Has anyone made wood chisels?

[Justin Barnett 0]

My dad is a woodworker, and I want to make him a nice chisel (or a small set if I have time) for Christmas. I was looking at paring chisels as he does not have any, and they seem to be regarded as the finest wood chisel. I was wondering if anyone on here has ever made wood chisels that might be able to share any tips or maybe pictures.

I plan to use 1084 by the way.

 

Thanks,

Justin

[B. Norris 13]

Richard Furrer made a set of chisels. He could, from the looks of it, give you some valuable input. The Complete Modern Blacksmith by Alexander Weygers has quite a bit of information on forging chisels and... It is available through the Bookstore on Don's website.

 

~Bruce~

[Jim Kelso 56]

Dick has been having trouble with his internet connection.

But you can see his chisels HERE

[B Finnigan 8]

I have made a few over the years but can't find very many pics

 

W-1, brass and copper bolster and pacific Yew handle.

 

 

Small V groove

 

O-1, bronze and wild apple wood handle.

 

 

 

Google images will give lots of handle shapes and ideas.

[son_of_bluegrass 0]

I have made some small ones for myself. I used 1095 or similar. The one thing I did was to temper at 325 F. They are harder than anything you can buy, take and hold an edge like nobody's business BUT being harder than other chisels they are for paring or slicing not for pounding on. IF your dad will use them only for paring you can temper them harder like that.

 

 

ron

[reefera4m 0]

I've made several chisels for use with my wood lathe. I used 5160 and to reduce the risk of rust polished the blades to 800 - 1000 grit. Heat treated and tempered as I would a knife (no differential quenching). Functionally they turned out better than anything I've purchased. I made mine as working tools and didn'd do anything fancy except turn the oak handles to fit my hands. The copper bolster is a 3/4" domed plumbing cap - helps keep the handle from splitting.

 

Edited November 21, 2011 by reefera4m

[B Finnigan 8]

I know a couple wood turners that in order to get decent affordable chisels learned how to make their own. I have made a couple real odd ball ones for a friend that turns.

[Beau Erwin 2]

I've got two lathe tools in the work currently and had made one once before, bit it didn't get a handle =P these will. I did mine from W2.

I've kinda pondered on making some regular chisels though, it'd be fun.

[Justin Barnett 0]

Thanks all!

 

Just from looking around the internet at paring chisels, I am looking at tempering them to about 60 rockwell C. Some that I saw were as thin as 1/8", does that sound right? (like these.)

 

Would a socket, or tang style be easier? If I do a tang style I would need a ferrule, are there any shortcuts to making those (maybe something made from copper tubing)?

 

Thanks,

Justin

[reefera4m 0]

Thanks all!

 

Just from looking around the internet at paring chisels, I am looking at tempering them to about 60 rockwell C. Some that I saw were as thin as 1/8", does that sound right? (like these.)

 

Would a socket, or tang style be easier? If I do a tang style I would need a ferrule, are there any shortcuts to making those (maybe something made from copper tubing)?

 

Thanks,

Justin

 

Justin,

 

The chisels I made (see above) from 5160 are probably in the order of 54-56 RHC, more than enough for quality woodworking. They are 1/8" thick with a 4" tang. I cut a 1/4" x 1/2" x 9" piece of 5160, forged it to 3/16", the draw filed it to a very flat 1/8" thickness 3/4" wide.

 

I just drilled a 4" hole in the handle and tapered it with the drill. A two-part Loctitie epoxy holds it quite well. Again, the copper ferrule is a 3/4" copper plumbing cap domed over a 3/4" round end anvil (also homemade) with a slot cut for the tang.

[Beau Erwin 2]

Paring chisel can be fairly thin as it's for hand use and not for striking. From what I've seen you kinda lean over it and use your chest to help push it down. the lathe tools I'm doing I'm planning to do like you said and use a piece of copper or bronze tube and turn a handle of them on the lathe myself, then burn in with the help of a pilot hole.

[Justin Barnett 0]

Justin,

 

The chisels I made (see above) from 5160 are probably in the order of 54-56 RHC, more than enough for quality woodworking. They are 1/8" thick with a 4" tang. I cut a 1/4" x 1/2" x 9" piece of 5160, forged it to 3/16", the draw filed it to a very flat 1/8" thickness 3/4" wide.

 

I just drilled a 4" hole in the handle and tapered it with the drill. A two-part Loctitie epoxy holds it quite well. Again, the copper ferrule is a 3/4" copper plumbing cap domed over a 3/4" round end anvil (also homemade) with a slot cut for the tang.

Thanks! Sorry I missed the part about the ferrule. I would like to do a tapered ferrule. From your experience do you think the copper tubing could be expanded enough for that?

[Brian Madigan 20]

I second the 1095 rod or W1 for chisels. I had a lot of 1/4 1095 rod. Makes good carving tools.

[Beau Erwin 2]

For the lathe tools I've kinda wondered about the Cruforge V...seems like it'd make a decent chisel as well.

[reefera4m 0]

Thanks! Sorry I missed the part about the ferrule. I would like to do a tapered ferrule. From your experience do you think the copper tubing could be expanded enough for that?

 

I think copper pipe, 1/2" or 3/4" could work. But you don't want to expand it too much or make the wall too thin. Working copper, i.e. hammering it, will harden it, but too much and it becomes brittle. Like bending a copper wire, first it get harder, then it breaks. If you could make a punch and die or use a press then you minimize the work hardening/brittleness. ANd you'd just need to make a tapered die or anvil.

 

A copper plumbing cap an also be tapered - I've made several ferrules out of caps that were tapered and elongated. Using copper caps makes it easier to create a hole with a snut fit for the tang.

[Alan Longmire 3,673]

As long as you keep annealing the copper you should be fine. As soon as it shows resistance to hammering, heat it to red and quench in cold water. Instant dead-soft copper.

[bronzetools 1]

A lot of turners prefer HSS like M2 for turning because the tool can get very hot from extended friction.

With that said,quality turning tools have been made from carbon steel for centuries.

People who like HSS tend to be semi - professional turners and need to optimize their time .

Some lathe chisels also now have carbide inserts.

I have over 100 carving chisels made from carbon steel and they take and hold an edge wonderfully

I also starting to fancy making some after seeing Dick Sextons work.

Good luck

Steve

[Justin Barnett 0]

I hope I don't get in trouble for resurrecting a thread this old, but I finally decided to sit down and post the results of the help this great community has provided me in the past.

Based on the advice in this thread I made my dad a couple of chisels and a plane blade for christmas in 2011 (and also a trade knife you can see in the pics with them). They are all from 5/8"x1/4" 1084 from Aldo. The long straight one is supposed to be a paring chisel, although I may have made it a bit too long. It has yet to get a handle. The bent chisel is supposed to be used for things like trimming plugs in cabinetry. My dad made a handle for it out of osage orange, and used a copper pipe cap as a ferrule (it still needs some fitting to sit tight against the shoulders). The plane blade is for a wooden plane design my dad has been planning, but has not gotten around to.

 

Thanks everyone for the help on these projects. I promise the next project I work on won't take 2 years to get posted.

 

[VaughnT 12]

Beautiful work, hoss.

[Justin Barnett 0]

Beautiful work, hoss.

Thanks!