Small chisel with rounded top edges

[JohnPW]

Hello all,

I've got a chisel where the long edges on the front/top (ie on bevel edge chisels it's the edges which are bevelled) are rounded off. What's the reason for the round edges?

Chisel is a "JB Addis & Son, Sheffield" 4.5mm, has a number "3".

 

[Cheshirechappie]

The number '3' indicates that it's a gouge of number 3 sweep. The Sheffield List sweeps ran from 3 (very flat) to 11 (about 180 degrees). That would also explain the rounded back.

 

[JohnPW]

Thanks, so it's a flat gouge?!

It's completely flat as far as I can see, I suppose the rounding means it can reach into a smaller space than without it..

 

[G S Haydon]

Not sure but I think you can still get this style of chisel. I think it is/was marketed as a dovetail chisel as the rounding meant the lands on the edges were non existent. Comfortable too? I might have go that wrong though!

 

[marcros]

ashley iles dovetail chisels have the same look to them.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Stamped J B Addis, rounded back, stamped with a number 3 - it's a carving gouge of number 3 sweep to the Sheffield List. 'Dovetail chisels' are a very modern invention (and completely unnecessary - what can they do that a decent bevel-edged chisel can't?)

 

[G S Haydon]

You might well be right CC, a bigger photo would help. I was thinking that perhaps the description given was wrong. And yes, I agree totally on the dovetailing!