Spent 8 years using a dull chisel because I thought 'sharp enough' was fine

Was at a job site in Portland last month and this old timer came over, picked up my chisel, ran his thumb across it and just laughed. Said I was basically hammering a butter knife into wood. He spent 20 minutes showing me how to get a real edge on a stone and I couldn't believe the difference - cut through oak like it was balsa. How many of you started out just dealing with crappy tools because you didn't know better?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery_craig1d ago

Did @kim_martin's plane end up cutting way smoother after that?

sethmartinez1d ago

Used to think people were being picky about flattening the sole but @kim_martin's post really opened my eyes. I had the Exact same problem for years, always fighting with tearout and terrible cuts. Finally broke down and lapped the sole flat on my jack plane and it was like a Different tool. Total game changer, wish I had listened sooner. Makes you wonder how many planes are out there just needing that one fix.

kim_martin1d ago

Same thing happened to me with a used plane I bought. Took me three years to find out you gotta flatten the sole first. Felt like such a moron.