Hand Tools Archive
David Weaver
..If I said "I want an edge that takes half as long to sharpen, that lasts longer in work, that seems subjectively sharper in paring and takes less effort chopping and makes cheap chisels almost the equal of the best chisels".
You may reply: "Yes, and let us know what you find on your hunt for unicorns this afternoon, too. "
It's simply this:
* grind a primary bevel at 20 degrees
* hone (with a medium stone) a secondary bevel around 3 degrees higher (not precise, just a little higher). No wasting time with wire edges or anything ,just leave the wire edge in place
* buff the chisel briskly in a cotton buff (charged with any reasonable buffing bar) on a buffer for about 5 seconds held about 45 degrees to the buffer wheel and moved about just a little. A light touch of the back of the chisel on the very fluffy outside corner of the wheel will remove any swarf or wax stuck around the back side
That's it. aside from the grind, about 30 seconds. The discussion is of many aspects, but the method is as simple as that. It kind of provides all of the things mentioned above and improves even good chisels.
The reason for the name is because Bill started saying Weaver bevel and things like that make me a little defensive as I'm sure that some aspect of this has been done before. I've been playing at it on and off for years to make it all of the things above and not just another horse.