Sharpening chisels help

[Chris Hogg]

Using several grades of abrasive papers successively, finishing with a very fine grade, produces extraordinarily sharp tools.

[John Rumm]

It applies to both, although is perhaps more important for hand sharpening. You also grind away the chisel more slowly since each sharpening is not taking quite as much material off.

[John Rumm]

Last time I thicknessed a load of reclaimed timber for a friend who was convinced he had removed every nail, I ended up with some wicked lumps out of my planer blades! I started with my manual jig:

but in the end had to use it on the belt sander for a bit just to get rid of enough metal (I had already counted 1000 manual strokes on the

120 grit paper - and there was still a way to go!)

(moral of that storey - get a metal detector and use it!)

[Roger Mills]

Interesting!

Presumably the belt sender is held in a bench stand of some sort, with the belt uppermost?

But what do the 'legs' of the jig rest on, to keep it away from the belt? The belt goes right to the edge of mine - certainly on the one side - so there's nothing to rest anything on.

Any chance of a picci of it actually sitting on the sander?

[Roger Mills]

Yes, that's true. Depends on how much you use them, I suppose. I've had most of my chisels for over 50 years - and there's still plenty left. The only times I've had to grind more than a bit off have been when I've abused them by prising nails out with them, etc. and taken chunks out of the pointy bit.

[ss]

Nice jig I will keep this in mind when I next have to use or sharpen my planer although my blades are possibly small enough to fit a normal honing guide..

[ss]

Yes I lock the sander uppermost on a work bench. I have a ledge at either side of the actual belt that it rests on (maybe you could get thinner belts) Or make the 2 legs that rest on the ledge longer so that they sit on the bench.

I was fortunate in that I have an adjustable mitre saw that allowed me to cut the angle accurately.

Image is not from the workbench I just rested it on a plastic case.

[Roger Mills]

Yes, I see - thanks.

My belt sander came with a bench mount which enables it to be clamped to the bench with the belt uppermost. [I leave it attached all the time - even when using the sander in hand-held mode - 'cos it doesn't get in the way, and is a bit fiddly to fit and remove.]

I think if I made a similar jig, I'd make it wide enough to straddle the whole thing, with legs long enough to reach down to the bench.