Sharpening the Cheap and Easy Way

Bruce | February 8, 2016 | Woodworking Tools

What a Cheaper way to Sharpen your Chisel?

If you are light me, you stayed away from sharpening your chisel as it seemed like it was a daunting task. Which Stone to buy, sharpening angles and the fear of making your chisel unusable.

If you are just starting out and looking at all the sharpening stones and sharpening jigs, then you will realize that this can be a very expensive.

John from I Build It came up with a cheap and cheerful way of getting into sharpening. He uses a piece of hardwood ( I might use plywood) and a sanding belt cut to fit the wood. So now we are $10 into this. Add the glue and that is it for expenses.

I would suggest not using cheap wood like Pine or Fir as it will eventually warp or cup and you will not have a flat surface. I might use plywood instead of the hardwood as it is flat. The thing to look out for in time is that the water you spray on may cause the glue in the plywood to separate.

You don’t need a jig for this but it will make life a bit easier. John also has a plan for his homemade jig which you can see Here.

So grab a cheap chisel to start, watch the Video and then give it a try. If you have a problem getting an edge on you chisel, don’t get frustrated and just try again. I still shy away from sharpening my chisels. The thing is, once you have a sharpe you will wonder how you ever worked with the “dull” one.

Enjoy the Video.