Chisel handles

[Richard S]

Morning all

I have some old (relatively) Marples firmer chisels with plastic handles, the blade are in good nick and hold a good edge but the handles are scuffed and scratched, I presume from years of rolling around in a tool box. Is it possible to replace the plastic handles with wooden ones and if so how ? Is it possible to buy wooden handles or would they need to me tuned specially?

Many thanks

Richard

 

[Alf]

Richard, cast you eye over this and this - might help. Bought-in handles would be need to be drilled for tangs anyway I think, so no more particular effort required. It's the tang design for the plastic handle that has to have some adaptation to fit in wood, but exactly what seems to vary twixt makes.

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

Richard, cast you eye over this and this - might help. Bought-in handles would be need to be drilled for tangs anyway I think, so no more particular effort required. It's the tang design for the plastic handle that has to have some adaptation to fit in wood, but exactly what seems to vary twixt makes.

Cheers, Alf

In the ingeneous spar gauge, it's safe to use points (scribes) as opposed to pencils. When making a round object, the spar gauge marks the location of "apexes" for the first polygonal approximation to the round. Since the apexes are doomed to be removed at the second stage, it doesn't matter that the marks have depth (as long as it's reasonable)

This is (of course) not the case with chamfers, which famously should NOT be marked out with a marking gauge.

BugBear

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Richard,

When I bought my first 1.5" bevelled chisel, it happened to be a Stanley 'Blue-Chip', with a plastic handle. It holds a good edge, but is one of my favourites for 'brutal' on-site chiselling! It suffered like yours.

As the handle and ferrule are all part and parcel, I didn't replace with wood. I rubbed it down well with wet and dry, starting at 100, and worked down to 400. ( I think!) Took me some time, but a final buff on a wheel with Brasso' and it felt like silk.

I put it in a rack now when I ain't using it!
John

 

[IanW]

Richard - I have several very good chisels that began life with the blue handles. Besides an aversion to plastic, I don't like the shape, so replaced them with wooden ones. I have also re-shaped several wooden handles on other tools - these days, so many tools seem to come with great, clumsy things that don't fit my hands at all.

It was quite easy to remove the plastic all of the chisels I've tried. Lock the blade firmly into a decent metal vise and bash off the handle using a bit of brass rod - or a bit of strong hardwood as a punch. The tangs seem to vary a bit in length and diameter - the more recent ones are just roughly circular with a blunt end, so you really need to get the old handle off & see what you've got, before you drill your new handle. The plastic versions had no ferrules, but it was easy to incorporate a ferrule on my replacements. You can buy ferrules or make them for a few pennies from brass tubing.

Woods I've found suitable for medium-heavy walloping are Hawthorn, Pear, Apple, Ash, & Hornbeam, & of course Box, which is poisonously expensive, now. We have some pretty tough handle material downunder, too, but probably not readily accessible to you!

Looks like I can't post any pics, as I've just signed up to the forum....

Cheers,
Ian

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Ian

Welcome to the forum.

Looks like I can't post any pics, as I've just signed up to the forum....

Once you've post count passes three you're ok to post images. In the meantime, you can always post them and one of the Mods will sort them out for you.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Richard S]

Many thanks to all who replied, I think I will give it a go and see what happens, thanks again.

Richard

 

[IanW]

Hi Ian

Welcome to the forum.
Once you've post count passes three you're ok to post images. In the meantime, you can always post them and one of the Mods will sort them out for you.

Cheers,
Neil

Thanks Neill - well here's # 2 post, so I only have one to go! :wink:

Cheers,
Ian

 

[George_N]

I'd like to have a go at re-handling an old chisel but my first attempts at drilling a blank to take the chisel tang didn't go too well. Ideally i'd like to do it on my drill press but it is a small bench top model and it doesn't have enough clearance. Free hand with a power drill (battery) I found it easy to go off course even with a try square standing beside blank as a guide. Any tips or jigs to to make drilling into end grain easier?

 

[Richard S]

George

You could try starting with a blank that is 2" longer than required, cut this 2" off, drill it through on you bench drill then clamp it back on the end in a bench vice and use it as your guide for you hand drill.

Hope this makes sense

Regards
Richard

 

[woodbloke]

If you do replace chisel handles I strongly urge you to have a go at AOH's (Alf's Octagonal Handles)....I've done a few now and they're a great way to re-handle old chisels - Rob

 

[bugbear]

If you do replace chisel handles I strongly urge you to have a go at AOH's (Alf's Octagonal Handles)....I've done a few now and they're a great way to re-handle old chisels - Rob

Alf has other options...

http://www.leevalley.com/newsletters/Wo ... ticle2.htm

BugBear

 

[George_N]

George

You could try starting with a blank that is 2" longer than required, cut this 2" off, drill it through on you bench drill then clamp it back on the end in a bench vice and use it as your guide for you hand drill.

Hope this makes sense

Regards
Richard

Good idea Richard, I might give that a go. I've also had thoughts of trying to clamp the blank vertically at the edge of the drill press table and swinging the table to the side to bring the blank under the drill. Not sure how secure it would be though. And yes, I am planning to do one of Alf's Octagonal Handles as I don't have a lathe. I also have some Kirschen chisels with octagonal handles and I quite like the feel of them so another octagonal will fit in well.

 

[Alf]

George, if you're not turning them then it may actually be easier to drill for and fit the blade first, then shape the handle to the desired angle. The leeway hand shaping gives you is generally enough to accommodate the slight difference in angle that eyeballing the drill introduces.

Cheers, Alf

 

[George_N]

Thanks Alf, I have the plastic handle off my old Stanley already so I'll try and have a go this evening (it's that or watch the Big Brother evictions).

 

[woodbloke]

Thanks Alf, I have the plastic handle off my old Stanley already so I'll try and have a go this evening (it's that or watch the Big Brother evictions).

George - I know which I'd far rather be doing :wink: - Rob