[JOAT]

Ouch, pricey things, aren't they? I have/had a set of a dozen, from HF possibly, that I used for a long time, but last time I looked, they apparently followed my younger son home. Never saw a need to flatten the backs, did all my sharpening on a belt sander, and they performed great. I've got my eye on a replacement set on ebay, 12 for around $12. Look just like my old ones, made to be whacked with a carving mallet. I don't know, but if I wanted to flatten the back of some, I believe I would start thinking belt sander, possibly disc. Chisels that pricey tho, I'd get some el cheapo chisels to practice with first, maybe yard sale chisels. I don't watch youtube about things like that, so just what are you supposed to be gaining by flattening the backs of your chisels?

 

[JOAT]

Nope, not watching utube videos on it. Don't trust many utube videos. Got my belt sander sharpening idea many years ago, from a world class furniture maker, and darned if I can recall who it was, but it has worked very well for me, so not changing my sharpening method. From what I learned, got his chisels at the local hardware, and never flattened the backs of his chisels. Plane irons, fine, they always cut at the same angle - or at least supposed to. Chisels never cut at the same angle, they always are at a different angle, even if it is just a minute difference, so as far as I can tell a minor bit off on the sharpening is meaningless. My grandfather was what most would call a master carpenter today, and none of his chisels had flattened backs, as far as I know. Do chisel manufacturers recommend flattening the backs?

 

[JOAT]

Hey if it works for you and you're happy with the results why change now.

Has worked for me for years, am very satisfied with the results, and not about to change. Have realized tho, that I believe you all are doing things differently than me. You all seem to be using your chisels by hand. I don't, I use them for carving, and whack them with various sizes and weights of carving mallets. I've done the by hand thing, but found out that carving, with mallets, is a lot more fun. Speaking of which, have the material for another Tiki or three. And been wanting to make a totem pole for some time now, maybe I can fit one of those in too.

 

[JOAT]

I'm curious. What does it matter whether a chisel is used by hand or whacked with a mallet as to the edge sharpness and flattening the chisel back?

I can understand perhaps a different angle of bevel for a relative degree of edge strength, but don't understand why a sharp edge on a chisel primarily used for hand work would not apply to a wood carver's whacked chisel?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Dunno, the only way I use chisels is by whacking them with a mallet. I have no problem getting them sharp enough to shave hairs off my arm with, then I whack them with a mallet. l did a bit of hand use of a chisel when I first started, maybe 70 years ago, then discovered how much more fun it was with mallets - I don't do woodworking as such, I carve. What I do know is, it works for me, and I'm not gonna change now.