What is "sharp"? My wood working chisels are sharp enough to shave with, my
cold chisel is "sharp" but you couldn't shave with it. Most people think of
a cold chisel as dull, and it is for wood work, so you use a "sharp" or wood
working chisel for wood work not a "dull" cold chisel. Other tools used for
wood work are generaly used only for wood work and do not have common
counterparts for other materials. Yes I know that saws etc. are used for
other materials but most people think of them and other tools as for wood
and not other materials.
"Mike Dembroge" wrote in message
.. .
Why is it that whenever I read an article that describes using a chisel
for something, the chisel always has to be "sharp"? "Clean out the
mortise with a sharp chisel." "Square up the corners with a sharp
chisel". Why does everyone, it seems, single out chisels as the only tool
that needs to be sharp.

I never see them say or write, "rip into strips on the table saw using a
sharp blade." "Flatten the boards on the jointer using sharp knives.",
"Run them through the planer with sharp knives installed.", "Use a block
plane, with a sharp blade, to clean up the edges."

It has always struck me as odd that writers and authors always mention
"sharp" when discussing the use of chisels and not other tools. Is it
really more important for a chisel to be sharp than any other tool?

Just an observation.

Mike