Students continually ask me how to tell if a chisel or plane iron is sharp.  I ask them is it for show or for dough?  Everyone I know has a different method of determining if an instrument is sharp.  A very common one is shave the hairs off of your forearm.  If you see a woodworker with bald patches on his arm you know why!  I like to peel off some of the thumb nail with a freshly sharpened iron.  A friend of mine slices paper with his chisel to show how sharp it is.  I have watched several woodworkers pare a soft wood to determine if the chisel is sharp.  Perhaps the best method for show is to hold the edge toward the light and see if there is a reflection.  If it is sharp then there is no edge to reflect light – hence a “black” line.  All of these are for show and I’m sure there are more.  But the true test – the one for dough – is if the instrument will perform the required task in a safe and efficient manner!  If it does then quality work will prevail and your craftsmanship will increase.  Isn’t that the best test?

Enjoy your shop time!

Jerill