bevels/microbevels on chisels

[Zz Yzx]

I've been collecting a set of Japanese-style bench chisels. According to FWW review (Issue 200), I've been collecting some damn good chisels.

My intended use is on hardwoods, for cleaning joints, removing waste from dovetailes &tc. I have mortising chisels for the heavy work. And I've spent quite a few hours flattening/polishing the backs and bevels.

So far, I've been keeping the supplied 25 deg bevel angle on the chisels with no micro-bevel. I'm considering using a micro-bevel.

I've built a jig to set micro-bevels at 26.5, 27.5, and 30 deg.

What di you guys/gals do on your bench chisels?

Thanks a heap,

-Zz

[Chris Friesen]

I start off on the 1000x, then add a degree of microbevel for the 4000, and another degree for the 8000.

You may experience some chipping at 25 degrees on a japanese chisel. If so, you can increase the microbevel until the chipping goes away.

There are those that say to avoid microbevels on japanese chisels (not sure why). There are also those that avoid microbevels on chisels entirely on the grounds that it makes it harder to use them bevel-down.

Try it and see what you think...the worst that can happen is that you have to grind it off.

Chris

[Michael Faurot]

None of that. :) I don't worry about the bevel angle at all. Nor do I really use jigs or fixtures. The only thing that comes close is the angle I have set on the tool holder of my wet grinder. I couldn't tell you what the actual angle is, I just went with what seems to look right and works well.

Once I have an initial bevel set or I've reground a bevel on a chisel after it's started to get a little too round, I just hone free hand on stones and then strop.

[sheldon.mandel]

Microbevels make it easier to resharpen. Eventually, the microbevel becomes the whole face of the chisel... It's not hard to do, and it makes the tune-up sharpening shorter.. I would avoid a microbevel on the mortising chisels....

shelly

[Chris Friesen]

My technique is different...because coarse grits cut faster, the overall time is basically the same to through the grits and microbevels again as to stay with the final microbevel on the fine stone.

Also, my english mortising chisel explicitly suggests a microbevel should be used.

Chris

[Klas from Creum]

Hi, I am an old cabinetmaker living in Sweden. Being an apprentice long time back, the old man taught me how to grind a chisel. I stuck to what I learned from the the old man during all my life but never met other colleges grinding in the same way. Only today I heard of micro-bevel. Now I can speak of my way to grind a chisel as micro-bevel as "mikro.egg" in my language. Written on a sunny autumn day, Thanks and have a nice day, Klas