Thread: made a chisel

Originally Posted by SPIRIT

don't know if l have done it right ...seems ok

Easy, does it do what you want?

What did you use for the steel for the blade?

Goodonya for having a go at something new


Cheers..................Sean

a old file ,used a grinder made shore l didn't get it to hot when getting it into shape

nice work Spirit. i enjoy making tools from old files. its kinda fun . plus you get what you want .its faster to make one then to order it and wait aweek for it to show up. hell of alot cheaper too he's couple pic's of the tools i made

Hi all;
Another cheap, quality, steel for chisels is broken or worn spade shovels. I usually see a couple in the recycle centre every year and snatch them. Cutting to shape is a little harder unless you have a "zip" cutter with a thin blade. I also use chainsaw bars. By the way, how were you able to insert the steel into the handles? I drill them a little undersize, put a ferrell on the end and drive the metal into the handle about three inches. Is there a better/easier way? Thanks for your time, WayneT.

Wayne, Interesting question,
I just do like you have described, using a range of different sized drill bits to match the taper and size of the tang to the hole.
However, I have had this discussion with my partner a lot. She is a jeweler/silversmith and through tech school has always been trained to heat up the tang and burn it into the wood
I have heard of many others doing this as well- but it just doesn't make sense to me. The only positive I could see is that it would soften the tang a little so that it would bend rather than break- but I would think the risk of softening the file face would outweigh any benefit?
Also, the burning in seems counter-intuitive in other ways, where the wooden 'socket' holding the tang is now fragile carbonized wood, and that when the tang does cool down it will shrink a little and not fit as tight... I use heat when I want to fit a really tight ferule- but heating the tang is like the same effect for an opposite result?

and,
Thanks for showing your work Spirit and Born2ClearCut,

Hans.

i have 2 ways i insert the handle first one is i drill hole about same size as tang before i shape handle and fill hole up with 5 min epoxy and shove tang into hole let set and clean up a bit. second way i do it is i cut 1/3 of the handle in half and make a mortise for tang on 2/3 side place in and glue up epoxy aslo work well for this .my tool are made for small stuff so i do use much pressure but i have use my small hammer on them and never had prob with handle .. by the way Wayne what part the island you from ??

drill a little smaller hole and tap it home ,its in there pretty tight