Marples/Stanley Chisel Challenge

[No skills]

'London pattern' - does this refer to the octagonal shape of the handles?

(sorry for the dim question)

Woodbloke, those two are very nice =P~

 

[Sawyer]

No doubt, Chippendale's journeymen would have jumped at the chance of having chisels with virtually indestructible handles! Aesthetics aside, plastic handles are good and withstand the tremendous bashing that chisels get, very well.
I once had the amber 'splitproof' handle come off a Marples mortice chisel and re-handled it with ash. Otherwise, it's a case of 'if it aint broke, don't fix it'.

In fact, I prefer the feel of wood handles, but blowed if I'm going to bother changing a perfectly serviceable handle just 'cos it's plastic. Sometimes, just sometimes, it's convenient to use a hammer instead of a mallet: no problem at all, with a plastic handle.

By the way, why does nobody seem to make firmer chisels any more? For general work, I prefer them and find the square edge quite useful.

 

[jimi43]

In case we are confused, there is another thread started by moi to bash out the merits of plastic or wood to your hearts delight....feel free to voice your opinion there as I shall not be visiting that thread again.... :mrgreen: :wink:

This particular thread assumes you are wanting/going to...change the absolutely rubbish plastic cruddy yucky horrible handle on any of these otherwise fine tools to something more pleasing and act as a place to post those modifications...

PHEW!!

Right...back to the original programme....

Ok Douglas...but I have already cast my vote....I love the way that thin steel is accentuated by the chunky handle...it is amazing how a design can be altered slightly and yet be so very much more beautiful...it has something to do with Fibonacci I know it does!!! 8)

Hey Chris...there are no time nor brief limits...go for it mate.

Rob...Studders...the octagonal pattern is one of my most favourites and I know how difficult it is to do...

I tried it once...

I probably won't attempt it again until I am far more skilled with the lathe...that shape is very very easy to get totally wrong...but beautiful if right!

Looking forward to seeing the other entries!

Jim

 

[nellieboy]

hi all been a while since i last visited.coincidentally i have been collecting old stanley 5001chisels at carboots to make into butt chisels .im toying with putting wooden handles on them.my question is do you reshape the tang or just bore a hole for a tight interference fit as they are. many thanks neil

 

[studders]

I reground the tangs as I didn't have any araldite when I did them, I think Araldite would be a lot quicker provided it held ok.

 

[condeesteso]

hi nellieboy - I have found that a tight-ish fit and Araldite does very well. The tangs seem to vary so measure each one (vernier if possible) and go for just that or very slightly under (fractions of a mm). This is where having metric and imperial drills is handy as some of the sizes are a bit odd - one of the ones I did measured 9.6mm and I found an imperial that was about bang on (don't have a 9.5mm). Grinding 3 flats and an interference fit is an option, but I don't have a bench grinder and couldn't be bothered with the angle grinder!
Re 'London Pattern', I believe that is what the octagonal with the rounded shoulder by the ferrule is referred to. Someone may have a clearer definition and some history... ?

 

[Jacob]

The few times I've re-handled anything I've always fitted the tang to the blank first - drill a bit , tap it in, drill/chisel a bit more, try it again, etc, until it's nearly home by say 2mm. Then shape the handle around the fit of the tang. Then tap it in the last 2mm for a very tight fit.
Saves a lot of effin about - it's really difficult to fit a lumpy cast tang perfectly central in a nicely turned handle.
Though come to think I don't turn the handles - I shape them with plane, spokeshave etc.

 

[pedder]

This is why I like light handles, makes control close-in very good:

Douglas Jim,

these are some very very nice handles. I'm glad, I don't have to choose!

And Jim, I like this one, too!

Cheers
Pedder

 

[jimi43]

Thought you might like that old English Octagonal my friend.

Glad to see you recognised it! Did you find a piece of steel to attach to it yet?

Jim

 

[pedder]

Thought you might like that old English Octagonal my friend.

Glad to see you recognised it! Did you find a piece of steel to attach to it yet?

Jim

Hi Jim,

No, he is virgin until today.

(I don't even try to learn genders of things on English, sorry if you're irritated)

I'm looking for the right ferrule and and a nice big file.

Cheers
Pedder

 

[woodbloke]

Woodbloke, those two are very nice =P~

Ta, they take a little practice to get right, but the smallest ferule you can get away with makes it easier to get the curves looking half decent. The stock material starts off at 25mm square or so...in fact Alf did a very good tutorial somewhere on making London Pattern handles. Here's another one I did some time ago:

...this time it's in African Ebony for a little fishtail chisel - Rob

 

[No skills]

Thanks all, I do like the look of the 'London' pattern - I might try a couple of old ones out at home see how comfy they are.

 

[Alf]

Making Best London Pattern Octagonal Chisel Handles, and also Replacing plastic chisel handles, aka "Lathe? Lathe?! You Don't Need No Stinkin' Lathe"

 

[No skills]

Thats some nice handles there Alf, does inspire a need for a set of chisels with different coloured handles I'll have to start hunting down some older chisels with good steel to make my 'Good' chisel set up with.

 

[Jacob]

Making Best London Pattern Octagonal Chisel Handles, and also Replacing plastic chisel handles, aka "Lathe? Lathe?! You Don't Need No Stinkin' Lathe"

That reminds me - what happened to the badges? I never got mine Do we have a badge monitor?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsdZKCh6 ... re=related

 

[condeesteso]

Jim promised some 'Jim fixed it for me' badges a while ago too. Never materialised. Not shopping there again.

 

[woodbloke]

Making Best London Pattern Octagonal Chisel Handles,

That's the bad boy...worth a quick peek :wink: - Rob

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I've posted this before. Made for a friend, an ex-Stanley circa 1970 ...

The handle was replaced, and the shoulders hollow ground to minimal lands. Finally the blade was re-heat treated ...

Here it is being hollow ground ..

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Jamesc]

Here is my contribution.

I found this sorry pair burried in the mud on a building site. They just seemed made for each other so I had a go.


P1010009 by Jmaes-C, on Flickr

And here it is after, I am a converted metal worker and at the time did not have a woodwrking lathe (I am still building it). I surface ground the blade so that it is completly flat and made a comfortable handle within the limitations of the lump of wood I found and the slow speed of my metalworking lathe.


DSCN0780 by [url=http://www.flickr.com

James

 

[jumps]

Here is my contribution.

I found this sorry pair burried in the mud on a building site. They just seemed made for each other so I had a go.


P1010009 by Jmaes-C, on Flickr

And here it is after, I am a converted metal worker and at the time did not have a woodwrking lathe (I am still building it). I surface ground the blade so that it is completly flat and made a comfortable handle within the limitations of the lump of wood I found and the slow speed of my metalworking lathe.


DSCN0780 by

now that's impressive...... =D>

for some bizarre reason I can't put my finger in this is clearly infectious as I have found a similar chisel in the bottom of an old tool box and am eyeing up a handle solution right now.