Chisel re-handle for christmas

Agent_zed · 16 Dec 2022

Just started wood turning a few months back and I've just completed a job I've been wanting to do for a few years now. This is my dad's old set of chisels that the handles have been used and very much abused over the years and I've now rehandled them as a christmas present. They are made by Footprint and although not the best chisels in the world I think hold a good edge, and a fair few memories of jobs past.

The handles are Ash from the fire wood pile and I think are one of the most comfortable shaped handles around. I notice the Narex now do a very similar handle to this although slightly curved rather than straight like these. I've reused the old ferrules as I like keeping as much original bits as possible. you can see the small chisel is still the original handle as its still in good nick. Needless to say I will be suggesting they are not beaten quite so hard as in the past.

This is only my 10th or so turning project so I'm pretty pleased I've managed to do a reasonable replication of the originals. Quite enjoying this turning malarky.

Chisteve · 16 Dec 2022

Good work I have been doing the same teaching myself - I have been using/cutting up old cricket stumps for tool handles and getting much quicker with the turning

I like that footprint shape also I believe they were there premium range chisels

Argus · 17 Dec 2022

Very nicely done.
It's tribute to the old tools and their makers when the repairs are done as if they were new.

I was taught to turn by an old-school-old-time professional in Honiton - after getting the idea of shaping the blank, the first things that he taught were a bradawl handle with a 3 inch nail and a replacement chisel handle.

His old trick was to use the shape of the tang to excavate the hole exactly to size when the handle was finished to shape and off the lathe.

Agent_zed · 17 Dec 2022

Argus said:
Very nicely done.
It's tribute to the old tools and their makers when the repairs are done as if they were new.

I was taught to turn by an old-school-old-time professional in Honiton - after getting the idea of shaping the blank, the first things that he taught were a bradawl handle with a 3 inch nail and a replacement chisel handle.

His old trick was to use the shape of the tang to excavate the hole exactly to size when the handle was finished to shape and off the lathe.

Yes, I followed a few of the youtube videos from Paul Sellers and Worth the effort, combining bits from both. The tangs on these arent a square/rectangle but more of a round shape with 4 wings that barely taper except for the last 5mm. I ended up pretty much drilling a straight hole rather than having to taper. They hammered down really nicely with just enough pressure/bite. Bit nerve racking though what with the no going back once you start!

The one mistake i did was to turn the shape of the first (big) handle without drilling a hole on the lathe first. Paul Sellers does it freehand after but i didn't think I would get it accurate enough so managed to put it back on the lathe with a drill bit instead of the centre, which is what Worth the Effort showed. More luck that judgement but it is pretty much dead straight.

Argus · 17 Dec 2022

I see what you mean about the shape of the tangs; they were machined into shape and a clench put on the sides to prevent rotation. The self-drilling I described won't work with these shapes. Older chisels were a tapering pyramid shape, from the bolster down to a point.

But If you are drilling a straight hole on the lathe with a chuck and drill rotating in the drive side, you have an opportunity to correct the axis of the blank which sometimes moves slightly if the drill flexes.

Withdraw the tail stock and, with the blank still on the drill, turn the lathe off and allow it to slow. At slow speeds, the true axis will now be visible in the middle of the tail end that you can mark with a pencil and re-locate the tail stock at this point if it is different.