How to get a DEADLY SHARP edge on a CHISEL

In this video, I'll be showing you my personal workflow when it comes to sharpening chisels. This is how I keep my edges constantly, sharp, accurate and repeatable with minimal effort.

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WOODWORKING BOOKS I RECOMMEND:
📘 Collins Complete Woodworkers Manual
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MY FAVOURITE TOOLS:
🛠️ Knew Concepts Fret Saw
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KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ME:

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🕵️‍♂️ WHO AM I?:
My name is Matt Estlea and I’m a Woodworker from Basingstoke, England. My aim is to make your woodworking less s***.

I come from 5 years of TRAINING at Rycotewood Furniture Centre in Oxford, 5 years of experience WORKING at Axminster Tools and Machinery in Basingstoke, and 3 years TEACHING both day classes and evening classes at Rycotewood Furniture Centre. All while trying to get this YouTube thing off the ground.

By September 2021, I packed it all in to focus on YouTube and my business full-time.

Want to know more about how I crammed all this experience into such a short period of time? See my experience and qualifications here:

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GET IN TOUCH:
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For longer messages, please drop me a message via the contact page on my website.

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PS: Some of the links in this description are affiliate links that I get a lil’ commission from recommending at no extra cost to you. If you’d like to know more about how this works, and what businesses I work with, please read my affiliate disclaimer here:

[lmcsquaredgreendale]

Thank you Matt! After my Dad passed away my brothers divided many of his tools between them. Never once did it cross their mind that I might need them; that I had used them in his shop or borrowed them and that some of the tools were mine that he had borrowed. I got back my tools after a great deal of arguing; plus my Mom stepped in and said your Dad borrowed that or bought it for her as a gift. Since I had to purchase many large tools over the last few years since his shop is now used for automotive work, and we all know tools are not cheap so I have quite a few projects that have been put off. Needless to say I kept quiet about the hand tools that my Dad had loaned me or we had used on a project and he had left them behind for my finishing the project. So I have his amazing array of chisels and I tested them and found that they needed sharpening badly. I was going to bring them to a local shop but after watching this video I'm going to watch your video about sharpening stones. I'm making sure that all of my tools are ready and in the best shape before I begin my first project since his death which involves a lot of fine carpentry. It will be hard without my Dad to turn to for advice but you and your videos will partially fill the void. You are a bit young to fill in for my Dad but he would have found your skills impressive and he was hard to impress. Thank you again for all the videos that many other "experts" don't bother to make. When time has passed without working with wood we all need a refresher course or even more importantly if you are a beginner. Thank you again for remembering we are out here and thirsting for knowledge.

[phillipstjhn]

Thank you so much! I never knew so much could be accomplished with just hand tools. You have really encouraged this 73 year old to study this more.

[wotcher]

Amazed at the differences in terminology across different disciplines - when i was a young skinny tool and cutter grinder, the first bevel off the edge was the primary, the second was the secondary and the third was the tertiary. What he terms as the primary we were taught was the hollow grind.

[christopherpunton]

This is a great tutorial, I have been wood turning for a while but would like to get into more woodworking. I have just followed these instructions with a new set of chisels to put the secondary bevel on them it works like a dream. Will definitely be watching more videos from Matt

[alansimpson]

Thank you Matt for the best demo I've seen regarding sharpening chisels.

[schnizel]

I just started learning woodwork in school and i have to say, your videos are amazing and they helped me a lot with my grades. Love from Germany <3

[frankjames]

Iv'e been a woodworker for 40 yrs!
I am still humble enough to watch vids like this and still learn a thing or two!
Nice vid chap!
The only thing I would add is, don't shave your wrist to check a chisels sharpness!
Or you will end up like me with a tuft of long hairs where I use to shave with it... lol
You pretty well know when your chisel is super sharp!
Anyway, I think for young and old just coming into the finer points of woodworking this
is a good tutorial on sharpening chisels!
Those that are serious about their work will want to save up, and buy this equipment!
Nice vid Matt!
Frank...
PS... I'm retired now... but still potter in my workshop!

[robinward]

I just use an India stone only thing to use for 40 years, shave with any chisel when done properly, all of stone gets used side to side and front to back, carpenteering is my life, I love it

[colinmusselwhite]

I have a Tormek and have always just used it for the whole job, I have just tried your method and it worked very well and the secondary bevel operation was very quick. Thankyou.

[vds]

Planning end grain on walnut went amazingly pleasant thanks to you advices ! Thank you !

[kaikinsey]

The BEST and most informative (in my opinion) sharpening videos on the net. Thanks Matt

[robertoangelocordoba]

"keep your shizels sharp"

i kinda like this, it's gonna be my shop motto from now on.

[myxipitlik]

You really know your craft and an excellent teacher. I love the tips and tricks which shows your attention to detail. Thanks!

[aixmcduck]

Your channel is a priceless treasure of help; thank you so much!

[charrontheboatman]

Hi not a regular poster here but wanted to thank you for the terrific explanation of the sharpening process. Have a gr8 holiday

[hugoakerlund]

when i started out i sharpend my granddads old bahco chisels, They had a lot of nicks in em but i spent the time to sharpen them with a combination stone, The grits were 8000 and 10000, it took a really really long time, but it worked. I wasnt the one who bought the stone btw, i got as a christmas present from my dad, and he didnt know any better :)

[keith]

Your videos are fantastic Matt. No nonsense, great instruction. Thanks

[mrSkandalpolisen]

If you have a primary edge that damaged and you need to grind quite a lot, you might need to check the grinding angle and adjust it a couple of times during the process.
As the material is grind away, the chisels angle against the stone will change.

[HickorySmoked]

Matt,

Thank you for your tutorials (all of them).

I have been interested in woodworking/furniture making for a couple years now and your videos and delivery of the information are leading me down the path to putting together my own hobby area.

Keep doing what you are doing and I look forward to more from you in the future.

[MrWoody]

Nice 'matter of fact' tutorial. First time I have ever heard cross contamination of stones mentioned! - well done for that little detail 👍👍