I have no idea what I am doing anymore

[Jerry Thompson]

A friend gave me a 1 1/2'' chisel. It was square when I started out sharpening it free hand. It had a small low area on the left corner. I have been working it on a flat plate with 80g emery paper to get it all the same. It small area is getting smaller. When I held it up after about a total if 20 min. of working it it is no longer square. I have paid close attention to keeping the angle consistent and the blade flat to the surface.
Do I keep on plugging away until the spot is gone and that may square it up? I have had poor luck with even the most fancy sharpening jigs and often get the blades not square also.
Grinding is out of the question. I have burned up two old test irons in the past and lack the skills to do that.
I am of a mind to get the chisels and plane irons I have sharp and to heck with them being square. I can get them all sharp enough to take shaving off of end grain pine with no tear out.
I just do not understand why this happens. I might also add that one sharpening school I went to helped for about a week and it is back to the same old thing.
This is not a whiny crybaby post. It is just plagued me for about 25 years.

[Prashun Patel]

Can you describe your movement when working the bevel on your paper?

Have you always used the same sharpening medium? What is under the paper?

[Tom McMahon]

What have you ever done where it mattered if your chisel was perfectly square. Get it sharp and use it each time you sharpen it in the future get it a little straighter.

[Jerry Thompson]

Thank you for your reply Prashun. The paper is on float glass. I use a back and forth movement and I always check that the edge is flat as I use two fingers on the outside edges of the plane.
After showing the blade to my wife it is obvious that the area, now about 3/32'' from the edge, is the high part making things out of square. I am going to keep plugging away until the area is gone and see if it squares up. I am too pessimistic about my abilities and always think I am doing something wrong that I don't know about. I shall repost and keep all of you up to dates.
I should just be happy that when I take a shower in the morning nothing falls off.

[Prashun Patel]

I don't think it's a fool's errand. It bothers you because you don't know why it's happening.

If there is a high spot, then I think it points to uneven pressure on one side.

Can you post a picture of the edge and your grip on the blade?

While a skew blade may serve you well (Heaven knows I have one or two on my wall...) being able to hone squarely, freehandedly speaks to having good control and muscle memory. Deep down, I think to myself, 'if i can't get a square edge, how can i cut a straight line or cut a perfect dovetail?' Conversely I believe that through analysis and practice, (thanks Anders Ericsson) realistic goals are attainable. So don't give up...

[Jerry Thompson]

If it is going to be square it will have to be ground by others. I do not want to ruin an good chisel. I know I am holding it flat on a flat surface. It seems to me that, by looking at the areas abraded away, that about 1/16th" needs to be removed to get it square. I have an edge all the way across it is just about 1/6" high on the side with small dark area. That area is gone. I just to not have it in me to keep on plugging away at this time to see if it squares up. By looking at the area to the left side of the blade I see a small triangle area that must be taken down. That of course means all of the material to the right must be removed to get to that low spot and even it all up. At least that is my take. I will probably give it another go tomorrow.
No pics. I just don't feel like messing with it at this point. When I get it all shiny and pretty I may post a shot or two.
Thank you everyone.

[george wilson]

I have seen very long time pros who used a chisel that was a good bit out of square. As for you,PRACTICE!!

[Jerry Thompson]

Well George I have ''Practiced" for 25 years. I, for the most part, can do OK. As an example I did three 2 Cherry and three Stanley's yesterday doing the same as I am doing today. All of the one's from yester day would take thin shavings on end grain pine.
This one has me stumped. A little bit ago I dug out an old honing jig and skewed the blade so as to take the high side down. With this I see progress. I am out of gas at this time.
I may get to it on Sat. as I have patient's to see tomorrow and that will take a good deal of time dealing with Medicare paper work and that tires me faster than honing all day.
Thanks

[Mike Cherry]

Hang in there Jerry. Do you have woodworking club or friend that could help you out maybe?

[Pat Barry]

Maybe a locally hard spot on the bevel is making the process more difficult? That spot would be difficult to grind relative to the rest and would be a high spot. Just throwing out a possibility

[Jim Koepke]

Some of my favorite chisels are out of square. This is taken into consideration whenever they are sharpened and the high side is angled to be leading on the stones with a touch more pressure to work it out. At least when my memory is working.

jtk

[Jerry Thompson]

No Pat I don't have much help. There is a WW club in Jacksonville that used to meet on a monthly basis but my work schedule and forgetting kept me from attending any events.
I'll get it done. I just internalize everything and feel it is all my ineptitude and think others can do all of this with no problems.

[steven c newman]

One tip would be to stand so you can look straight down the blade and watch how it sits. You can also watch to see how straight it is being pushed along.

Used to be, the stones were used in a side to side motion on my bench....until I noticed the travel of the edge was a circle.....fine for a cambered edge, NOT for a chisel. Rotated the stones 90 degrees, where the push and pull were going straight out from me. I could keep a watch to make sure the iron was going straight, and I could use the edge of the stone as a reference line to tell the tool was square to the edge. Worked for me...

[Jim Koepke]

I just internalize everything and feel it is all my ineptitude and think others can do all of this with no problems.

I would bet we have all had problems at one time or another. Most just do not have the strength of character to share them with others.

The only person who hasn't burned a blade trying to grind a bevel is likely the person who has never put blade to grinder.

jtk

[Prashun Patel]

I share your frustration. I just don't have all the time i need to practice on things deliberately. if you have the inclination at some point in the future, post some pix and I bet folks here will find the issue....