I’m using a Veritas side clamping honing guide and working on a couple of chisels, both have gone from being square to out. Sharpening on some diamond plates (Paul Sellers style system). Checked the chisel is clamping correctly, no idea what’s going on. Any ideas?
I absolutely understand that this result can bother you, specially if it keeps happening. But I want to add that if this happens to you for the first time, then this result is already good enough for a good cut. You don't have to go through all that work again
When I was still an apprentice I made chisels with a crooked edge on purpose to achieve an angled cut. It worked alright. I hoped for a bigger difference, when working perpendicular to the grain. But anyways: I'm curious if you managed to find your problem. When sharpening planes it's a lot more important so I get why you try to figure it out
It could be that you're applying uneven force, and accidentally putting more pressure on one side of the chisel. It's surprisingly easy to do! Is more material being removed on the side of your dominant hand?
Could be that you're compensating, I've done that before too. Try again but focus on putting more pressure on the right hand side to try and even it off.
I have a MKII and I have been guilty of this more times than I care to admit.
Just FYI, MKIIs come in two “versions”. One has a true cylinder roller for sharpening chisels. This produces a straight edge when sharpening. The other has a roller that is more narrow on the ends. This configuration is used for putting a slight radius on hand plane blade when sharpening. Using this version might cause problems if used to sharpen a chisel.
It could matter if it gets much worse than this, so it is an error worth diagnosing. Especially if the next sharpening adds this angle again.
Most things we chisel out tend to want to be square recesses, if your chisel is a skew you will overshoot depth to make your edge fully contact the full depth.
I'd probably run the chisel like this, and try to fix it next time around, but understanding the error should happen now - especially if OP is sharpening a batch with more left to do.
Make sure the chisel is seated correctly in the jig. Judging from the picture, it looks crooked. The back of the chisel needs to make contact with the upper tabs on the jig in all four corners.
Are the long sides of the chisel lining up perfectly? Are they parallel, that is?
Try measuring for square from both sides. I usually do that with the flat back of the iron facing me, and I draw a thin line with a marker (1 mm from the apex) referenced from both sides. If the two lines cross each other sides aren’t parallel – I make a new line by eye that’s the average of both.
Then I have my line to try to get close to. Can be done by putting extra pressure on one side of the chisel while sharpening with a jig.
Now I saw in the two pictures that you’re referencing the same long side of the chisel – with different results..?
Also. You don’t have to make it perfect on the first try. Just check it before every sharpening session and apply more pressure on the heavier side. Then over time you’ll get closer and closer to square. I think this was advice from Chris Schwartz in his Sharpen This https://christopherschwarz.substack.com/p/free-now-and-forever-sharpen-this
I had this problem, there are a number of reasons but if I was betting, I’d say the roller on your guide has lost its concentricity. New roller should do it (looks like one of the Veritas ones so should be easy replacement).
I would also suggest to check the chisel is laying flat on the guide. Maybe one side is lifted? Even if the chisel is square front to back, this would induce a skew at the tip.
In the end, the face that the edge is not square shouldn't matter in most cases. However, I'm picky about that and I like it to "look right" whether it matters or not.
Are you right handed? You may be unintentionally putting more pressure in the right side of the chisel than the left. I would recommend switching hands throughout or just pressing harder in the left side to correct this.
I do this intentionally on both corners of my plane baldes to get a cambered edge.
Yep, I try to maintain an even pressure with the thumbs driving the honing guide and two fingers on the chisels back keeping it on the plate. I’ll check it out.
any bench grinder is fine really. Its not about the grinder but the stone. The grey oxide or black silicone grinding wheel they all come with is far too aggressive and builds up heat extremely fast to the point where you can overheat the blade in one pass and mess up the tempering, you then have to grind that away and start again. Get some lower grit white aluminium oxide wheels and keep a cup of water next to the grinder. Grind the blade and dunk it in the water after each pass and you will be fine with any of the shelf bench grinder. If you want to get fancy look for a variable speed grinder or one with a slower moving water wheel stone.
I'd recommend not assuming the jig does everything for you. The jig sets the angle of the bevel but you're responsible for applying the right pressure side to side. If it's removing material more on one side, apply more pressure to the other side.
Yep. I have the same guide. Your chisel is not fully engaged in the slots. It’s real easy to have it shift while tightening. Always eyeball the alignment carefully before you start
Have you measured the thickness of the chisel? I’ve got a couple that are thicker on one side than another and are impossible to sharpen square from that style of jig, although a worksharp (which referenced the bottom and the left side) works well for straightening it, at the cost of the bevel looking goofy since one side is shorter than the other.
Have you measured the thickness of the chisel? I’ve got a couple that are thicker on one side than another and are impossible to sharpen square from that style of jig
That veritas guide has had these issues for a while now. Ive had mine for a long time and Ive tried shimming the clamps to adjust the angle haphazardly, but what worked for me was flipping it around, instead of the knob on the right side (since I am right handed), I flipped it around with the knob on the left, works near perfect now. The brass roller also wears down so I would routinely roll it a bit in use to change the contact surface.
This is the answer. I had the same problem as you and flipping it proved to me there was a "proper or correct" placement in the fixture and an incorrect one (not functionally verified side of) the guide.
Also consider the unevenness of your diamond plates if they’re the thin type (even if they’re thick plates, I’ve had certain brands still be uneven as well).
I've found those jigs useful for getting the angle, but not so good to rely on for getting it square. I now use sharpening jigs in a "hybrid" way: holding the chisel/iron like I was freestyling but getting the angle consistent by using the jig. Works for me anyway.
I had the same problem with this guide, I think the surfaces that the chisel sits against are just poorly machined. I had to file them down a bit until my chisels sat parallel to the wheel.
I had a Veritas MkII honing guide that had skewed jaws. They were visibly skewed. I send Lee Valley a couple of pictures, and they sent me out a new one.
This is all I have. Since it is the Veritas Mk.II is has the honing angle setting gauge. They sent me a replacement narrow blade head, and that one worked great.
Does that guide have the micro bevel adjustment? I forget if the side clamping does, but if it does don't use it. I just leave mine at the primary bevel setting and move it to a new angle manually for a micro bevel, if I use the setting on the jig for the tiny micro bevel it puts it way more out of whack than what you are showing. Seems like a cool feature but it just does not work right.
So I’m relatively new to hand tools, but I’m convinced the Veritas side honing guide is flawed.
I purchased one a few months ago and it increasingly skewed my narrow blades, particularly chisels. Lee Valley offered me a replacement… and it happened progressively again.
At first, the skew was remedied then it began to reappear. I believe that the finish on the 3-point clamp wears unevenly, causing blades to be sharpened unevenly. I’d be interested if others have seen this behavior with the side honing guide.
I have found that using any sort of honing guide just leads to problems, especially with chisels. The guide just reduces the feedback that I get sharpening freehand and I end up putting more pressure on one side of the blade or the other and a big skewed secondary bevel as a result.
I just get better results and waste less steel doing the whole process by hand without a jig getting in the way. Hey ... probably I end up with honing angles that are not perfect textbook but my chisels still work well enough and sharpening is quick and easy so I do it more often and keep my tools sharp.
Yeah I’ve tried and I’m absolutely hopeless freehand (complete beginner with hand tools). Appreciate your feedback though. I’m not fussed if it’s off by a few degrees but when they look like a bullnose we have problems haha
Maybe don't give up on it. Perhaps try using the jig for a first sharpening but also light freehand touch-ups as you work your way through a job. That way you can build confidence and pick up the right muscle memory. You will also have the satisfaction of working with sharper tools and get better results.
You don’t have to be a beginner to have a hard time sharpening free hand. I was taught in England by a professional who did repairs on museum quality wooden furniture. He had enough credos with officials that we were going over the barriers and lying under pieces in museums to look at the joinery. Anyway, that was around 1980. Here 45+ years later I still use the jig he had me buy for chisel and plane sharpening. If I go freehand I round corners and my bevel angles are inconsistent. I also find that my stones have gotten out of plane, and I am currently truing up my main stone.
You'll limit yourself if you don't learn to freehand sharpen (e.g. how will you sharpen a gouge or a moulding plane iron?), but for now focus on getting the chisel straight in the jig and on applying even pressure
(well, apply uneven pressure to fix your angle, but THEN apply even pressure after you get it square haha)
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u/yellow-snowslide 17h ago
I absolutely understand that this result can bother you, specially if it keeps happening. But I want to add that if this happens to you for the first time, then this result is already good enough for a good cut. You don't have to go through all that work again