern models electric sharpeners allow you to achieve high quality sharpening due to the built-in function of automatically determining the angle of the blade. The electric sharpener is great for both household use, and for sharpening knives in catering establishments. The lineup There is a wide range of electric sharpeners, so the price may vary, but if you want your knives to always remain sharp, then buy more “advanced” and expensive models.

    Musat


    Musat - designed to maintain the sharpness of the knife edge. In shape, the musat resembles a round file with a handle. Musats are included in knife sets, and many owners often confuse them with a tool for fully sharpening a blade. Please note that with the help of musat you can maintain the sharpness of a sharpened knife, but if the knife has become completely dull, you will not be able to sharpen it with musat.

    Sharpener "Lansky"


    This sharpener is used for sharpening small and medium-sized knives. The design of the sharpener allows you to sharpen the blade at the angle you choose. The Lansky sharpener consists of a rod with a removable touchstone and two corners connected to each other. The corners simultaneously serve as a vice for the knife and a scale for selecting the sharpening angle. The sharpener kit also includes sharpening stones of different grits with ANSI markings.

    Sharpening and grinding machines


    Sharpening machines are used mainly in production for high-precision sharpening of rotating shaft blades. In addition to high-precision machines, there are abrasive wheels with electric drive and rotating discs for grinding. Sharpening knives on such machines should only be done by an experienced craftsman, because due to the speed of rotation of the circle or disk and high temperature heating, with any unsuccessful movement, the knife blade will become unusable.

    Do-it-yourself blade sharpening

    Sharpening a knife using a whetstone

    Sharpening of a blade made with a sharpening stone is considered to be of the highest quality, of course, provided that it was carried out by experienced master. To sharpen a knife on a whetstone, do the following:


    How to sharpen a knife using a sharpening stone, see also in the video:

    Sharpening a hunting knife on a Lansky sharpener

    Hunting knives are made of hard steel, so their initial sharpening requires sharpening stones with a low content of abrasive grains.


    How to sharpen knives in a Lansky sharpener, watch the video:

    Sharpening scissors

    Sharpening of scissors must be done on a special sharpening machine. Sharpening blades using improvised materials (sandpaper, the edge of a glass, etc.) can temporarily improve the sharpness of scissors, but not for long. If you do not have the opportunity to have your scissors sharpened by a professional, you can try to sharpen them yourself on an abrasive stone. When sharpening you need to follow a few simple rules:


    When sharpening scissors, do not rush; patience will be your ally in this matter.

    You can also watch the video on how to quickly sharpen scissors:

    Sharpening plane and chisel blades

    Sharpening the blade of a plane and a chisel are practically no different from each other. Therefore, the sharpening process described below applies to both tools:


    Besides manual sharpening, the chisel can be sharpened on a machine with a rotating abrasive disk:


    Do not forget that when sharpening products on a machine, a lot of sparks and small particles are generated that can get into your eyes, so be sure to wear safety glasses. To avoid damaging your hands on the rotating disk, wear gloves.

    You can also learn how to sharpen tools from the video:

    Tips for quickly sharpening a blade using improvised tools

    Stone

    You can quickly sharpen a knife on a hike or on a picnic using an ordinary cobblestone. Use any stone lying on the ground instead of a whetstone and run the knife blade along its surface. You won't achieve razor sharpness, but you will return the knife to working condition.

    Second knife

    Sharpen two knives at once, without sharpening stones and devices, it is quite possible. To do this, you need to take a knife in both hands and begin to sharpen the blade of one knife on the blade of the other. After 5-10 minutes of this work, the knives will become sharper than before.

    Glass objects

    The knife blade can be slightly sharpened on the rough edge of glass or ceramic objects. For example, about the bottom of a glass or the edge tiles. The main thing is that the surface is rough.

    Leather belt

    A leather belt is more suitable for finishing and shaping a knife blade razor sharp than for rough sharpening. But if there is nothing at hand except a belt, then you can try to sharpen the knife on it. To do this, you need to tighten the belt and start moving the blade along it; you may not achieve strong sharpness, but you will polish the knife to a shine.


    By learning to sharpen knives and tools yourself, you will acquire a skill that will be useful to you throughout your life!