Old timber framing chisels

[sparky]

hello all

i am wondering if any of you know something about these timber framing chisels that my very generous brother just gave me.
one is marked D R Barton 1832 and is 1 1/2" wide
the other is marked "Owen" and is 1 1/8" wide at the tip.
i am not sure if the owen is a mark from the maker or the owner since it looks rather sloppy. im sorry i don't have a camera for pictures.

if anyone has any info i would appreciate it.

also i think i might put new handles on them if you know a good source of info for making a handle for a socket chisel (i don't have a lathe) that would be nice too. :wink:

thanks
sparky

 

[CHJ]

i am wondering if any of you know something about these timber framing chisels that my very generous brother just gave me.
one is marked D R Barton 1832 and is 1 1/2" wide
thanks
sparky

This should do for the first one. D R Barton 1832

In 1865 on the 17th of March the great flood of Rochester occurred. It destroyed his manufacturing building that he had purchased in 1832. He borrowed $200,000 from Royal & William Mack to rebuild his company. They became partners until 1873 when David bought back his company. At that point he started stamping his tools D.R. Barton 1832 verses the Mack’s were still making tools as D.R. Barton and Company. On April 26th 1875 he passed away after a short illness. His wife and son sold the company back to the Mack’s a year later and they used his name for about 5 more years.

 

[Alf]

also i think i might put new handles on them if you know a good source of info for making a handle for a socket chisel (i don't have a lathe) that would be nice too. :wink:

As it happens, I do.

Cheers, Alf

 

[sparky]

thanks CHJ and Alf.

i appreciate the info.

however alf i am wondering it i can make the handles without a spokeshave :shock:
it is on my list of necessary tool to get but im not there yet.
is there anyway to do this without a spokeshave :?:

thanks in advance
sparky

 

[Alf]

Block plane? Chisel? Rasps and files should never be underestimated. But heck, you really want a spokeshave now, don'tcha...? :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[sparky]

i sure do :tool:

what are your thougths on the lee valley spokeshaves. 8-[

i was looking at them and seriously thinking about the low angle one. maybe two different blades with different bevel angles :-k

i like the price and the versatility...for a starter anyway.
or should i think about something else for a first one :-s

personally id rather save and get good tools that i will want to use in years to come rather than get something cheap now just to have it.

any thoughts

sparky

 

[Mirboo]

Alf did a review of the Veritas Low Angle Spokeshave here.

 

[Alf]

Well a modicum of controversy here; my beef with the good modern shaves is they tend to have too fine a mouth if you have any desire to get a move on with shaping a piece. Great for whispy shavings off the edge of an apron or something, but my last choice for this kind of thing. The low angle is better in this respect because the mouth's adjustable but the benefit of that is lost with the tendency of iron to slip backwards if you try and take any kind of cut of substance. In fact reading that review again I can see I've changed my mind about the low angle shave rather a lot. It's still not a bad all-rounder, but the more my variety of shaves expanded the less it got used it until I eventually sold it. So probably I should amend it to reflect the thought that if, heaven forbid, you're only going to have one spokeshave it's the best at coping with the widest range of tasks but not necessarily the best at each individual task. :-k As a place to start it's still pretty good though, as you surmise.

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

... that if, heaven forbid, you're only going to have one spokeshave it's the best at coping with the widest range of tasks but not necessarily the best at each individual task.

This is (of course) true for damn near any tool...

BugBear

 

[Amateurrestorer]

I don't know if their common in the States but the old boxwood spokeshaves are my favourites ,And I have a got a few ranging from Stanley to Prestons .You can get them over here for £4 to £5 and they are great users. The LV spokeshave looks to be a direct copy made with HI tech materials. PS I have never shaved a spoke in my life.Cheers John

 

[Paul Chapman]

what are your thougths on the lee valley spokeshaves. 8-[

i was looking at them and seriously thinking about the low angle one. maybe two different blades with different bevel angles :-k

I have one of the Veritas low-angle spokeshaves and reckon it's great. If you can afford to, I would buy two so that you can have one with the toe piece set for flat work and the other with it set for curved work (changing it around gets a bit fiddly and irritating). I would rate it as one of the best 'shaves available.

Cheers :wink:

Paul