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262875 "Dennis Heyza" <michigaloot@c...> 2017‑08‑14 tool bargain FYI
Friends one and all,

 

If you are in the market for a bargain on new chisels that have been pretty
well reviewed, be aware that Home Despot is selling the 8 piece set of
Stanley SW 750s including the tool roll, for $165 (online ordering only).
That's significantly lower than the normal sources.

 

Dennis Heyza - who just posted twice in one day!

Utica, MI
262891 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑08‑15 Re: tool bargain FYI
Dennis - I am not in the market for these, but a lot of beginner guitar makes
talk about these chisels with a whistful tone to their voices.  I was going to
re-post this and checked, and there are a couple of places that have even better
prices - saw as low as $158.  Compare to $229 at Rockler.

Ed Minch
262892 "Tony Zaffuto" <tzmti@c...> 2017‑08‑15 Re: tool bargain FYI
I have picked up a couple on Amazon, individually for $12 to $15 each, 1/4",
1/2" & 5/8".  I have found them to be very good, maybe not matching the
excellence of vintage Witherby's or Ward's, but nonetheless, an excellent
choice.  I have many, many vintage tools and bought the SW pretty much as a
lark.  Now, we'll probably hear the harumph's from the innerweb about how
can a cheap chisel be any good, but in my experience, with having used the
chisels (not just sharpening them each day), they are worthy of
consideration.

Tony Z.

-----Original Message-----
From: OldTools [mailto:oldtools-bounces@s...] On Behalf Of Ed
Minch
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 7:01 AM
To: Dennis Heyza 
Cc: Oldtools List 
Subject: Re: [OldTools] tool bargain FYI

Dennis - I am not in the market for these, but a lot of beginner guitar
makes talk about these chisels with a whistful tone to their voices.  I was
going to re-post this and checked, and there are a couple of places that
have even better prices - saw as low as $158.  Compare to $229 at Rockler.

Ed Minch




On Aug 14, 2017, at 5:50 PM, Dennis Heyza  wrote:

> Friends one and all,
> 
> 
> 
> If you are in the market for a bargain on new chisels that have been 
> pretty well reviewed, be aware that Home Despot is selling the 8 piece 
> set of Stanley SW 750s including the tool roll, for $165 (online ordering
only).
> That's significantly lower than the normal sources.
> 
> 
> 
> Dennis Heyza - who just posted twice in one day!
> 
> Utica, MI
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.

To change your subscription options:
https://oldtools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

To read the FAQ:
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OldTools archive: https://swingleydev.com/ot/

OldTools@s...
262946 Alex Moseley <alex.moseley@g...> 2017‑08‑16 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Give me a Greenlee chisel any day. Here in flyover country, I only see the likes
of Swan in pictures (ya know, the kind you have to turn sideways to appreciate),
but my Greenlees have always been reliable tools, taking and holding a keen
edge.

My first was a 3/8" bevel-edged socket chisel I got from my dad, a discard that
neither he nor my grandfather saw the value in. The handle for it was my first
lathe project under my grandfather's tutelage.

As much as I love seeing the Greenlee stamp at a garage sale, be it a chisel or
a NOS auger bit, I'm not in acquisition mode these days. The next acquisition I
make will be a dehumidifier for my basement workshop.

Alex in KC
Watching GIT #1 get ready to start her senior year of high school this morning.
262953 Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> 2017‑08‑16 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Why disparage small size chisels? And why does everyone love socket end
best (instead of tang, or combo socket & tang, the latter is my fav)
 Last year, I came across almost new Marples (with the old label) in 1/16"
and 1/8" inch sizes.  These are more difficult to find, and are often
mis-identified as mortise chisels because of their shape- but they were
indeed sold as optional part of the bevel edge chisel set. Small sizes are
very handy.

 Although everyone seems to love socket chisels, I find them a pain.  After
owning both, (actually many sets of both), and living in a country where we
can go from minus 30 to plus 105 degree F in 6 months (with corresponding
humidity) sockets do not stay put, period.  Yes, even when using premium
dry wood to make handles with precise socket  fits (yes even with the
hairspray trick) I'm sick of my perfectly sharp chisel dropping out of the
socket.  So yes, they look nice, and yes it's wonnerful to have sets of
extra long and extra short handles that are easy to swap out, socket
chisels leave a lot to be desired.  In contrast, socket &  tang chisels are
the results of centuries of refinement- strong support for the blade, plus
firm attachment.  Like handsaws, the pinnacle of chisel manufacturing
occurred in the previous century.  Newer metals may stay sharp longer, but
make touch-up resharpening an unpleasant chore (rather than a quick couple
mins).
 Let's talk handle woods for a second.  Which woods get nicer with sweat
and use?  Which feel nicest?  Which wood lasts longest?
For me, it would be boxwood as my number one choice, then rosewood of
whatever flavor,  ( not going to mention the mundane stuff:  ash, beech,
etc).  I have a small ebony handled awl, but I've never had an ebony
handled chisel ( ebony also gets lovelier with age.). Any other woods that
are appealing?
Cheers from the far side of the spittoon
Claudio
262955 William Ghio <bghio@m...> 2017‑08‑16 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
> On Aug 16, 2017, at 3:09 PM, Claudio DeLorenzi  wrote:
> 
> Why disparage small size chisels? Small sizes are
> very handy.
> 
Yep, I have  five in the 1/8 to 1/16th range. Just seems at that size they were
hard to make accurately. But that is good because often only one will fit the
need precisely.

> Although everyone seems to love socket chisels,

I do. But I never turn down a good tang chisel.

> 
> Let's talk handle woods for a second.  Which woods get nicer with sweat
> and use?  Which feel nicest?  Which wood lasts longest?

I love my Ipe handles. I have done three sets w/ the Ipe. They just shine so
nice. The grain is all over the place so if you want pretty grain you have to
choose your source carefully. However, my bench chisels w/ handles modeled on
the bulbous style Stanley Everlastings are the ones used w/ a mallet and they
can really take a sever pounding. They are often used for mortising and I have
yet to see any damage to the wood.

Here is a set of bevel edge chisel w/ Ipe handles.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../albums

Bill
262956 Greg Isola <gregorywisola@g...> 2017‑08‑16 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
>
> Here is a set of bevel edge chisel w/ Ipe handles.
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../albums


Wow, Bill. Just wow. That's about the best-looking set of chisels I've seen
in a long time, beautiful handles and all. Thanks for sharing.

Greg Isola
Alameda, CA
262957 Brent A Kinsey <brentpmed@c...> 2017‑08‑16 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Bill those really are nice chisel handles. All of the Ipe I have seen was very
open grained and very splintery, I must be looking at the wrong stuff!

Brent

Sent from my iPad
262958 William Ghio <bghio@m...> 2017‑08‑16 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Got a note from Guitarman Ed that I had put in a (semi) poor link to my chisel
handles so here is a better one:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../32890071853/in/album-721576
85212615493/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../32890071853/in/album-7
2157685212615493/

He also reminded me that I had a pic of the PEXTO set down the page a ways:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../21658014300/in/album-721576
58899268748/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../21658014300/in/album-7
2157658899268748/

Bill
262959 Brent A Kinsey <brentpmed@c...> 2017‑08‑16 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Do you mind sharing where you source your Ipe

Sent from my iPad
262961 William Ghio <bghio@m...> 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
I had a deck made out of Ipe. There was 4/4, 5/4 and 4 x 4 ’s in it. We tore it
off to put on a sunroom and I pulled up everything to make a smaller deck. Most
of what was left over went to Galoots who responded to my offer for free cut
offs. George Wallace and Gary Caron live close enough to have scored some good
sized stuff (George made a gazebo). I, of course, kept back what I thot was a
good supply. Unfortunately I have very little handle size material left. Poor
planning.

I bought it all 15 years back as decking material mail order out of New York and
Georgia lumbar yards. That’s why I have a rather wide variety of grain showing.
I think Ipe is a name used for several related tropicals. Most turn well, but
always need final sanding. Some plane well. Some is stringy & brittle. What they
all share is that thy are HARD on edges, near impossible to chop cross grain,
can spark under a power tool, are hard to glue, the dust stains things pinkish
and if you catch a splinter it will fester. But they make tough, strong parts. I
often use it where someone else might use metal. And my big mallet turned out of
a 4 x 4 is awesome.

So, for you guys that got my castoffs, time to chime in.

Bill
262965 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
On Aug 16, 2017, at 8:13 PM, William Ghio  wrote:

> So, for you guys that got my castoffs, time to chime in.
> 
> Bill
> 

Bill gave me a chunk of a 4X4 post and I made this 12-1/2” long mallet.  The
surface is silky smooth - just BLO on it - and after a modicum of abuse is still
in minty crisp condition

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/35817348593/in/dateposted-public/

Ed Minch
262966 Archie England 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Very nice mallet. 


Bill gave me a chunk of a 4X4 post and I made this 12-1/2” long mallet.  The
surface is silky smooth - just BLO on it - and after a modicum of abuse is still
in minty crisp condition

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/35817348593/in/dateposted-public/

Ed Minch
-----
262972 scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
why does everyone love socket end best

This is interesting Claudio. I have often wondered why there are fewer 
English socket chisels.
  It must be all about climate.

  I have socket chisels I handled 26 years ago, and they have never 
loosened.
Nope, no hairspray or any other kind of lacquer.
Get a good fit where I live and its practically permanent.

   Hey Bill love those ipe handles! Way yo go!!

   I got some ipe leftovers from a 90's deck project too. A neighbor had 
done one and was moving to alaska. Including a couple of 8 foot 4X4's I 
can barely get off the ground.
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/demon1.jpg
http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/demon2.jpg

   yours Scott

*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html
262973 William Ghio <bghio@m...> 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
> On Aug 17, 2017, at 11:36 AM, scott grandstaff  wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>  I got some ipe leftovers from a 90's deck project too. A neighbor had done
one and was moving to alaska. Including a couple of 8 foot 4X4's I can barely
get off the ground.
> http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/demon1.jpg
> http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/demon2.jpg

Way too cute. Is that just channel stock or did you dovetail it?

Bill
262976 Brent Beach <brent.beach@g...> 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Hi

On 2017-08-17 04:04, Ed Minch wrote:
> On Aug 16, 2017, at 8:13 PM, William Ghio  wrote:
>> So, for you guys that got my castoffs, time to chime in.
> Bill gave me a chunk of a 4X4 post and I made this 12-1/2” long mallet.  The
surface is silky smooth - just BLO on it - and after a modicum of abuse is still
in minty crisp condition
> 
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/35817348593/in/dateposted-public/

A beauty.

What steel in your turning tools and how did they have this abusive wood?

Brent
-- 
Brent Beach
Victoria, BC, Canada
262979 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
I just used the standard 1970’s Rockwell tools that came with the standard
1970’s Rockwell lathe.  I thinbk I sharpened before and after

Ed Minch
262981 Thomas Conroy 2017‑08‑17 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Bill Ghio wrote: "Yep, I have  five in the 1/8 to 1/16th range. Just seems at
that size they were hard to make accurately. But that is good because often only
one will fit the need precisely....
"....However, my bench chisels w/ handles modeled on the bulbous style Stanley
Everlastings are the ones used w/ a mallet and they can really take a sever
pounding."

Its hard to find them under 1/8". My two or three smallest started life as
engravers' burins with palm handles; on my bench I have a 3/32" and a 1/16"
rehandled in London Octagonal, and I use them all the time. Interesting, though;
they can be dull, even chipped all to hell, and work almost as well as when
freshly sharpened, because the pressure per square inch is so high with a
working end that small.

Last Christmas Bill gave me a 5/8" butt chisel with the bulbous Everlasting-
style handle, though it's an original leather-capped hickory rather than one of
his own ipe. It fits my hand and balances so perfectly that it has become the
core of a set, 7" to 8" overall and deliberately different makers and different
woods. 1/2" Witherby from the 1880s in black locust, 5/8" Buck Bros. cast steel
in hickory, 3/4" Wards Master Quality in an unknown red-brown hardwood that I
knurled, and 1-1/4" Greenlee in persimmon. I love the feel of Everlastings,
though I can't bring myself to approve of chisels designed to be abused.
The Wards Master Quality is not the Ward's lauded by British gurus, but a top-
of-the-line brand from Montgomery Ward. I don't know who made them, but I have
two and their steel is as hard as anything I have ever encountered. As hard as
my good Swans. Maybe harder than my few Japanese blades. Harder than Vaughan or
Millers' Falls HSS machine hacksaw blades, though not as hard as Starrett Red
Stripe HSS hacksaw blades. So hard that I'm still trying to flatten the back of
a 2" by 5" chisel, though I've been working at it for years (by fits and
starts.) If you see one, get it.

Tom Conroy
Berkeley
262983 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
no pictures it didn’t happen

Ed Minch
262988 Don Schwartz <dks@t...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
On 2017-08-17 9:36 AM, scott grandstaff wrote:
> why does everyone love socket end best
>
> This is interesting Claudio. I have often wondered why there are fewer 
> English socket chisels.
>  It must be all about climate. 

Or maybe it reflects the cost of materials & labour involved in the making.

FWIW

Don

-- 
On Jan. 26, 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) ruled that the
Government of Canada racially discriminates against 165,000 First Nations
children.

“Until all of us have made it, none of us have made it.” - Rosemary Brown, the
first Black woman elected to a Canadian legislature
262989 Thomas Conroy 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Ed Minch wrote: "no pictures it didn’t happen"

I've lived my whole life in a fairy tale, from the time I was in the SCA in my
teens onward.
Wish I had photos. But I don't, nor the wherewithall to take them. Maybe in the
future. I hope so.

Tom
(And remember, one word is worth a thousand pictures. on the right topics).


      From: Ed Minch 
 To: Thomas Conroy  
Cc: "bghio@m..." ; "claudio@d..." ; Old Tools New
Server 
 Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2017 5:14 PM
 Subject: Re: [OldTools] Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
262990 Thomas Conroy 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
I hit the "Send" button prematurely.  My apologies. Pass the spittoon.
Tom
262991 scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Now little infills
>> http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/demon1.jpg
>> http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/hometools/demon2.jpg
> Way too cute. Is that just channel stock or did you dovetail it?
   That is the great Rob Brophy
  Regular coffin shaped infill plane bodies. All steel.

  People don't know how much talent he really has. Never did.
  But the boy has hands and eyes. He's just a little shy, but what a 
freaking mechanic!
   lol
  He made me 5,............... #1 sized bodies.

This was my first go at stuffing one.
Thought I'd try ipe first, since I have plenty.

     yours Scott
>
>


-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html
262994 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Or maybe it’s the same reason no one in Murica offered an overweight stuffed
smoother.  Stanley made a couple of planes with the “H” suffix for “heavy” but
they were offered mainly oversees.  Just a fashion?

Ed Minch
262997 Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
On Fri, Aug 18, 2017 at 12:49 AM Thomas Conroy 
wrote:

> I hit the "Send" button prematurely.  My apologies. Pass the spittoon.
>
> Tom
>
Yup, premature emailation can sometimes be embarrassing, but it happens to
all of us, so it's not a big deal.
I haven't used the browning solutions- I've always chosen the B-Casey
 'bluing solutions'.
Claudio
263000 james rich <jameslrich3@g...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Now little infills
Looks like a Hock iron, how does she run?​

On Thu, Aug 17, 2017 at 10:36 PM, scott grandstaff 
wrote:
263002 "John M Johnston (jmjhnstn)" <jmjhnstn@m...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Galoots Assembled,

Looking in Jane & Mark Rees "Christopher Gabriel and the Tool Trade in the 18th
Century," the transcription of the 1791 inventory and notes indicates that "18th
century tanged bench chisel handles are invariably octagon shape without
ferrules. They cost 0.33d each."  The following entry for socket chisel handles
are more expensive (5 shillings 9 pence for 208 tanged handles vs. 4 shillings 4
pence for 70 socket handles).  Also, it is apparent from the inventories that
tanged chisels were much more common than socket chisels.

Cheers,
John

John M. Johnston
jmjhnstn@m...
“P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.


On 2017-08-17 9:36 AM, scott grandstaff wrote:
> why does everyone love socket end best
>
> This is interesting Claudio. I have often wondered why there are fewer 
> English socket chisels.
>  It must be all about climate. 

Or maybe it reflects the cost of materials & labour involved in the making.
263003 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Seems like making a socket would cost more than making a tang.  Could it be a
simple cost issue?  Same reason there are fewer Bedrock than Bailey Stanley
planes?

Ed Minch
263006 "Marvin Paisner" <paisners@s...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Ed & Galoots,

I think fitting the wood handle to the tang chisel would be more labour 
intensive than fitting a turned handle into a socket.

With the tangs being hand forged they could have a slight bend as well as 
varied thickness on the taper, leading to more time necessary for each 
fitting.

The sizing of the sockets might be more uniform as I believe they are shaped 
on a cone.

just my take on it .....

Marv Paisner
Kootenay Lake, BC




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Minch" 
Subject: Re: [OldTools] Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
263015 scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> 2017‑08‑18 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
> I think fitting the wood handle to the tang chisel would be more 
> labour intensive than fitting a turned handle into a socket.

Not really. I have done dozens of both styles, to say the least.
  It comes down to a hand fit either way.
You can always shoot for average to start, but tang or socket the final 
fit is by hand.
Burn in the tang or whittle the socket peg.

This is why it always takes longer than you wanted it to, when you make 
chisel handles.

  I have some of Jim Thompson's chisels. He sent me some, "for safe 
keeping". Chisels I sure didn't want, because I knew what it meant. To 
him and to me.

    I need to come up with some kind of contest, to award prizes I think.
     yours Scott


-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html
263016 Thomas Conroy 2017‑08‑19 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Marv Paisner wrote: "I think fitting the wood handle to the tang chisel would
be more labour
intensive than fitting a turned handle into a socket.

"With the tangs being hand forged they could have a slight bend as well as 
varied thickness on the taper, leading to more time necessary for each 
fitting.

"The sizing of the sockets might be more uniform as I believe they are shaped 
on a cone...."


My experience has been just the opposite, that fitting a handle to a socket
chisel is much more fuss and work than fitting a tang chisel. The inside of the
socket is rarely uniformly tapered, so measuring and turning the tenon has to be
followed by a twist-and-scrape process to get uniform contact between wood and
metal. If you don't have uniform contact, the blade will fall off the handle.
You can try to shortcut by using a softer wood for the handle, but then the
tenon snaps. And if the socket was formed by a weld and it wasn't prettied up on
the inside, then you have a big step where the layers overlap and that
multiplies your problems.


I've fitted tang handles by burning in and by reaming with the tang. And  I've
fitted socket handles where I whittled the tang, where I did the basic shape on
the lathe, and where I had a pre-made NOS handle where the tang had to be
whittled or scraped to fit. Every one is different and takes a different amount
of work, but overall I think the tang handles easier to set in place.

Tom Conroy
Berkeley
263018 "John M Johnston (jmjhnstn)" <jmjhnstn@m...> 2017‑08‑19 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Looking at late 18th early 19th Century inventories, we can see that tang
chisels were much more common than socket chisels, and tang handles by
themselves were much less expensive than socket chisel handles.

John

“P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.
263019 Michael Blair <branson2@s...> 2017‑08‑19 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Tom Conroy wrote:  My experience has been just the opposite, that
fitting a handle to a socket chisel is much more fuss and work than
fitting a tang chisel. 

My experience is the same as Tom's.  Exactly the same. 

Mike in Woodland
263021 Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> 2017‑08‑19 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
>
>
> Snip
> My experience has been just the opposite, that fitting a handle to a
> socket chisel is much more fuss and work than fitting a tang chisel. The
> inside of the socket is rarely uniformly tapered
>
> I've fitted tang handles by burning in and by reaming with the tang.


 overall I think the tang handles easier to set in place.
>
> Tom Conroy

Snip

Yes fitting truncated cones into sockets can be a pain because you need the
major and minor diameters and the exact length plus the little extra you
need- the allowance for compression into the socket- (depending on which
wood you have to hand to make the handle).  This is only if you mean to use
the shoulder of the socket as support, as the OEM intended on some heavier
chisels with a nice thick rolled lip, designed for mallet use in house or
boat construction.  Shorter, thin socket chisels (some of which have been
ground off to remove ballooning by 'hammer mechanics' beating chisels with
a -gasp- steel hammer rather than an appropriate mallet) sometimes came
from the manufacturer with handle socket cones that extended upwards with
no wood shoulder to rest on the lip. I have a few of those with thick
leather washers fitted on a button of wood left on the end of the handle.
 On modern faux-socket-tang chisels, the kind with synthetic (plastic )
handles of whatever kind typically come with a four sided tang that is not
tapered, and a strong base to support the handle to prevent the handle from
advancing further down the chisel with use (BTW, to remove these, clamp
your chisel blade in a good wood lined vise, vice grip the synthetic
handle, and whack the cheap handle off with a mallet,  ie if the handle is
ugly- i.e. chewed up beyond polishing out with plastic buffing compound).
Old school tangs were tapered to a point and meant to be 'burned in' to a
 wooden handle.  Very old US and some Brit chisels came with simple
octagonal handles, usually with a moderate taper, but I don't find these
too often anymore.  There was often some 'fullering' or flat made at the
bottom of the tang (nearest the chisel shoulder) to prevent the handle from
being split, but not always.  Slender paring chisels often did not have
anything except the tang, whereas 'pig sticker' mortise chisels had huge
bases.  Everything was made 'fit for purpose', wasn't it?
Cheers
Claudio
263340 "Joseph Sullivan" <joe@j...> 2017‑09‑19 Re: Regarding the Sweetheart Stanley Chisels
Scott said:

SNIP

  I have some of Jim Thompson's chisels. He sent me some, "for safe
keeping". Chisels I sure didn't want, because I knew what it meant. To him
and to me.

END SNIP

Yeah, Scott, me too.  I bought a bunch of tools from Jim in those last
couple of years, and then he gave me a bunch (wound up with both an eagle
head and panther head saw, along with beautifully handled chisels).  He had
been through years of false alarms, so I kept telling him he shouldn't let
go of them until he was sure, but he WAS sure, and unfortunately, he was
right.

A good friend, and amazingly skilled man was Jim.

Joe

Joseph Sullivan

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