Is this chisel doomed?

Hi guys,
Long story short... I threw a few chisels in my backpack and now I want to do some carving. Picked this one up second hand a while ago and never got around to fixing it... but now I want to use it but dont have a grinding wheel as I'm about 5000 miles from the rest of my tools (do have an angle grinder though).
Don't know the brand but it says "Swiss Made 1-12" and the original price was $46 so I'm pretty sure it's a decent hunk of steel.



any tips to what I can do to save this chisel?
I plan to use Ben's method of sandpaper on a clipboard to sharpen my other chisels and gouges but I suspect that won't help this one before it gets some decent grinding done first?

Cheers,
Harro.

Not doomed... Chips happen. No grinder you might be able to use some concrete in a pinch. Rubbing it right on the wet floor/ground then go to the sand paper once you have the chips removed. This will take some time.

The best thing though would be to hold off until you can sharpen it properly.

Good luck.

I agree with Alien.

This is not a good chisel you have here, it is a very very good chisel (to me). This is a Pfeil.

http://www.pfeiltools.ch

Good luck,

Benjamin.

No... This can be easily rehoned. Just start with a 400 grit or coarse stone and hone a coarse new edge (watch your angle) and then work your way down to a 2000 grit and then a white rouge polishing compound/leather stropping. Then you can shave with it again. Pfiel chisels are good steel all the way through. I have a couple that I use.

any tutorials anywhere with pics or even youtube on fixing chisels? I have a few that could use fixing. It looks like they've been used for removing moulding/nails. UGH

I do have some kind of coarse+fine combo block but havent had any luck getting it to work correctly. Or maybe i'm just impatient.

i do have an angle grinder but dont know if that's the best way to grind down a chipped chisel. i wonder if putting a grinding wheel on a drill and then clamping the drill down and turning it on might work?

dunno

any and all tips greatly appreciated!

The angle grinder goes too fast and it will burn your chisel and deform the steel.
This video helped me a lot to learn to sharp my chisels, I hope it will help you as well !
http://tormek.com/en/film/intro/intro_tormek.php

The main thing is to be patient.
Good luck,

Benjamin.

Hi, I know some very good indroductions in german but I guess, it will take you to long to translate.
I found something in english, maybe you try this: http://www.antiquetools.com/sharp/index.html
I hope, it will help.

I've found that tying the chisel
(by the handle)to a thick wire
and letting the tip drag as you drive very fast
Works wonderfully!
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Good luck!

great, thanks guys.

I'll check them out tonight.

I am a little late here.
this one is so damaged it is necessary to redo the wire with a grinding machine. Go gently, being careful not to heat the steel, respect the cutting angle (approx. angle 17° I think). When you have found a correct edge you can sharpening with stone water or other.

Hope this help!

J.

On 2009-07-24 03:14, laojia wrote:
with a grinding machine. Go gently, being careful not to heat the steel,

Yes! Be very gentle with the grinder... heat the steel to much and you will loose the temper (the steel, not yours). You will then forever be fighting the tool because it will be brittle and not hold a cutting edge.

Since you are far away from the rest of your shop, you may do better to just put this one back in your bag and wait till you get home.

You can't kill a Pfiel. It's the only large deep gouge I use because it's the best gouge to cut soft wood crossgrain without dragging. The steel is good all the way to the nub (lots of companies use the same hardness just for the tip). So if you're careful, that chisel will last you a lifetime still despite the drop marks. If you're patient use Benzart's sandpaper technique.

This is how I would attack this chisel. I have little patience but that doesn't mean I would take a grinder to it.

The right tools can make all the difference.

First thing you need is one of these.
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Not sure what it's called. My father gave it to me. It has a roller and a couple of grooves to tighten down on the blade/chisel. I just set the angle by eye and tighten it.

Next is the stone.
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In this case a cheap 2 sided stone from the hardware store.

And a chipped chisel. This one looks serrated. For bigger chips like yours you may need to readjust the tool during sharpening.
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I like to use water, the universal solvent.
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use a rag underneath to help secure the stone. Apply pressure as you roll it backwards on the rough side of the stone. The roller helps make short work of it.
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Keep working it tell the hills and valleys have disappeared.

Turn the stone over to the smooth side and keep going until it's good and sharp.
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At this point I get after it and chip away anything that ain't Tiki.
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But you can take it a step further with some sand paper.

Aloha

my blog

[ Edited by: AlienTiki 2009-08-04 19:43 ]