Sharpening chisels with a buffing wheel

This is a way to sharpen chisels quickly, easily, cheaply, and with an edge that lasts much longer than normal sharpening methods. The result is also sharper than most people are capable of getting with stones. This is also known as the "unicorn" method.

SAFETY NOTE: Make sure the part of the buffing wheel that contacts the chisel is spinning away from you!

0:00 Intro

1:09 Chopping test with flat-honed 30-degree bevel

2:06 Microscope view of blade before and after chopping

3:30 How to sharpen with a buffing wheel

6:26 Microscope view of buffed edge

7:43 Chopping test with 25-degree, buffed bevel

8:43 Microscope view of buffed blade after chopping

9:18 Chopping test with flat-honed Veritas PM-V11 chisel

10:20 Microscope view of Veritas blade after chopping

10:46 Ending stuff

You can see more pictures of chisel tests here:

https://chisel-test.netlify.app/

Other kinds of equipment can also be used, and may work better. See https://chisel-test.netlify.app/#equipment for more information.

Thanks to David Weaver for discovering and sharing this sharpening method, and to David, Bill Tindall and Wiley Horne for many productive discussions about it.