I recently bought a set of vintage chisels and had a tough time trying to flatten their uneven backs. After six hours, I really struggled to get them right and ended up giving up. Is this a typical experience? I'm a bit hesitant to try another set after such a frustrating time with the first one.
3 Answers
Yeah, I feel you on that! I keep thinking I can fix my chisels, but it often just turns into a frustrating experience. It's annoying to spend money on them and then have them not work out when I have other chisels that are ready to use. I totally get where you're coming from.
You actually don't need to flatten the entire back of the chisel. Just focusing on the first quarter inch (about 6mm) usually does the trick! That might save you some time and frustration next go-around.
It's pretty common for vintage chisels to have uneven backs. Most of mine had a similar issue, but it didn't take a massive effort to flatten them out. If you’re spending six hours on it, maybe try starting with a coarser grit like 150 or 220 and then work your way up for better results!