Rusty Tangs

[Harbo]

Over the last few weeks I have gradually been refurbishing some of my late father's old tools.

I have just cleaned up and sharpened a couple of chisels which were not that bad on the outside (just a bit of staining) but when I removed the old slightly damaged handles (to fit new ones) the tangs were both rusty and badly pitted!

Surprised that rust has developed on the inside and not on the exposed parts and makes me wonder what the other chisels are like?

Rod :shock:

 

[woodbloke]

Rod - I suspect that the handle material may not have been fully seasoned when they were fitted to the blades and the moisture corroded the steel - Rob

 

[Pete W]

Surprised that rust has developed on the inside and not on the exposed parts and makes me wonder what the other chisels are like?

Having lived in a couple of houses with leaky roofs, I'm never surprised by what water/moisture will do. I'm certainly not surprised that a handle would allow moisture in, but not let it out again.

Take the rest of the handles off, and you won't have to wonder anymore. Hopefully the pitting isn't so bad as to seriously weaken the tangs. Put some well-seasoned handles on and no-one need ever know the ugly truth

 

[Racers]

Hi,
All the chisels I have rehandles have been rusty it must be one of the reasons you get split ferules, its not a bad thing as it holds the blade in firmly.


Pete

 

[johnnyb]

i suspect the reason is common to all sheffeild chisels as nearly everyone ive seen has some rust. probably being in such close contact with a hygroscopic material(timber) the handles may not have been given a protective treatment maybe only the blades. it is also much softer although why this would make a difference i dont know?

 

[Harbo]

Here's some photos before and after, some with new handles, some refurbished:-

The Stevenson & Mawhood gouge at the front is too far gone to re handle.

The two "brutish" socketed ones I think are Wheelwright chisels?

The seem to take a good edge!

Rod

 

[Pete W]

Looks like a job well done, Rod.

What are you using for ferrules?

 

[Harbo]

They're brass ones from Sorby and Ashley Iles? - I buy them at shows.
Some of the handles are Iles rejects - bought at Yandles.
They are very cheap - I keep meaning to turn some on my lathe but it's another job on the waiting list.
My main intention was just to get them into some sort of shape where they will not deteriorate any more so did not "go to town" polishing them up very much. I do not suppose they will get much use but could not leave them in their sad state as some of them probably belonged to my great grandfather who was a wheelwright?

I had to change my "photo storage facility" but the pictures are now coming out very big - sorry about that - will try and sort it.

Rod