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If you have chisels........

Hi there fellow cigar box junkies. I have been thinking that it would be nice to have a separate group or section specifically about tools, since you just have to have them to make something fun and musical out of a cigar box.

Anywho, I was thinking about my chisels and about how much more useful they are when they are freakishly sharp. For years I had chisels and I would attempt to sharpen them by hand and never really got them as sharp as I wanted until I found this little gem. I found mine at Woodcraft and iirc, I paid about $14 for mine. I currently use it with wet/dry sandpaper and backward stroke only, though on a diamond "stone" which is a perfectly flat piece of steel with diamond particles embedded you can use a push stroke, but don't have one of those at the moment. I like this little jig and it is worth the money. I use sewing machine oil as a lubricant. http://www.amazon.com/Honing-Guide-Plain-Chisel-Sharpening/dp/B000R...

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on February 5, 2012 at 7:42am

We do have this group which might be what you are looking for:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/specialtoolseitherboughtorhomemade

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte Henry on February 5, 2012 at 8:37am

Thanks, don't recall seeing that one. I know where I'm going next.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on February 5, 2012 at 8:09am

Yep. that will work fine. Also you will want to have a waterstone. Woodcraft sells a double sided that is great. Get one and learn how to use it.

Oh and use water not oil. Water will float the residue out as opposed to let it hang in solution.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000242/1424/Combination-Waterston...

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on February 5, 2012 at 8:25am

Actually this is the one I have, not the one linked:

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000242/1421/Combination-Waterston...

-WY

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on February 5, 2012 at 7:51pm

the biggest problem i find that people have with new chisels is they think they come ready to use ! - well the end is nice and sharp but it will not last long at all if a Honing Guide is not used to Grind a second angle - Grinding / Honing the second steeper angle still gives a razor sharp cutting edge to the Chisel but it makes the actual cutting edge last a lot longer and prevents chips in the cutting edge that you tend to get if you try to cut some hardwoods without first honing in your new Chisels

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on February 6, 2012 at 1:32am

Like they say look after your tools and they will look after you! (-:

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Permalink Reply by Bad Wolf on January 18, 2013 at 12:54am

just be sure not to stab yourself in the stomach on accident once your chisel is sharp! speaking from experience here, bad idea

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on January 18, 2013 at 6:43pm

like my Dad used to tell me, always cut away from you ! (- ;

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Permalink Reply by Bad Wolf on January 20, 2013 at 3:46pm

yep pretty much. i was bearing down on a chisel and it slipped and went straight into my gut. luckily the angle was such that it didnt go very deep

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on January 20, 2013 at 4:21pm

Ok, you know that little voice that says "If you keep your hand there, you will put that chisel into your palm"? I heard that voice for real. Guess what? I put the chisel into my palm. I such a dummmmass.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Busyhands Slim on January 20, 2013 at 4:49pm

FWIW, I have found that shaping a neck with a chisel is much easier (for me) than using a draw knife. I like the control I have with a chisel, and that I don't feel with a draw knife.

Is that what the rest of you use chisels for?

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on January 21, 2013 at 2:21am

One technique I learned from O'Brian Luthiers videos on Youtube is to use a spokeshave in combination with chisels. Use the spokeshave to work the profile of the neck (D-shape the length of the neck) and chisels to cut the heel if applicable. I have a blog post Here.

-WY