2. Every Handyman Should Know How to Hone a Chisel

In our March 2011 issue of Canadian Home Workshop (on newsstands now), we have an article called “50 Things Every Handyman Should Know.” Item No. 2 in that list is how to hone a chisel.

If you have a chisel to hone, and it hasn’t been bashed so much that you need to fix it up at the bench grinder, follow these two easy steps. Add the proper lubricant to your whetstone, hold the chisel on its microbevel and slide the cutting edge on the stone in a figure-eight pattern. Keeping a consistent angle is key here. If you are having trouble with the angle, use a honing guide. Then, turn the chisel over and remove the burr with a few light strokes.

Of course, there are a lot of different tools and jigs to help you with sharpening. What are some that you use?