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Ya thats the one that cost $5. The steel was in mint condition but no handle. So me slapped some box wood on the lathe and spun up a handle...that flattened oval is the bark on the box wood stick.

peace and carotts

Padma

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Not to upset the apple cart Padma, but Japanese chisels are struck with a traditional steel hammer. Hence the top hoop designed for the purpose I guess.

???? If you are refering to Padma's comment about someone ruining the chisels by hitting with a steel hammer I invite you to look closely at the picture of his chisels. You will see a mushroomed socket where some yo-yo was hitting it with a steel hammer with out a handle in the socket. Not good. I think he knows what the hoop is for on a Japanese chisel. Steel hammer ok: on Japanese chisels with hoops and plastic handles with metal bumpers on top. Euro type wood handles with hoops ok with careful "tapping" as well as plastic handles. Let common sense guide you.
Plain wood handles with either leather washers or not : Wood mallets, rubber mallets, rubber or rawhide, or the like type hammers = ok.
Once in a while careful tapping ok with steel hammer. Again let common sense guide you. If you need to wail away at something use the appropriate tool.
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Yo, Darrel,

Let me help you pickup them spilled apples...

Me talking Swedish and Norwegian steel... not that yaky~shakie, 1960s melted down Detroit steel folded 6,000 times by some ancient Japanese blacksmith sword manufacture that sound like clanging metal in your head when being wailed on with a steel mallet.

Me much prefer the tapping sound of a wooden mallet on a wooden handle. Much easier on the brain cells of which me ain't got many left....the '60 ya know.

Different chisels.


blessings
the
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Ha! I take it back. Of course you know the difference. I probably had some misguided notion that I was pointing out something but upon reading my post again, was obviously one scotch too many in. We had a demonstration last week from an expert on the use of Japanese woodworking tools. I don't think I'd ever fully go there, but it was awfully impressive watching the capabilities of the tools. In particular the planes, which ride on only two and sometimes three points of contact. Particularly in soft woods. the planes create a microscopic "bubble" of wood allowing the blades to actually be slightly recessed in the mouth and allowing for unbelievably, as in a couple of microns, thick shavings. By the way, great chisels. I'm slowly building up my collection of similar animals but have a way to go. And, I use a wood mallet as well (OK, sometimes a small brass carvers mallet).

The only thing I don't like about "Old Rust" is that you never know what the fellow before you did to ruin them... or how the fellow did on the day he made the thing... Quality could be quite variable back in the day -- and some just weren't hardened right.

I have what should be a couple great old chisels...

My 1" Boro... Unfortunately, it just doesn't seem to hold an edge quite like the other decent carbon steel chisels I have.... Someone may have tried to "Sharpen" it on a grinder and got it good and red or done something similarly dumb with a campfire or some such...

My old 1/2" Pexto is decent -- Holds an edge about like my Marples blue handle.... but nothing to write home about.

Both of those chisels took me several hours to get cutting right.... Both probably need to take a trip on Ebay.

I honestly believe Twin Cherries chisels are better steel for the money, as are Narex...

I also have 2-blue spruce chisels... Wouldn't trade them for those old "Magical Chisels" They cut like nobody's business and stay sharp a *LONG* time.... They also strop up very easily...... Just be sure to dub those sharp side edges before filleting your fingers...

What I am finding is that I really don't need a set of chisels -- I really need a few really good chisels... A 3/4", a 1/4", an 1/8" and an itty bitty one.... + 1 cheapie for scraping glue... and that is the advice I would give -- Find yourself a good high quality long blade paring chisel in 1" and 1/4"... Then find a 1/2" cheapie for glue scraping duty. Spend the rest of the Chisel money on some sharpening gear.. and you will be well on the way.

Thanks

John

Narex got a best buy on fww. Bought them. Very happy. Also own a bunch of two cherries. Err on the high side

I guess my best advice is to dig up some fww reviews, make ur decision from there.

O1, A1, 1090, High speed, C-65, Laminated, Blue steel, White steel, Wrought iron, Martinsite, Austinite, Pearlite, Bainite. Cryogenic, Temper embrittlement. Transformation temperature, Transition temperature, ..."The Making Of Tools", by Alex Weygers.

Well, I have a full set of Blue Spruce dovetail chisels and a couple of paring chisels, and I am trading them in, fortunately I already have all the old "Magical Chisels" chisels I need... But you are certainly right that not all old chisels are great, in fact a large percentage of my flea market finds turn out to be utter dogs.



My choice for a single paring chisel would be 19 mm (3/4"), and I would add a 25 mm (1") bench chisel to the list, otherwise I agree with you completely.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

What you got against Detoilet steel Padma???? May your Vega get totaled when hit by a nose picker in a Pacer.....

Yo, Hesh,

Thanks for the kind sentiments regarding me Vega.

Me ain't got nothin gainst Detoilet steel, cepten wen its been melted down and reforged into tools for western consumption.

blessings

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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This is the part they never tell you when you are Begin the Quest for "Old Rust" ..... Everybody talks about how exceptional that old steel was... That it was forged by Vulcan himself and quenched in Unicorn blood....

Then you buy a couple or 10 -- spend several hours on each one... and then find out that 9 of 10 are the equivalent of a Marples Blue Chip (At best)... Decent but not great chisels... But, the great ones certainly stand with the best made today.

The main difference I see is the "Average" quality level vs the 100 year old chisels -- New ones are mostly more consistent... Consistently good or Consistently bad... but Consistent.

Thanks

John