clever/inventive uses for pitted chisels?

[disco_monkey79]

I was recently given a pre-war inch and a half chisel (German make, can;t remember the name). A lovely piece of steel that sharpens up beautifully.

However, it's pitted like mad, so however far back I grind, there's always going to be a notch in the cutting edge.

I can;t bring myself to consign it to the recycling bin, or to use it as a sacrificial paint tin opener/general dogsbody.

Anyone suggest any clever uses for such a thing?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you have lathe or access to one, stick some good quality 60 or 80 grit to a disc of MDF or ply and flatten it. It might make a nice thin paring chisel.

 

[lurker]

Or a belt sander on its back

I suppose it depends on how deep the pits are

 

[disco_monkey79]

Thanks. Some are pretty deep, but if there's a patch with only shallow ones, then this might be a go-er.

Cheers

 

[thetyreman]

I'd use 60 grit sandpaper on a lapping plate, I've been surprised at how much pitting it can remove, then move up the grits.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've a moving lapping plate - it's much easier.

 

[AndyT]

Another option would be to grind a second bevel on the other side, so the cutting edge is in the middle of the good steel.
This could be used as a big carving chisel or for turning on a pole lathe (it's almost certainly unsuitable to use on an electrically powered lathe.)

 

[ED65]

Could you post pics so we can see how bad the pitting is?

 

[Biliphuster]

As long as it's steel all the way through and not laminated you can move the cutting edge to the middle as AndyT says. You could go even further and completely flip the cutting edge assuming the pitting on the top is not too bad.

If you have access to the proper machinery and tooling you could drill holes in it and use it as a dowel plate.

 

[Dovetaildave]

"Another option would be to grind a second bevel on the other side, so the cutting edge is in the middle of the good steel. This could be used as a big carving chisel " Great idea.

"flip the cutting edge" excellent

Can you tell us what type of chisel is it, firmer, bevelled,......... what sort of handle does it have ?
Could it be used in a very thin section as something to do with cleaning out/paring dovetail housings for sliding dovetails?
if its thick section, a parting tool or scraper?

Regards,
Dave

 

[Jelly]

Think bigger, don't be constrained by the shape it is now.!

 

[disco_monkey79]

Great ideas - thanks all.

It's a firmer. I tried to take some pics, but they're rubbish. I'll have another go at the weekend in daylight.

 

[rafezetter]

How about a poor mans router (may be a tad wide for that) or a chisel plane for removing excess dried glue, shaving off the last few thou from a flush cut dowel or even a wood bodied chisel shoulder plane.