Contributor
Hi Brian
The Kell #1 is too narrow for wider bench chisels. I bought it for mortice chisels. It sucks - difficult to hold and difficult to determine the angle.
The only chisels I use a guide on are mortice chisels. Otherwise I freehand everything.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Member
Hi guys. I only know what i see in the picture about that type of mortice chisel and the same regarding the LN honing guide - but just a thought. (i'm by the way inclined to think that it's a possibly tall order to hope that a single honing guide will cover all requirements - all it takes is such a tiny variation in a tool to mess things up - but the detachable blocks on the LN at least open the way to DIY jaws for special needs)
So far as i can see the PS type mortice chisel tapers in two directions - the sides are relieved to the rear for clearance (??), and the top tapers down towards the tip. Note i'm cautiously suggesting that the sides taper as some mortice chisels i think may be parallel.
Presuming that these chisels do have a double taper then the auxiliary set of jaws in Ken's photos (even if the available height under them is increased to fit the chisel) still may not do a great job of holding one. The issue may be that even if the chisel is mounted so that either its flat back aligns on the top surface of the body of the guide, or the top on the step in the auxiliary jaws it may (unless it simultaneously contacts both together) permit the chisel to end up tipping a little sideways in the jig. Which would take the flat back out of the horizontal/alignment with the stone surface. The possibility is compounded by the radiused top surface on the Iles chisel.
i.e. It may be possible to get one or other of these chisels to clamp in correct alignment by holding the flat back or the top tight against one or other reference surface as it's tightened up, but it's not because of the double taper in fixturing terms self aligning.
It'd help if the chisel was aligned from the flat back of the blade - perhaps using some sort of clamp holder a la Veritas Mk 2 honing guide. A semicircular section cross bar could be added on the side of the clamp bearing on the tapered top if needed, although likely not.
I'm not recommending the Mk 2 Veritas guide for this job because the stock powder coated clamping faces are quite slippery and would likely lead to the chisel yawing to one side or the other while honing. Mine is modded with the diamond nail file faced high grip jaws i posted about last year though, and in that form handled some Japanese (Matsumura) mortice chisels without any problem. Right down to 3mm wide Japanese dovetail and oire nomi actually. It's still not self aligning though, as you have to line the chisel up accurately side to side in the clamp…
The narrow blade holding accessory jaws for the Mk 2 might do well on a mortice chisel too, hard to know without trying them out as they may or may not positively locate the blade off it's flat back.
Last edited by ian maybury; 09-14-2015 at 1:04 PM.
Contributor
Originally Posted by Derek Cohen
The very best honing guide for mortice chisels and Japanese chisels - it was designed with Japanese chisels in mind - is the Sharp Skate. this is a side sharpening guide designed by Harrelson Stanley.
Absolutely secure with deep mortice chisels.
Regards from Perth
DerekThanks Derek!
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
[OP]
Member
Derek, I added a small change to your quote. Otherwise that's my approach :-).
BTW, just off the phone with LN....They are sending out a set of replacement mortise jaws. The replacement jaws will fix the LN 1/2" problem but the RI will continue freehand. Not a biggie but would be nice to have a better way.
ken
P.S. Is the Side Skate still sold?
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