Power strop with Chromium Oxide after your fine Arkansas or ceramic, and
you'll have a superb edge.

BTW, as carvers can tell you, the use of a mallet is to give control, not
apply force.

"Michael Press" wrote in message
news

I'm in the process of learning the pleasure of good quality and
properly setup tools.

I was able to get the chisels to be pretty sharp - I chopped mortices
in pine using only hand pressure, no hammer or mallet. The back and
bevel are pretty shiny, though not quite mirror finish (I could see my
nose but not my nose hairs). The plane creates beautiful, thin curly
shavings, though I haven't tried hardwood yet.