Most chisels, mechanical or hand operated, are not particularly sharp when supplied. Certainly not as sharp as they could be. This was at the upper limit of factory sharpness. The bevels and blade show signs of rough grinding, and the cutting edge is concave, leaving a rounded surface. It's a good steel and already does an impressive job of cutting through even white oak and acacia. This is my first electric wood chisel so I'm not sure which part it is but what Bosch Bulldog SDS drill bit I'm using behind it. Also, I'm not sure if getting it mirror polished and razor sharp is necessary or even a good idea, but that's how I was taught to handle a new chisel. I don't think the difference between results and great results is usually in the tool. Wrong, but I think it's a pretty big piece of metal, and I think it's better than sharpening a concrete chisel and breaking wood into chunks. It's high quality Bosch stuff and surprisingly cheap. I am very happy with it and you will be too.