Chisel ground...err.. Chisel

[SBranson]

Not sure I've seen a chisel on this site yet so here goes...

I am a woodworker in my regular job so I guess it's only natural to try a chisel. I've been coveting a buddy's Japanese chisels but short of a couple saya chisels for my sword work, I haven't bought any for my day job.
That same buddy has been bugging me to try a chisel as he has some designs he wants made so here's my first attempt. It's all hammer finished and was a real exercise in forging for me.

This one is in W2 as I want to get the forging process down before trying laminated blades. I went with the "relic" look as I think it has so much character. As one co-worker said, it's an "instant antique".

It's a 1" paring chisel with a white oak handle with a spacer of 3500 year old bog oak. I did a hemp wrap instead of a ferrule.
The handle is about 7" long.

The last view shows how it clears the work piece.

A fun project for sure and very exciting for me. All the guys at work want some now..

Thanks for looking.

PS..By the way, if anyone has come across some videos or sites about forging these I'd appreciate the links. I kinda just made this up as I went looking at photos of Japanese forged chisels.

 

[Michael Starr]

Very cool, Mr. Branson
No tutorials but I bet he could answer just about any questions you have - www.barrtools.com

Vintage is good!

 

[Jos]

That's kinda cool!

I have a damascus chisel that was made by Alex Salsi, he used it to do the wood carving on the sheath & presentation box of my viking sword.

Tools like this are sooooo much nicer than the stuff you buy in the shop!

Kind regards,

Jos

 

[peterinct]

VERY cool Stuart!

Peter

 

[Lorien]

that is a very nice looking tool!

 

[mike deibert]

Stuart, that is way cool! Thanks for sharing with us. I'd like to see more tools like that here. I've made a few as well and there is a really helpful book out that I use. It's called "Tool Making for Woodworkers" by Ray Larsen and published by Cambium Press. He teaches a lot of with forging techniques and there a lot of cool info on tempering for woodworking tools.
Hope that helps,
Mike

 

[Chris Montgomery]

Very cool!!! I am a fan of hand made tools. I make and use as many hand made tools as I can. The pride in using a tool that was made by hand and especially if it's of your own make has a large value in my opinion.

Well done sir!

Chris

 

[SBranson]

Thanks alot.

I really like having this in the shop to use. A co-worker there wanted to test the edge on some end grain walnut, right around the area of a branch. That stuff is tough as nails and hard to chisel. He (and I) were really pleased with how it cut and held it's edge and I haven't even really given it the final tune up yet. (lapping the back dead flat).

I was musing on the making of chisels today and there is a special satisfaction for me. I remember my Dad talking about his grandfather, a professional carpenter from England. The stories were of a very good craftsman in a time when most things were done by hand. Flattening with hand planes to make surfaces so smooth that by placing one board on the other, you could pick them up and they would stick together... this is the side of the blade making that appeals to the carpenters, joiners, cabinetmakers, millworkers... We all love our tools and the joy of making one reminds me and brings me back to a time when knowing your tools meant being intimately connected to their creation. This, for me, is where the "function" of the craft really comes to fore.

Thanks for the link Michael S. and for the book recommendation Mike D.

 

[Lorien]

I was musing on the making of chisels today and there is a special satisfaction for me. I remember my Dad talking about his grandfather, a professional carpenter from England. The stories were of a very good craftsman in a time when most things were done by hand. Flattening with hand planes to make surfaces so smooth that by placing one board on the other, you could pick them up and they would stick together... this is the side of the blade making that appeals to the carpenters, joiners, cabinetmakers, millworkers... We all love our tools and the joy of making one reminds me and brings me back to a time when knowing your tools meant being intimately connected to their creation. This, for me, is where the "function" of the craft really comes to fore.

:thumbup: