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I'd like to buy a 1/4" and later a 1/2" chisel in the next day or so for use with building guitars.
Please recommend one you have or would buy if you could. I can't go 1XX or more, but probably close to 5X to 75.
Also, I'm not the best at honing or sharpening, so could you recommend a honing guide?
Thanks all in advance,
Bob

Just saw these. Are they a good, quality brand?
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200311 ... l-Set.aspx

I really like my lie-nielsen chisels, I think they also have a sharping guide and sharping instructions on their site.

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1234

I buy inexpensive ones and sharpen them using the "scary sharp" method. They are always razor sharp and I've had friends comment about how their more expensive ones didn't work as good [until they also started using "scary sharp":)]

Tim B

I like to collect old wood tools and chisels are one of my interests. Flea markets are a great place to find them. If you cannot shave with a chisel . it is just a pretty piece of metal. Look for paring and firmer chisels . Underhill and Marples are just a few of the names. Stanley , Miller Falls are also decent names.
A good chisel has a nice finished look to it. Quality shows through over cheap everytime. I have a collection starting at 1/16 ( a stanley #1 from a 45 plane set. )

I'm thinking of getting one of these 'chisel-planes' from Lee Valley. With the blade out front you could plane right up next to the braces, kind of like a bullnose plane; this one is small enough for our kind of work.
Has anyone used this or something like it?
DaveB

I went ahead and ordered the Narex 6-chisel set, which was pretty reasonably priced. Then the Veritas Mk 2 sharpening guide, and some Arkansas stones.
Spent more than I intended, but the reviews of the Narex chisels were good and not expensive, at about 10 for each. The Veritas will last a lifetime, and the stones should get me thru a few guitars.
Thanks all for the input.
I'm gonna use John's advice and go to some pawn shops or yard sales or such and look for old chisels and planes.

This is worth a look ---- Actually you don't even need the plate glass a piece MDF will be fine -- --- And YES!! its really this easy/simple -- makes you wonder what we were led to believe regarding how to get tools sharp -- I undersand that one of the high priced Luthier Schools spends a week on sharpening a chisel and block plane blade--- NO JOKE!!
You'll need to sign in -- there is no charge -- once signed in click on the plate glass sharpening video to the right of the viewing window.

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/episodes/s ... 2_wbtp.flv

kencierp wrote:This is worth a look ---- Actually you don't even need the plate glass a piece MDF will be fine -- --- And YES!! its really this easy/simple -- makes you wonder what we were led to believe regarding how to get tools sharp -- I undersand that one of the high priced Luthier Schools spends a week on sharpening a chisel and block plane blade--- NO JOKE!!
You'll need to sign in -- there is no charge -- once signed in click on the plate glass sharpening video to the right of the viewing window.

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/episodes/s ... 2_wbtp.flv

Ken, this is the method I was referring to in my earlier post (scary sharp). My glass plate isn't as big but I use both sides. I use 3M 77 to tack paper down. It really will make you chisels "scary sharp."

I like that video. Clear, concise. I've got 2 Stanley chisels that need cleaning up. Don't have my guide yet, but I can use that method by eyeball for practice until it comes in.
I saw another video like it, but it didn't explain very well about making the back flat. I was visualizing the entire back. Although that wouldn't hurt, the back edge near the chisel's tip seems to be the important part.
It'll give me a break from pore filling. Which I need! It's getting tedious right now.

When resharping with the scary sharp method does one go through all of the grits again?

I did use a method much like this to originally sharpen my chisels, but I then put on a secondary bevel that I maintain with a 2000/8000 norton waterstone; Often just the 8000 side. I just keep my eye on that bevel and if it getting to big I put on a new primary bevel. I can resharpen the chisel's secondary bevel in a couple of minutes (including getting the stone out). Retruing the stones is a pain but I do that outside of my workflow. Knowing myself, I would find the need spend 18 minutes to resharpen a chisel while working would lead me to work with dull tools.