Do HSS chisels normally come with a protective coating on edge?

Never mind.... I kept checking around and found out it is a protective lacquer.... need some thinner.... sorry for false alarm LOL

Acetone. Keep some around for the tough stuff, and the S O fingernails.

I keep a set of CA tips soaking in a jar at all times. If I tip and neglect a bottle or otherwise jam a nozzle, I exchange.

Sometimes the coating is so transparent that one can not see. Then when you grind the tool you smell the odor of burning electrical cable insulation. As stated before by George Acetone does the job of removing the coating. This stuff is tenacious and I had to rub hard with acetone to remove this coating. By the time I was finished my naked fingers started to shown signs of dryness. When using acetone washing your hand immediately after will help a little. Wearing of protective gloves is recommended. Latex and Vinyl thin glove when use with acetone will only last a few minutes then they start to rip open.

Yes the coating was so transparent I'm suprised I saw it... I want out and purchased some lacquer thinner and the coating just melted off. I am thinking that maybe lacquer thinner cuts it better than acetone, but then again I'm not sure....might even be the same thing as far as I know.... but worked like magic. It's amazing how much sharper your gouge is when there is no coating on it.... LOL

Yes, lacquer thinner would work faster. I have some and only use it when I really need it. Acetone's odor does not stay very long. Lacquer thinner's main ingredient is toluene and its fumes will stay on longer. The following is an extract from Recochem's website: "All lacquer thinners are not alike. Some contain such a high percentage of acetone that working with them requires extreme caution because of the flammability and fumes. Recochem's Lacquer Thinner is still flammable but our active ingredient is toluene which is slightly less flammable, making our product better suited for consumer use. "

insulation.

fingernails.