Scale-less wood chisel design ideas?

Tait

Tait

Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
576
I have a friend wants to give me a whole stack of soft firebricks and some great wood handle material in exchange for a set of chisels in O-1 from 1/2 to 1 1/4 by 1/4" increments.

I have the 1/4" thick O1 to do this - just not sure of the design. He doesn't want any handle on them - just paracord wrap.

I'm trying to pick a shape for the handles; I searched the forum and on google (images) and didn't find many wood chisels with bare handles.

I don't use wood chisels, so I don't know what usage issues need to be addressed in the design.

Any ideas will be welcome food for thought!
 
You can forge em like a spear, with a socket. The other way needs to have a tang and a collar, which you could braze or weld on but it's more work.
 
Here is one with a little more traditional feel. This one has a 1.250 wide tip and is 7" long. The two holes are for the para wrap.
CW
 

Attachments

  • chisel2.jpg
    chisel2.jpg
    7.8 KB · Views: 31
Not sure why he doesn't want handles, but whatever. I like the design of Japanese chisels.
If these are to be bench or paring chisels, then the chisel blade needs to be slightly angled relative to the handle, for clearance while doing low angle paring. (If the chisel is laid flat on the bench, then the blade should be flat, not raised off of the bench by the handle).
Less important for mortise or dovetail chisels.
Here is a Japanese Tool catalog link:
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/static/JapanWoodworker_chisels.html?gclid=COudgPail6UCFVVi2godJDi2tA
 
I don't get the paracord, but metal-cutting chisels have plain hexagonal handles. I've never had grip problems with them.
 
It better be a box of ivory for the handle material, because otherwise it sounds like you'd be getting the very short end of the stick on that trade!!!

It's a pivotal point when you learn to tell your friends and family, "Thanks for thinking of me, but I really can't use that."

Firebricks are dirt cheap. Unless it's really great wood...wood is usually cheap. The cost of building 4 high quality chisels, is not. :)
 
Thanks Tai :)

FWIW- I wasn't wanting to rain on your parade! :) It's just that it's very easy to get sucked into "trading" with friends when it comes to knife and tool making.

I had a guy who used to try and talk me into "GRACIOUSLY GIVING ME" a primary chain out of a Harley if I would make him two hunting knives with the steel... then I could keep the rest. Fortunately for me, I had gotten past the point of wanting to accomodate guys like him, and I told him that it just wouldn't work, but thanks anyway.

He kept hounding me, until the point that I had to say, "Look Kenny, I sure don't want to sound like a snotty prick here, but you're asking me to make two knives that I could easily sell for $700-800 in exchange for a tiny bit of chain that may or may not be left over from the job. I can go down to the Harley shop on Industrial and they will GIVE ME an old primary chain because they think it's cool what I can do with it."

He still asked me like 3 more times. :rolleyes: ;) :D


But then again, I may be WAY off base and your friend might have a box of super duper, exhibition grade wood that is worth the few hundred bucks that a custom set of chisels would be worth. ;) :) Maybe!!! :D
 
My mistake, I didn't read the parachord part.

Drill two holes in a straight section of 1/4" material, then make an angle jig or set your platen at the right angle for the edge and broken edges, then do em production style. Could probably do all of those in 3 or 4 hours. 120 grit is probably all that is needed, no need to go crazy. grind em to 36 grit then HT in a batch, then 120 right after HT and go no further. If you think it'll be worth it do it, if not politely decline.
 
Thanks guys!

The designs proposed are beautiful - I really like the ones that look like nails!

Also, blindhogg, thanks much! I think that second design will work GREAT. I'll be mocking up an outline for it, and go from there.

Regarding concerns about the trade - thanks for your kind thoughts! To be truly fair, this is an old friend - we've given each other stuff over the years - it's not really a quid pro quo kind of thing. We have helped each other a bunch. He specifically mentioned not to worry about the handles because (a) he doesn't want it to take too much of my time, (b) he can do the handles, but he can't make the chisels, and (c) he is not sure he needs a handle - so we thought holes for paracord would be a great first step.

Again, thanks for your input!

Tait
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top