My Whizbang Belt-Sander Chisel-Sharpening Jig

UPDATE: There is now a Short Version (3 minutes) of this chisel sharpening idea. Here's the link: • Here's a SHORT VIDEO a... And now, on to the description... With a belt sander and this simple jig, you can have super-sharp chisels quickly and easily. I'll show you how in this video. Learn my simple sharpening procedure and you will be a "master of the edge." To make your own Whizbang chisel sharpening jig, or buy an already-made one, check out this link: cabinetrefacingtools.blogspot.com

[@herrickkimball]

Here's the link to my web site where you can purchase a Whizbang chisel sharpening jig: cabinetrefacingtools.blogspot.com You can also find PDF specifications for making your own jig there. Please like and share this video with your woodworking friends. The concept of a sharpening jig with skis to straddle the sanding belt, and honing the sharpened blade using a sanding belt charged with compound is, as far as I know, unique to my sharpening system. And it is oh-so-simple to do!

[@stewarteinfeld732]

Dear Herrick do you have an email address so I can ask you a question about the jig? thanks Stewart

[@herrickkimball]

[e-mail]

[@pamelawhiting7461]

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[@victorjcano]

I WENT TO THE WEB SITE BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE WHIZBANG PDF FOR MAKING THE JIG. I'M SURE COULD WING IT BUT WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR PLANS FIRST, THANKS, VERY WELL DONE VIDEO, THANKS

[@MrHappy629]

So practical. Great idea. I'm going to try this today. Thanks.

[@Sarah-pr4sm]

Great minds fella I,ve been sharpening my chisels with this method for the last 35yrs with my Elu belt sander.

[@russellwaite5874]

Watched it , thought about it , built one. Wow, what great results. I redid an old wrecked chisel that was probably ready for the rubbish bin. but after using your method the sharp end is like new, even better. 🙂 Thanks from Yorkshire U K

[@woolval52]

It's May 31, 2023 and I just bought your jig plans. Even if I don't get off my butt and make it, this video and your other videos are worth it. LOL, my chisels are hoping I will make this jig so they can be sharp again. Thanks, I'm really enjoying your videos, very direct and clearly presented.

[@sb9e]

Before buying this sander I would use a rotary sander kzbin.infoUgkx3Pc2vLXfcgM5oIpF1iYcIWyFhHUC-G6v and didn't see the need for a belt sander. Boy was I wrong. this belt sander does the job quickly and gives a professional finish to the wood work.

[@andicacciatore9279]

I have that same chisel, the handle isn’t yellow anymore and the metal has a layer of rust and who knows what all over it. It was my Dad’s so it’s at least 50 or 60 years old. I kept it because it was my Dad’s, but never thought there was a way to restore it until now! I’m going to try your method - Thank you!

[@gravitysports1]

Liking the stropping on an old belt idea. I have used the belt sander for chisel and plane sharpening as well. Mostly freehand on the nose wheel for a hollow grind, followed by water stones. Had a bit of a close call with fire one day, now use compressed air to blow out all the sawdust.

[@MotionMogul_LLC]

A real world carpenter. Gotta like it. I was a carpenter for 40 years and always used my belt sander to sharpen my chisels. Wish I had thought of the jig.

[@c5back9]

Hey there Mr Kimball, I was going to make one of these whiz bang things, but for the extremely fair the price that you offer, I went ahead and just ordered a completed one from you. Great idea - I can’t wait to put her to work. Thanks!

[@actionjksn]

I've been doing home remodeling for almost 30 years and I think I'm nearing the end of it. But this whole time I would get a nice new set of chisels and I would swear that I am not going to tear these ones up, I'm going to use the old ones for the stuff that damages them. But yet every time I've bought a nice new set of chisels I tear those suckers up on nails and whatever else they happen to hit. It just happens if you're working on houses. It's not like with a woodworker in his shop under controlled conditions with all clean wood. The difference in the different color like blue sanding belts is the old school stuff is aluminum oxide and the better blue belts abrasive is often made with silicon carbide. I bought a bunch of red sanding belts that are the same way with the Diablo name. At least I think that's what they are, I know they last a long time. The cheap stuff is sand and the good stuff is some sort of high tech ceramic material, very hard and durable. Worth the extra money because it lasts longer and cuts better.

[@allanhaydock9327]

excellent video thank you, i was over thinking things.

[@MrBigMalT]

Nice! I’m restoring an old hand plane, so I’ll definitely give this a go! I saw a similar idea putting a sanding disc attachment in a pillar drill, but this looks far more controllable. Nice job, thanks for sharing.

[@canalboating]

spot on, just used an old sacrificial stanley honing guide on my benchtop sander, didn't harm the honing guide at all, flattened the back of the chisel on an oil stone and voila super sharp chisel! I'm not going to be making chippendale standard furniture so works for me, thank you

[@grantdavis5992]

I have been using my belt sander for sharpening my chisels for years, although I freehand it. Your jig is a great idea. Another great purpose for belt sanders is to sharpen hatchets and small axes. If you sharpen in the area between the front roller and the platen, with a small amount of pressure, you deflect the belt and can create a rounded bevel to the edge instead of a flat bevel. This cuts better, doesn't stick as easily, and it stays sharp longer.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

Very nicely done. You can probably pick up the old belt sander at the same yard sale for a couple of dollars too. I like your design, thanks for sharing

[@johnp3937]

Brilliant idea....I forehand mine on the front wheel of the sander for a hollow ground edge...I am going to try this for damaged tools

[@bigviper64]

Totally Awesome and Creative! Thanks so much, it’s worth buying a new belt sander from Harbor Freight…

[@sofjanmustopoh7232]

I have several general woodworking chisel that were re shaped and re sharpened Thanks to your jig. I also work out how to cut 27deg using a regular miter saw. I add a 45 deg wood backer to the miter saw rail . Thanks

[@imranh5395]

Great jig idea, Herrick, and I like your slipping-of-your-nail idea too. Thank you! 👍🏼

[@tonylawrence9157]

Thank you for your demonstration, which is in two parts: your use of the belt sande and the other actual sharpening. Bloke from Aus.

[@TheLemonadedrinker]

Genius idea. Thank you; even though I'm retired now, I'm gonna drag my chisels and plane blades out of the crypt and get them all sharp for some as yet, undefined project or two. Thanks again.

[@haroldbartley5970]

Nice idea! I purchased a wet wheel grinder and used it once. With this idea, I might actually sharpen my chisels more often. Thumbs up!

[@herrickkimball]

Hi Harold, Been there, done that too. I had a Makita wet wheel blade sharpener years ago. It was a lot of money and it didn't work nearly as fast (or conveniently) as the little jig and procedure I show here. Thanks for the thumbs up.

[@anthonythomas280]

AS A 78 YR OLD CHIPPY I V'E NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE HERE . ABSOLUTE SPLENDID VIDEO COVERING ALL ASPECTS THANKS . TONY TEE NORFOLK UK

[@ecaff9515]

Excellent video and process. Thank you for sharing...I have arthritis and you have saved me a lot of pain.

[@garychandler4296]

Yep, that.

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Great project video i have an old HF janky bench belt sander. thanks for sharing

[@RickJones222]

Very clever! Thanks Herrick!

[@artlyons9024]

Just found this video. This technique is fast , simple & inexpensive. Thanks for the tip. I'm ready to make the jig now. Have the old belt sander that I don't use.

[@petersen4043]

Thank you, very nice.really like your voice it’s very relaxing

[@TKRYST1]

Great idea. I will use this idea in my chisel sharpening process. I’ve been thinking about an easy and consistent way to put a primary bevel on my chisels and this looks like a no-brainer. Thanks for sharing

[@indigogolf3051]

Brilliant, just brilliant. I knew there would be a way to use my belt sander, I just couldn't think through the jig. Cheers.

[@johntripp8093]

Thanks for taking the time to put these videos together they really help a beginning woodworker.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Good system Herrick I have used and abused a old Craftsman 1" chisel in a very similar fashion you speak about and it has also gone on for over 20 years. Thanks to my trusty belt sander all those years I did commercial Woodworking as a career And often that chisel was used to scrape concrete flooring That i needed to install base cabinets etc ironically. I Used the same model Makita belt sander you used in the video i must say your method with the jig and narrowed belt is a much improved and quicker way than i used keeping in mind my chisel was permanently retired as a wood chisel as i had heated it up too many times and destroyed the temper long ago ( i do have another. Set of chisels that are used only on wood and i prefer to sharpen them with wet stones and leather strops

[@martinedwards2351]

Great little jig Herrick. I’ve made one with a couple of possible improvements. I have made a double-ended jig with 25 degrees at one end and 30 degrees at the other. I also used epoxy to attach a brass plate to each chamfer, so the chisels are clamped really solidly and I can’t damage the chamfers by over tightening the cross plate. Thank you.

[@herrickkimball]

I like it.

[@martin-davidson]

Great minds think alike Martin, 👍 I started my time in February 85' but only made my jig in 2005 as i was crap at chisel/blade sharpening. I made my jig from an oak offcut and the skis are wooden stirrers from McDonald's glued together, drilled through with a 2mm drill and inch long annular ring nails hammered through into the oak. Never had a dull blade since 👍

[@jarydanderson2284]

Im a carpenter and I've done this for years. Easiest and fastest method with very good results. Really do make sure you don't have wood residue or buildup inside the sander as I've set my sander on fire a few times from the sparks. Good idea with the sled too. Very simple and very effective

[@twoweary]

Love this idea.Quickly getting a beat up chisel into shape is great. I would measure the distance between the front of the jig and tip of the chisel to get a consistent angle (or make a jig to set that distance). TU

[@davidschwartz5127]

I'm not stealing your thunder, just offering a suggestion. I made a similar set up as yours many years ago and actually used an an old wood belt sander as you did. It's now designated for metal only belt grinder, it useful for many things in my shop besides sharpening and it's easily out of the way when not needed. I added one upgrade to the grinder that my it easier to control and increased its usefulness. I setup the belt grinder to be safely clamped in my bench top vise when needed at any angle or direction as long as the belts up. Also thanks for the tip on the Norton blue fire belts, they are definitely better and seem to my stuff even sharper.

[@jimbo2629]

Superb video. I used to sharpen on a belt sander but never thought of thar simple but very clever jig and narrow belt. Also the honing idea is new to me.

[@52memor]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.... I've seen every tutorial going and followed religiously whatever they have suggested. YOU HAVE BEEN THE ONLY SUCCESS. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

[@harrydavis6903]

Herrick- I bought your very detailed PDF plans for the Whizbang jig and today I went ahead a made me one. I dug around and found about a half dozen old chisels and I went to work. This thing works beautifully. I am very happy with it and thank you for such detailed plans.

[@herrickkimball]

Hi Harry, That's great feedback. It brings a smile to my face. :-) I kept this idea to myself for decades and thought for sure someone else would have thought of it by now (and posted a KZbin video). I sure am enjoying the responses I'm getting from people who are putting the idea to use. Many thanks!

[@karencrews360]

Tks for this ,I will take your advice

[@lukondomwambula2593]

True education ❤

[@vandalsavage6152]

Top idea, thanks man, I'll make one because while we need sharp chisels, I hate hand sharpening...

[@bobhudson3286]

Watched again and saw the joints. Thanks again.

[@herrickkimball]

Hi Bob, Yes, the skiis (or runners) are attached to the bottom. I use some FastCap double-sided tape to keep them in place. But wood glue will do it too. With use, the skiis will get a little worn by the sandpaper, but not enough to reduce their effectiveness

[@bobhudson3286]

Thanks Herrick. Skiis is a good term for them. I did notice the wear on them, caused by the rocking motion you use while sharpening. I thought that could cause a curved chisel edge, but it was dead straight across, and square. This is my next shop project. I would have done yours today, but some guy showed how make a knife sheath out of PVC. Needed one for a little boning knife.

[@1wirey]

Wow! Thanks. I’m a novice/intermediate woodworker, who quite honestly, hasn’t tackled too many projects that require a chisel mainly due to the sharpness issue. Im going to try this out and see how it goes. Also, thanks for the safety tips regarding sparks as I’m sure many wouldn’t think about it at first.

[@jameselliotshea5650]

Great idea. Great product!

[@williamensign1408]

Thank you

[@revgeorgemurray]

glad you are using the Norton belts. They are the best.

[@charlysstore]

Excellent.. thanks for sharing and regards from Deutschland

[@victorjcano]

This was great method. I’ve been watching a lot and this is by far the simplest and quickest. Thanks

[@ronfox5519]

Anything that's whiz-bang>> I gotta see it!

[@manayconstruction5861]

7:50 nice hammer😁. Great sharpening method, so simple👍👍.

[@dale1956ties]

There's a guy who goes by leatherbeltman online and he sells belts for your sanders that you charge up with stropping compound and you have a power strop. His prices are very reasonable and he's very accommodating. He didn't stock the size for my old Craftsman sander so he made it special for me and didn't charge a penny more. He sells compound too as well as other stuff like stropping disks you can use in a drill press or even a hand drill. A nice guy with good stuff at reasonable prices.

[@harrydavis6903]

I was wondering what to do with my old belt sander and thanks to you Herrick, I now know. Great video. Informative. Thank you.

[@herrickkimball]

Thanks, Harry. Waste not, want not. The Makita sander in this video was "old" an hour after I bought it. One of the guys working for me at the time dropped it on concrete and broke the front knob/handle right off. :-( Here's wishing you beautifully sharpened chisels, in no time flat, for years to come!

[@herrickkimball]

P.S. Thanks for purchasing the PDF instruction package. I sure do appreciate that. Let me know if you have any questions along the way.

[@harrydavis6903]

Thank you much Herrick. I look forward to future videos.

[@carloscesar1202]

Thanks for sharing

[@ValioMadre7]

9:44 thtu 9:50 is all I needed. Thanks

[@earlelfrink]

This is the best tip for wood working that I have found on KZbin. I made one of these jigs and used it to straighten and sharpen all my chisels. Thanks for making this video.

[@herrickkimball]

Thank you for the feedback, Earl. Much appreciated!

[@cmod8099]

Thanks for sharing. Great vid.

[@aljafa04]

A very good and easy thanks

[@rayadelic4327]

Great honest demonstration thank You!

[@mogbaba]

'Let chisel stand flat but not the front', this is all I needed to learn, thank you.

[@arthurhill2388]

One of the quickest and easiest way to sharpen with the tools I already have except the jig that seems easy to make ... Thank sir 👍 for this video very helpful especially being on a tight tight budget and getting started learning thank you sir

[@robertbrunston5406]

Smart thinking! Thank you.

[@michaelrandall7667]

Great simple idea! Not to knock the hustle but if you can't look at that thing and instantly figure out how to make it... you probably have no need for chisel.

[@atteljas]

This was excellent as I have a spare belt sander. I know what Im after with it now. Thank you!

[@annafrohling4689]

Just finished sharpen my third crappy chisel what difference. Great idea great jig. Got a good 27 degree angle, cuts hickory like butter. Thanks

[@herrickkimball]

Excellent! Thanks for the great feedback, Anna. I sat on this idea for many years, thinking that someday I would bring it to the world here on KZbin. Comments like yours make me glad that I finally did it.

[@Bbendfender]

Looks like a good idea to me. I hand sharpen all of my chisels using wet/dry sandpaper on a 12"x12" by 1" thick piece of glass. I may try this.

[@alfredomarquez9777]

Your's is also a very good way to sharpen. I use progressively finer and finer wet sandpapers and a very similar homebuit jig, but I put two angles: about 25 and 30 degrees. Best wishes.

[@sssteve5430]

The only thing I can add to this jig is, make a line on the wood so your chisel is perpendicular to the wood 90 degree.

[@thechumpsbeendumped.7797]

I was going to say the same, several lines would be better and made with a knife. I'd add a piece of leather to the top surface charged with compound to strop on as well.

[@dusty1498]

Going to use this idea for my Jiffy ice auger blades....

[@passiton3801]

Excellent, a well thought design, so simple an yet so effective. Its gonna be my next project!

[@tommccurnin524]

Great Video, Thanks for Your Time in Making It As a former rough carpenter and now a furniture maker, a sharp chisel is essential. I find that the hardest part of sharpening is making the primary bevel, and even the coarsest stones take 30-60 minutes to completely grind down the bevel. Yes, a hollow grind wheel might be better, but such tools are hard to find in the field. I will note that I think the Makita 9910 Belt Sander is what was used, but any sander with a flat top would be best. Some of the older Skil 7313s have clamping cawls and clamps to secure it to the bench upside down and a metal frame which surrounds the outside sanding surface which would be perfect for this application.

[@edgarharris7806]

that is cool like your idea

[@carminesilverado]

I always thought that would work , thanks

[@markbeiser]

Beats my method of "grinding" the chisel on the nearest bit of flat(ish) concrete, then stropping it on my pant leg. ;) Looks like I've finally found a use for that Harbor Freight belt sander that isn't much good for sanding wood!

[@larryfulton7619]

Wow! This was a wonderful video…you have a calming voice and a hell of a lot of knowledge!

[@terryward3719]

Thank you for sharing this very practical way to sharpen chisels.very inventive. Would like you to read Job 32:8. It applies very much to people like us!

[@SackMyCook]

Cheers John Ratzenberger. 🍻

[@timort2260]

Not sure how I didnt think of this. Good stuff you saved me a lot of time and money.

[@dennydillavou3327]

I must add, however, Herrick has a very good idea and thank you for the shorter version. Denny

[@crafts_avenue]

the simplest and fastest jig ever. thank U sir.

[@darnmartian9766]

Did you know you can get a speed controller from harbor freight which works great to slow down lot of small tools even a shop of vac. I have a lot of trouble with my sand belts failing and I am quite sure that heating up of the belt is part of the problem, of course running it slower helps solve the heat problem and it is usually recommended not to heat up a sharpening project.

[@tonyy5482]

+1 for the stropping belt idea ;)

[@jaxel7691]

"Duh.... Why didn't I think of that?" I've always used my belt sander to sharpen my chisels, so no epiphany there. The "Duh..." moment comes from cutting a sanding belt in half and making a jig that straddles it. (!!!) I guess I've just been on autopilot... Thanks for the wake-up call though. Cheers!

[@frankthornal9489]

Wow, that is clever and brilliant! Might I suggest a video on how to make the chop saw jig to get the 25⁰ angle on the Wizbang sharpener? For me the making of the jig is a little unclear to my feeble mind, LOL. If I see it done I comprehend better. Great tool and great video.

[@herrickkimball]

Hi Frank, You're a visual learner. I understand. I'm wondering if you used the zoom feature on your pdf viewer? You should be able to get a very large and much clearer view of the photos showing the jig and how it's made. The jig just serves to make a safe and very precise cut. You can achieve the same thing freehand if you are careful. Just mark the angle on the edge of your wood and hold it securely while you make the cut. That's what I did on my first sharpening jig years ago. I cut the angle on a longer piece of wood and, once I had it, I square-cut the piece to length. But you also want to get the same angle on that fixture I show for the drill press. Drilling the holes precisely is kind of important. Maybe someday I'll do a film on the jig. But I think that if you study the photos and description you'll get it before I get to the movie. I hope you can get the jig made. You're going to love it. Thank you for the comment.

[@blackfender100]

Very cool Jig Thank you.

[@fngrusty42]

I've been a carpenter since 73, built every thing from homes to high-rises , bridges to docks. Running a working chisel, a belt sander is the only way , used a 300 / 800 wet stone to finish , only took a few minutes to do. Great video,

[@woodwood5164]

Me too since 74, BUT I prefer hollow ground on a grinder, stays sharp way longer due to obvious reasons Still not a bad kludge

[@grizmt7779]

Thank You for an excellent video. It happens I have an old belt sander hanging on, and have been looking to replace it. So win win for me. I do a bit of wood carving and the grinding is always the worst part of the job for me. This looks like a solution. Keep up the good wok.

[@divchief07ut]

Flattening the back first will give a better edge and only needs to be done once. Also adding a thin piece of material as a 90 degree guide would be useful. Thanks!

[@ibtarnine]

Finally a use for my belt sander. Every time I try to use it for sanding actual wood I end up wanting to throw it in the trash because I take off too much material. Skill issue probably, since I don't have a lot of experience with it. Thanks for the video. I'm thinking I could sharpen the blades for my plane with a similar jig.

[@actionjksn]

When belt sanding wood the trick is to never stop moving. Start the sander before you touch the wood and never stop moving it back and forth and lift it up while you are still moving. When you need fast material remover to hold the sander diagonally across the wood and then when you get close turn it to where it is going perfectly with the grain. Switch to a less aggressive sander when it starts getting close. Also don't use too much pressure. I'm a professional tradesman and I've been doing it for decades. It is easy to put a big imperfection into the wood. Also not all jobs are a good candidate for a belt sander. If you stop moving back and forth even for a couple seconds you will put a big divot in the wood.

[@nelunicoara4483]

You should use a band with finer grain to finish sharpening and of course i saw a litle curvature of grinded surface which means (at least for me) that your jig can be much much better if will be aproached in diferent way.

[@chang1865]

Might be a good idea to clamp down the power sander so it doesn't shake. More accuracy and less risk of a flying chisel. Other suggestion is to have a cup of water nearby to cool down the chisel. Heat can ruin the chisel hardness.

[@larrybishop468]

I just ordered one of the ones you posted on E-Bay. Going to make me very happy.

[@herrickkimball]

Many thanks, Larry. You’re getting one of the last ones. I’ll have it mailed out to you tomorrow.

[@markjarman7819]

Does work very well. Great video thank you

[@SamsTopBarBees]

this is going to save me so much time! thanks for sharing!

[@brotherdom1]

The flat side is more important as it must be like a mirror finish .If there are any pots or honey comb on the flat ,they will appear at the chisel edge as gaps .The only way to cure honeycomb pits is to flat grind and fine grind then coarse hone then fine hone the back until all pits are gone .Then the front bevell is ready for that grind rough hone and fine hone .This method will shave a mouse while he sleeps and it is guaranteed not to wake it.

[@douglashanlon1975]

did you miss the part where he said he abuses his chisels? what you are talking about is someone that uses chisels in fine furniture making instead of a router like normal people

[@BigbearCOS]

Hey Herrick! I just wanted to give you an update from my last comment. I got you plans and built a sharpener, and I felt compelled to let you know AWESOME! The plans were great, very detailed and I like the little quotes too! Anyway, it has met and far far far far exceeded my expectations! I thank you for sharing this and I have already recommended this to several of my friends and they are loving it too! Great Job!

[@herrickkimball]

Hi Stacey, What a great comment. Made my day to read it. Thank you so much for taking the time to post it here. I put a lot of time and effort into putting those pdf plans together, and it's powerfully satisfying to get your positive, encouraging feedback about them!

[@rabbycacker]

Really? I feel like an idiot, why didn"t I think of that. Over 40 years sharpening on a bench grinder or hand held disk grinder or just using them dull and all the while my belt sander was right there not too far away. I gotta quit watching youtube cause this palm shaped dent in my forehead is getting kinda deep🤔

[@tellmesomething2go]

there are millions of dollars right in front of people, every day, and nobody see`s them.

[@garychandler4296]

LOVED that last sentence! LOL!!!

[@robertdavis8341]

I feel like an idiot for watching this. "Sharpening" chisels with a belt sander and 180 grit paper is like painting the Mona Lisa with a 9" roller

[@garychandler4296]

@@robertdavis8341 You should see some of the Bull (or Hog) chisels I've seen on jobsites! To these guys, 180g would be exceptionally sharp!

[@sidneyeaston6927]

When you cut a tenon test and fit then adjust the shoulders by placing your chisel into the groove that your marking knife made and cut the end grain perfect with no effort then you know your chisel is sharp. Grinding the balls of the back of the blade is not sharpening it is setting the primary angle before you sharpen the secondary angle on a water stone or fine slate there is no need to hone just remove the burr Honing has no real effect on modern steel chisels like it dose on the old hand forged steel. That is why you can get Japanese chisels costing a thousand or more for a set of five or six the face and therefore cutting edge is hand forged high grade steel and is forge welded to the cheaper steel that makes up the bulk of the blade and the tang.

[@charliedurham1954]

Great video,thanks!

[@jimweisgram9185]

I like your no-nonsense approach. As a self-defined woodworker, not a carpenter, I'll just mention that what you end up with your jig and method isn't considered sharp in fine woodworking context. It is possible to get a much sharper edge, although in carpentry context there is likely no point in doing so. The first thing a "woodworker" will do is flatten about 1 inch of the back so that it is super flat and can be used as a mirror. Held up to a light, the reflection will be so flat you see no shape distortion as you look at it from various angles. The bevel gets ground with a perhaps grinder, or maybe a sharpening stone up to maybe 1000 grit. Then move to a finer edge by tilting the angle of the bevel up by a few degree. At which point you use a finer grit in the area of 8000+/- grit and put on what is called a "microbevel". At this point you are good to go but some strop on with compound to try and getting a higher level, way beyond factory sharp and beyond scalpel sharp. One way to test sharpness is to take a piece of softwood and pare the end grain. If you can slice a thin flat piece of end grain off, you are on the right track. There are many variations of this, and many holy wars of people evangelicalizing their method and how much better, faster, cheaper their way is. I'll mention that thr sharp-sharp edge doesn't last long. But it quickly goes to working sharp mode, still much finer than good for carpentry mode. And some extend the sharp-sharp mode with stropping compound on leather, maple, MDF, grocery bag, etc. Why do this? Chisels in woodworking mode are used an a variety of ways to slice wood to create joints. Mortise joints, dovetails, etc. A machine cut mortise or whatever often needs to be refined for the best fit that can last a few hundred years. Or to avoid ugly gaps, and tolerances are in thousands of an inch.

[@herrickkimball]

Hi Jim, Thanks for the comment and description. In my early years as a carpenter I sharpened my chisels much as you describe. A lot of care and time and pride went into getting an unbelievably sharp edge. Some of my carpentry friends did the same. We compared sharpness of our chisels, and and chisel sharpening was a recurring topic of conversation. But in carpentry and remodeling, it's not unusual to hit a nail or screw in the wood and the edge is ruined. All that time and effort and the edge was ruined in no time flat. That's downright discouraging and after it happened several times I came to the conclusion that it is totally impractical to sharpen an on-the-job, in-the-real-world, hard-working chisel with the same approach and edge that is best for a woodworking chisel. Thus, the jig and approach I show in this video.

[@hiddensprings4195]

Thanks, practical and money saving! Just as effective as expensive methods. I’m making one.

[@thomasrogers4534]

I watched quite few 'way over the top' complicated jig vids. This kicks them all into touch, skis' could be a little narrower. Don't have a belt sand but I do have a belt and disc bench top sander (off now to give it a try). Thanks from (Wales) a Welsh man