Removing lacquer from new chisels

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels *LINK*

Brad in Ottawa

>Just discussed... here's the link from the archives:


http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/handtools.pl?read=30353

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels

Robin Frierson

>I always have removed mine, then the chisels would rust unless frequent precautions were taken. Any reason not to just leave it on?

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels

Don Thompson, Cutler Ridge, South of Miami FL

>It allegedly will clog your sharpening stones.

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>You need to soak the blades in laquer thinner for a few minutes. I did it outside that stink is terrible. Mine haven't rusted and you can't sharpen them with it on. They were quite a chore to make the backs flat.

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels

Alan Hamilton

>Robin,

The lacquer will definitely clog up your stones--and it will take at least an hour to rub it off the %$@#&ing chisel. DAMHIKT

I think Pam had some other reason for removing it, but I cannot remember right now, and she's apparently deserted us.

Alan

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels

Ted Shuck

>I removed it from the backs of my chisels as part of the flattening process, using 220 grit SiC paper. This was for the first 1.5" - 2" of the blade. As long as it is gone there, it won't affect my stones, and it really doesn't bother me on the rest of the blade.

It did clog up the SiC paper, but it came off in only a couple of minutes per chisel.

Ted

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels

Christof Hartge

>I use my the most coarse warerstone stone 200-300 for this. Doesn't affect the waterstone so far and the varnish was of in a minute.

Christof.

Re: Removing lacquer from new chisels

AD

>Thanks all.

In the end, I soaked the chisel in mineral turpentine for about 3 minutes then used some 00 steel wool to remove the lacquer. Only took about 60 seconds per chisel. there were some very fine marks from the steel wool that buffed out in another few seconds on the polishing buff.

Have flattened all the backs on an 800 king waterstone and only one took any time ( about 15 minutes) with all the rest of the backs being quite flat and only taking about 5 minutes each. Next on to 1200 then 8000(overkill but gets everything very sharp)

Thanks again for the responses.

Andrew