Anyone got a custom built specialized Chisel here? If so let me see it 🙂. Just ordered one of the Ltd edition frames and I’m planning on building it up with 9.5kg as the final weight. Sid ultimates 110mm, xx1/gx eagle, dt Swiss rims on Bitex hubs.

I’ll be coming from a full-sus Trek Fuel Ex and I’d still like to have a bit of fun on small doubles, drops time-to-time. Main riding is xc, trail, gravel, packing. Bit sick of maintaining my current 3 bikes and have opted for more of a do-everything bike. So the question is, what do you use your chisel for, and do you still take wheels off the ground from time to time?

Bet i’m not the only one expecting a wood work thread.

I was thinking chisels too! Had a work colleague who spent hours in “down time” sharpening them, and to be fair, he did teach me a lot. Another colleague was persuaded that he was “shortening” them. He then said why doesn’t he buy shorter ones?

Ah dear. I’ve opened a can of worms here lol. Awaiting one meaningful reply. Somebody, somewhere?

I’ve always sharpened mine on a bench grinder (the horror).

Anything better and quick to sharpen them?

Whetstone.

Well, it might not be quicker though.

I’ve had similar thoughts about a Chisel or Fuse replacing all bikes as a ‘do-it-all’. Problems in general are storage space, maintenance and budget.

My existing 3 bikes are ‘rational’ inasmuch as

Tourer = carries 20kg of groceries and I can leave it outside of supermarkets mostly risk-free

29er = a bikepacker and everyday gravel

Singlespeed hardtail = a singlespeed hardtail

I would have to sell all three to buy a Chisel (or Fuse) 😬. That would mean walking (or driving, ie not going to happen while I have legs) for groceries and touring on an XCish hardtail. Hmmm…

I know Guy Kesteven loves every bike he’s ever reviewed but he did a few videos on them. I know they’d be on the list was I after that sort of bike.

Shame they don’t do a cheaper frame only option without the flash paint jobs, might be able to temp myself then N+1 and all that.

A question would be:

For the money, why a Chisel over a Procaliber 9.5?

Bet i’m not the only one expecting a wood work thread.

I’ve been left quite disappointed :(. Thought it was something interesting only to find it’s about another thread about the mythical qualities of a bog standard bike frame.

Same here. Woodworking tools are far more interesting than bicycles…

I’ve always sharpened mine on a bench grinder (the horror).

Anything better and quick to sharpen them?

A bench grinder is probably fine for ‘rough’ work, as long as you have a good sharpening technique and use the right angle. The speed of a motorised grinder can create too much heat for the edge of the blade though, causing bluing of the steel, which makes it brittle. So not very good for fine woodworking, where as already mentioned, a whetstone or diamond stone system is far better to get a proper even razor sharp edge. Especially important on hard woods, and for accuracy of cut. I’d only ever use a grinder to reshape a completely wrecked chisel edge, say on an old neglected tool. My own chisels never require such brutal treatment though, because I look after them. Coarse diamond stone to take out any little nicks and burrs, then onto a 1000/6000 grit whetstone, for that razor sharp, mirror polished edge. Strop on a bit of old thick leather hide, to remove any ‘hair’ burrs form the edge. And sharpened little, but often. Keep your stones flat with a coarser lapping stone. I just spray water with a bit of washing up liquid in it, on the stone, as I work. Yes, takes longer, but gives a much, much better cutting edge.

Used to use a bench mounted belt sharpener with a little trough for water etc to keep the belt cool.
Arkansas stone to hand finish to a clean edge for carving.

On the woodworking chisel sharpening front I use a DMT fine diamond ‘stone’ and a variety of Japanese water stones going from rough at 800 grit to 6000
I’ve also a sharpenset with the adaptor rest for doing up to 12″ planer blades,and am currently tempted by a Robert Sorby Proedge machine.
I’ve about 80 of these damn chisels, general,quality ones,carving and lathe. Takes a horror of a time to hand sharpen.

Takes a horror of a time to hand sharpen.

How many different grit stones are you using? I go for about 400 for the rough grind, then 1000 and 6000 dual-sided whetstone. Mirror polished edge, easily sharp enough to shave with. I know some people like to go up in much smaller increments, but I’ve never had an issue with my system. I use the excellent Veritas Mk2 honing guide (much better than the traditional Stanley pattern guide, in my experience), which has the adjustment wheel to put a secondary bevel on the edge, but I only give that a few strokes, just enough to barely be able to see it. Sharpen after each session, so only requires a few minutes per blade. Plus stones don’t get too hollowed out; a quick rub with a lapping stone under running water, and they’re perfectly flat again. Little, but often.

All of mine are currently in storage including a couple of dozen Ashley Iles, my favourites. I’m dreading discovering the rust has got to them. I use diamond stones, whetstones, abrasive papers, a strop, nothing mechanical.

OP – I think you might need to open a new thread with a sharper title.

Ben over at Chrimson guitars is getting in on the chisel sharpening action too.

That video isn’t very good; it’s full of waffle and doesn’t cover anything found in much shorter, better videos.

All of mine are currently in storage including a couple of dozen Ashley Iles, my favourites. I’m dreading discovering the rust has got to them

A bit of wire wool and some oil/WD40 etc, and they’ll be fine. I’ve seen chisels that haven’t been used in over 100 years, brought back to perfect working condition.

OP – I think you might need to open a new thread with a sharper title.

One might say; they need to hone their titling skills.

As much as we are enjoying the chisel talk…..

@petedee be sure to post some pics of it when it arrives and some build pics, dead interested.

Will do mate. It’s likely going to take a month or two to build as I’m slowly buying pricey components on the side of living. The frame is being dispatched today. Wheels have been ordered. Bitex 211 with DT Swiss XR391 28 hole rims and cx-ray spokes. Frame is 1400g. Wheels coming in at 1600g, not bad for alloy and 590gbp. Having my friend build them as he’s an excellent wheel builder. I am toying with electronic dropper and rear mech at the moment. Eagle variant.