Old Chisels

[Mr Ed]

Years ago when clearing out my late father-in-laws tool chest amongst other things I kept 4 chisels, thinking one day I might do something with them. In an idle moment yesterday I derusted them to see what they were and am now considering what, if anything, to do with them.

They are (from top)

1. Footprint 1 1/2" bevel edge chisel
2. 1 1/4" Gouge marked James Howarth Sheffield
3. 5/8" socket chisel marked Sorby Sheffield
4. 3/4" gouge marked J B Addison (?) Sheffield

Are they worth doing anything with and if so what, bearing in mind I am not a turner so making new handles would be tricky. I did read an interesting post on rehandling tang chisels on Woodnet recently, but not sure if worth the effort. Do they have any value? I should also say that I have plenty of 'operational' chisels so this is for curiosity value only.

Cheers, Ed

 

[shim20]

keep them, the steel is better than all the new steel thats around today

 

[Grinding One]

If you can not make handles yourself have it done those are some nice chisels.
Yes they are worth having redone.

 

[custard]

If the backs are flat they could be excellent tools, but that's a big "if".

Years' of sharpening with hollowed stones may have produced chisels with upturned corners, this makes the chisels unsuitable for very fine cuts (but still okay for general use). And flattening the back of a hardened chisel can sometimes involve more work than flattening a plane's sole!

 

[George_N]

This post by our old chum Alf shows how to make a non-turned chisel handle with little more than a drill and a block plane. I've made a couple of handles by this method and it really is very easy. The hardest part, for me anyway, is to get the hole for the tang perfectly aligned.

 

[Scott]

Like Shim says, lovely steel! Be a shame not to get them back in working order.

I just cleaned up and re-handled a Howarth 1/2" bench chisel myself last week and it's a nice tool.

Think the last one might just be JB Addis (?). If so absolutely top quality carving tools

 

[Mr Ed]

George - I was mulling over something like this but not sure if it would look amateurish. I think Alf has ably demonstrated that need not be the case - maybe I'll give it a try.

Cheers, Ed

 

[bugbear]

George - I was mulling over something like this but not sure if it would look amateurish.

I'm a keen subscriber to the campaign to reclaim the word "amateur".

Work done for love of the work is nothing to be ashamed of, and doing work for money is no guarantee of skill.

BugBear

 

[Evergreen]

As a reformed chiselaholic, I know only too well the appeal of old chisels and gouges. But I also know they can be variable – was the old timer having a bad day when he hand forged your specimen a hundred years ago in Sheffield? The only way to know is to sharpen it up and give it a go. I’ve known old chisels to be as soft as soap.

The other important factor is size. Invariably, it’s the odd sizes that survive in best condition. The most useful sizes get thrashed or worn out completely.

So your wide Footprint chisel (which is relatively recent) might not find much use whereas the socket Sorby could be in action every day of the week. And the gouges? Well, Howarth and Addis are highly respected names but I suspect most woodworkers regard gouges as one of those tools that we only keep “because they might come in handy”. I’ve got three old gouges (Wales, Ibbotson and Ward) but I can’t remember the last time I used one.

But you can keep old tools for no other reason than they give you pleasure. That’s what I do. If I need to use them, then that’s a bonus.

 

[Mr Ed]

But you can keep old tools for no other reason than they give you pleasure. That’s what I do. If I need to use them, then that’s a bonus.

I agree, I have a few old things that fall into this category. In fact come to think of it I have a few new tools that also fall into this category...

I think I'll have a crack at some non-turned handles and do some sharpening when the inclination takes me. I'll post back and let you know the outcome.

Cheers, Ed.

 

[Harbo]

Footprint have been around for a long time so it may not be that recent?

I have some I inherited from my Grandfather who died 60 years ago.

They are all top notch makers - keep them I say!

Ray Iles sells replacement handles inc. nice London Pattern ones in Box.

Rod

 

[woodbloke]

bearing in mind I am not a turner so making new handles would be tricky.

Cheers, Ed

Ed - appreciated that you aren't a turner. but if you can get onto a lathe somewhere the long departed Alf also showed how to make these:

which are very easy to do and is a good way to use up oddments of decent timber which you might find tricky to use elsewhere. Just a thought - Rob

 

[Mr Ed]

Well I do have a nice little metalworking lathe, which I bought from fellow forum member Slim;

Does anyone have any experience of turning wood on this type of lathe ? I was considering giving it a go. I have a 4 jaw chuck which would drive the blank round and thought I could use a normal hard centre at the other end...

As luck would have it I have to go to Manchester tommorrow and my journey home can be made to pass Craft Supplies at Bradwell who have huge stocks of turning blanks. What timber would anyone reccommend to get started with?

NB - I looked at Ray Iles replacement handles which were very nice but at £40 each I'm afraid he can keep them!

Cheers, Ed

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Ed,

I'd have a go if I were you. I'd never done any turning before and asked Chisel if he would show me how it's done. Two practice pieces then the real thing

If I could do it, anyone can (mind you, Chisel is a good teacher :wink: ).

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Karl]

Ed - the other thing to consider is that if you sold them you're only likely to get a couple of quid each.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Harbo]

Ed are you sure about the price - £40 that probably includes the chisel.
I bought a couple of handles last year in Box for about £5 each?

I have recently bought a tiny Emco Unimat lathe which has a section on wood turning in the handbook. You will need a tool rest and of course a few wood turning gouges. It recommends a speed of 4000rpm which should be OK for spindle work. I have not tried it as I already have a much larger Myford ML8 lathe but it should be OK for that size of work?

Don't forget the dust etc though!

Rod

 

[Mr Ed]

Harbo

I read the Ray Iles site properly the second time round - the £40 is for a drawbore pin with a london pattern boxwood handle - confused me because it had the words "Boxwood London pattern octagon handles - £40.00" under a picture of the handles on their own;

http://www.oldtools.free-online.co.uk/misc.htm

That said, I can't actually see a price for handles on their own. I'll give him a ring.

Ed

 

[Mr Ed]

Does the Emco handbook say to use a 4 jaw chuck to hold the work?

I have one, but just at the moment can't see how I am going to get the 3 jaw chuck off the spindle of my lathe.

Ed

 

[Harbo]

Ed - the Emco wood turning kit comes with a drive centre and a tool rest with rest holder.
You might get away with just the 3 jaw chuck and your live centre?
Try it on a bit of scrap first.
You could try and make a face plate with a drive screw that could be held in the chuck?

Is it that your 3 jaw is too embedded to screw off the head spindle - they normally have a Tommy bar hole to assist?

Rod

 

[bugbear]

Well I do have a nice little metalworking lathe, which I bought from fellow forum member Slim;

I'm pretty sure that woodturning on a metal working lathe is considered bad, due (IIRC) to woodshaving and dust acting as a moisture attractant and (hence rust) afterwards.

Not quite as deadly as mounting a grinding wheel and using a lathe as a grinder though.

BugBear