Henry Taylor chisels

[Peter Sefton]

I have been sent some Henry Taylor bevel edge chisels to test today, anybody have any or used them before? Easy to sharpen, good edge retention?

I understand the woodturning tools are well respected.

Cheers Peter

 

[johnnyb]

I know there chisels quite well. but there carving tools are almost vintage. they are usually a bit softer than boutique stuff. but easy to sharpen with med/good edge retention. the carving tools are very similar but maybe thats a bit more tolerable on a more difficult to sharpen item. they are well suited to oilstones though.

 

[dannyr]

interestingly, although often forgotten, I believe they're still making a full range of carving and whittling chisels.

I have a Dictum (**** Tools, Germany) 2019 catalogue in front of me which introduces their new 'own brand' range of carving chisels -- hand forged by Henry Taylor of Sheffield.

I believe Dictum have pretty high standards.

 

[Argus]

I have some of their turning tools that I bought over 30 years ago...... still working well. After That amount of time, you get to know what's good and what's not so .............

When I started carving at about the same time, Alec Tiranti in Theale used to keep a selection of Henry Taylor gouges which were sold 'old school' in their shop - that is in small drawers for each gouge type and without handles.... they left you alone to line 'em all up on the counter and buy which ones you wanted. Every one of the gouges were different. Weight, tang, size and thickness at the shank........ you took which one you wanted and there were small differences. I never needed handles - made my own, but they had some handle blanks.
They sharpen well on all sorts of stones, (except the Japanese water stones and paper-based stuff). Started on carborundum and I now use diamond plates and ceramic slips.

The question that I was building up to is, how has the company changed? Do they still have that same forged individuality? Have they been taken over?

As far as chisels are concerned, I still use my old pre-war collection - mostly Marples and a few Bristol Design (Schwarter?) ........... sorry Peter, they'll see me out and a few more users to come, I hope.

 

[dannyr]

I believe they took over the Diamic (mostly turning tools) brand from another Sheffield company many years ago (Hildick?)

I remember Tiranti - did they also have a London shop (Tottenham Court Rd, near Buck and Ryan's?).

 

[Peter Sefton]

I believe they took over the Diamic (mostly turning tools) brand from another Sheffield company many years ago (Hildick?)

I remember Tiranti - did they also have a London shop (Tottenham Court Rd, near Buck and Ryan's?).

Interesting these bevel edge chisel have the Diamic branding on them.

Cheers Peter

 

[Argus]

Danny, I believe that Tiranti had (still has?) a London shop, which was their headquarters. They are an old-established firm. I used the Theale shop because I lived in that area at that time and it was easy to get to...... park outside, too.

Peter, good luck with the testing..... I hope to hear about the chisels. Most of my turning tools had that Diamic label.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Other way around, iirc - Hildick took over Henry Taylor but used/use H.T. and Diamic brands. I have two Hildick Diamic chisels. Andy T will be along soon ...

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I have a big Henry Taylor sculptors gouge. Little used, but the first time given heavy use the cutting edge just bent over, like it was not nearly hard enough. I'm hoping it is just overheating of the edge or loss of carbon, and having ground it back a mm or so, it will be harder. But I haven't tried it in anger since to confirm.

 

[Mark Karacsonyi]

I have a Henry Taylor adze. Beautiful tool to use. Not needed to sharpen it for ages. Keeps a good edge.

 

[Richard_C]

I have a small selection of carving chisels, nothing bigger than half inch. Owned them 30+ years, used rarely but a delight, handle, weight, perfect. Sharpen with oilstone and a slipstone for inside the gouges. Also a beech mallet which is equally excellent, a pleasure to handle.

I recently picked up a current catalogue, the range of shapes, sizes, handles is astonishing. About 12 pages of carving chisels, 8 of wood turning and a very small section of Woodworking chisels. Most wood turning ones are offered in carbon steel and hss - inventory control must be a nightmare.

I'm always going off at tangents and I wondered if Henry Moore used Henry Taylor tools. Couldn't find a picture of him at work, a visit to his workshop at Perry Green (fine place, studio, sculptures in the landscape) would probably reveal all because its preserved much as he left it. I did find this piece about Elm carving intetesting:

https://www.henry-moore.org/henry-moore-archive/adhoc/henry-moore-and-elmwood

 

[Peter Sefton]

Thanks for everyones comments, I hope to have a play with these new chisels this week.