Ron Harper wrote:
> Habitues of the porch and sons thereof,
>
> several times in the last few years I have read in a blog or article or
> some other account, of folks using thin paring chisels honed to 20 degrees.
> They are often mentioned in the very final paring of dovetail base lines.
> If I recall,  these are almost always old tools of Sheffield origins.
> Anybody set up like this? Anybody have any to sell.  Are they really
> significantly thinner? Does that, in fact, matter?

Low bevel angles cut easier, but are only permissible
if the wood/steel combination allows it. Hard wood
and weak steel needs higher angles, or the edge will
crumble.

I wouldn't use a long "pattern makers" paring chisel
for dovetail baselines. The ergonomics is wrong, you're too far
from the action.

But a nice old fine paring chisel of common length works
just fine. Almost made for the job...

  BugBear