paring against the grain

[Alexis]

Hi, I don't know if it's just me, but I try to do it the less I can. I find that when pairing against the grain, sometime a big "string" of wood fiber comes off and can often go deeper than you wished.

Seems that the less I pare against, and the more I pare with the grain, the better and easier to cut are my joint.

Alexis

[canopy]

If you are lifting chunks when going against the grain then sharpen your chisel. If that isn't helping then pare shallower. In my experience a sharp chisel should be able to make very clean shavings perpendicular to the grain. I actually have the opposite problem. If going with the grain sometimes the grain dives down and prying up a chunk can happen. That's an indication to me to either go the opposite direction or perpendicular to the grain in that area. But I always use a very sharp chisel with a final polishing with a 3 micron stone. Sharpening is an art in itself.

[tyb525]

I think Alexis's "against the grain" is your "with the grain".