[Shop-talk] Sharpening a woodworking chisel?

[Matt Trebelhorn]

First, thanks for all of the helpful responses.

In answer to some specific points raised:

Yes, I've been using a two-sided stone.

I'd never considered that the blades might not be flat to begin with  
-- that the back might be dished -- so that's a huge help right off  
the bat.  Probably explains why one of the chisels seemed much easier  
to sharpen than the others.

The "scary sharp" method sounds like a decent idea, and probably one  
I will try when I have some time to kill, both in assembling the  
necessary grades of sandpaper and in the progressive polishing.

But for now, the first thing I'll try will be to clean the stone,  
flatten the chisels, and see how much that improves things.

Thanks again,
Matt