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All common tools at a glance. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you add a new tool to your shop.
| Tool | Primary Angle | Micro-Bevel | Total Included | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paring chisel | 25° | 28-30° | 50-60° | Light push cuts, end grain |
| Firmer chisel | 25° | 30-32° | 50-64° | Medium paring, light mallet |
| Mortise chisel | 30° | 35° | 60-70° | Heavy chopping, hardwoods |
| Smoothing plane | 25° | 30° | 50-60° | Final surface prep |
| Jack plane | 25° | 30-32° | 50-64° | Rough dimensioning |
| Jointer plane | 25° | 30° | 50-60° | Edge jointing, long cuts |
| Block plane | 20° | 25° | 40-50° | End grain, chamfers |
| Kitchen knife | 15-20° | N/A | 30-40° | General cooking |
| Japanese knife | 12-15° | N/A | 24-30° | Precise slicing |
| Pocket knife | 20° | 22-25° | 40-50° | Everyday carry tasks |
| Hunting knife | 20-25° | 25-28° | 40-56° | Field dressing, camps |
| Bread knife | 20° | N/A | 40° | Serrated slicing |
| Camping axe | 25-30° | 30-35° | 50-70° | Splitting, limbing |
| Hatchet | 25° | 30° | 50-60° | Kindling, light chopping |
| Drawknife | 25° | 28° | 50-56° | Rough shaping, bark |
| Sweep gouge | 20-25° | 28° | 40-56° | Carving, hollowing |
| Household scissors | 55-70° | N/A | 110-140° | Paper, fabric, general |
| Hair shears | 40-50° | N/A | 80-100° | Cutting hair cleanly |
A 15-degree edge looks sharp right away on a cheap chisel, but it rolls over in seconds because the steel is too soft to hold that thin an edge. Bump up to 28-30 degrees and the edge will last longer even though it feels less razor-sharp at first.
You do not need to re-grind the whole 25-degree face every time. Just add a tiny secondary bevel at 28-30 degrees on the last few millimeters of the edge. It takes 10 seconds on a stone and gives you a much tougher edge for hard use.
A paring chisel and a mortise chisel do very different jobs. The paring chisel can run at 25 degrees for easy slicing. The mortise chisel needs 30 degrees or more because it takes heavy hits. Use the table above to set each tool for its actual job.
If you use a guided sharpening system like a Tormek, Edge Pro, or Worksharp, double-check the angle setting against a digital angle gauge. Jig registration can be off by 1-2 degrees, which makes a real difference on kitchen knives.
Jumping from a 400-grit stone to a strop leaves a rough edge that dulls fast. Work through at least three grits: start around 400-800 for shaping, move to 1000-3000 for refining, then finish at 4000-8000 or on a strop with compound.
You should not re-grind every time the edge feels dull. A few strokes on a fine stone or a leather strop brings the edge back without removing metal. Save the coarse stone for when the edge is nicked or the angle has changed.
Use the WM-200 AngleMaster to set the exact degree. For a 25-degree chisel, set the WM-200 to 25 and register the tool against the jig stop. The Tormek runs wet, so expect the effective angle to be slightly lower than the jig setting because of the micro-bevel that forms during honing.
The Edge Pro uses a fixed pivot, so the angle depends on blade height and stone position. Use the angle chart that comes with the system, or set a digital level on the stone to verify. A 20-degree kitchen knife typically needs the blade raised about 12-14 mm from the table.
This system has a dial indicator for angle setting. Dial directly to the angle from this page. The cam clamp holds chisels and plane irons flat, which gives consistent results. Remember to account for the guide rod offset if you are measuring from the stone surface.
Freehand sharpening takes practice. Start by marking the bevel with a felt pen and taking a few strokes. If the ink is removed evenly across the bevel, your angle is correct. Use the coin trick as a guide for bevel width at your target angle.
The same tool can run at different angles depending on what it is made from. Harder steels hold a thinner edge without chipping. Softer steels need a steeper angle to keep the edge from rolling.
| Steel Family | Examples | Relative Hardness | Angle Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild / soft carbon | Old Stanley irons, hardware store chisels | Low | Add 2-5° to base angle |
| Standard high-carbon | O1, 1095, 1084 | Medium | Use base angle as listed |
| High-alloy tool steel | A2, D2, M2 | High | Can reduce 1-2° from base |
| PM stainless | S30V, S110V, M390, 20CV | Very high | Can reduce 2-5° for light work |
| Ceramic | Kyocera, zirconia | Extremely hard, brittle | Use factory angle only; do not re-sharpen at home |
Click the Print button above to generate a clean reference card. It includes the angle table and jig notes, formatted to fit on a single sheet. Hang it on your shop wall or stick it inside your sharpening kit.