One of my New Year's resolutions was to keep my chisels in better shape. To get things started, I'm sending some of my older chisels to Michael Pizzuto to be restored and sharpened. These chisels have had a rough time over the last few years and it will be interesting to see how far back Pizzuto can bring them. All have a significant amount of rust and the cutting edges are in bad shape. I can’t remember exactly, but a couple of them might have been rescued from my long defrosted studio freezer in New Orleans after Katrina.

    In the past, I haven’t carved with my chisels much, as I mainly carve with power tools. However, carvers like Junichi Nakamura and Robert Bifiulco have demonstrated to me just how effective skillful chisel work can be. I’d like to improve my hand carving skills, and getting my tools in shape is the first step.

    Despite the bad condition of these chisels, I’ve carefully packed them in a long box, wrapping each in bubble wrap. They’ll be insured and sent via the U.S. Postal Service (because they’re going to a post office box) to Michael Pizzuto at:

Michael Pizzuto

P.O. Box 44
Golden, CO 80402-0044

I’ve enclosed a money order for $120, $20 for each chisel because they’re in bad shape. I’m not sure  if I’ll need to pay a little more to get them shipped back. Because I’m sending them in the winter, I don’t expect them back quickly. Pizzuto told me a while back that he can only sharpen tools occasionally in the winter, because his shop is not heated. He’s told me that the turnaround is much quicker in warmer months. Keep this in mind if you need your chisels back quickly.

    When I get them back, probably in a couple months or so, I’ll take another photo, and make a before and after comparison. Questions about sharpening? Call Pizzuto at (303) 423-6560.