Replies

1. 
   DRBWWing | Oct 25, 2020 04:40pm | #1

   Mortise chisels are pretty easy to sharpen freehand due to their long bevel.

   I do pull stroke only, careful with narrow ones to maintain 90°.

2. 
   esch5995 | Oct 25, 2020 05:30pm | #2

   I'm curious why you are having trouble with the Veritas guide. I've used a MK.II for years and find it lives up to its reputation. I simply slide the chisel in snug it up, then slide on the angle setting gauge until it rests against the chisel then slide the chisel forward until it touches the stop.

   Lie-Nielsen also makes a well regarded jig that is real simple to use.

3. 
   john_c2 | Oct 25, 2020 08:58pm | #3

   The Lie Nielsen guide has an optional set of jaws for use with mortise chisel s. They work great for me.

4. 
   fivebirdscustom | Oct 26, 2020 09:26am | #4

   ** Disclaimer - I've been using hand tools and sharpening stuff since I was a little whippersnapper... at least 40 years.

   I do use an older Veritas guide for establishing my initial sharpening angle whenever I can. However, once I've established my main bevel, I do sharpen by hand.

   Even on my mortise chisels, I do a secondary and tertiary bevel with progressively finer grits. (I am a somewhat recent convert to the Rob Cosman sharpening method with a 300/1000 trend diamond stone and a 16k Shapton glass stone. Prior to that I used wet/dry paper on a flat surface and then a strop... Always experimenting with new methods I could afford during my career)

   Like RobertEJr, I do pull strokes and am just very careful. A mortise chisel does have a nice big surface to use as reference. Mortise chisels are probably pretty good training chisels to really learn how to hand sharpen, actually.

   Just be careful, pay attention to keeping the bevel of the chisel tight and flat on the sharpening surface. Go as slow as you need to and be consistent.