Thread: Show Off Your Chisels

The little fella with the onion handle is pretty old. From the logo, it seems to be one made by T H Witherby in Millbury Massachusetts from 1849-1854.

Tom

Witherby chisels are revered in the States as one the finest ever made. And I agree. Their steel is simply superb. It takes and holds an edge second to none. I have been slowly building up a collection. Here are a few.

Here is a link to some history about Witherby.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks for the link Derek.
I had visited the site previously and that is where I found the info for dating the chisel.
The thing I love about these chisels and my other English bevelled edge collection, is the fact that each tool has a story to tell. Many of my tools have had long histories, and have been used to make furniture by numerous other craftsmen.
Now this Witherby chisel must be over 150 years old. Imagine where it's been. How did it get to Australia? When?
Every time I pick it up I am thrilled to be a small part of its history. This is the same with my planes and my handsaws.
You don't get the same buzz from a powertool - excuse the pun.
Regards
SG 5

The Blue Grass butt chisel seems to be of indetermiate age, made somewhere between 1840 and 1979.
It seems that the Blue Grass brand was highly regarded in the Southern States of the US, but like E C Simmons and A F Shapleigh the brand has passed into history. See:
http://www.thckk.org/belknap-bluegrass-hist.html

It is a nice chisel.
If anyone has any more info on the company or the tools themselves, it would be welcomed.
Regards
SG

Both have leather striking washers at the top, and they feel great in the hand. They are in as found condition, and apart from a sharpen and honing that's the way they'll stay, except for a little dressing on the timber handles.

I'm thinking of boiled linseed oil. Any other suggestions?


What do you chaps and chapettes use to keep your timber chisel and saw handles from drying out?
I've always thought boiled linseed oil was the go. Are there any secret recipes lurking out there?

Expectantly
SG

Tom

I usually just buff on a little wax. BLO is great with wax applied with steel wool - it has a nice silky feel - but I prefer that for plane totes as it can be too smooth. Also BLO will darken timber, so be sure you want to do that before using it.

Regards from Perth

Derek

AFAIK BLO can be pretty much any kind of oil with a solvent.

On what I think are beech handles on a #4 Stanley I used Rustin's Danish Oil. The result was disappointing. Next time I'd wet sand on the final coat to improve the grain filling effect. (Totes and knobs have a lot of end grain obviously). If getting obsessive I'd also have a go at making my own mix.

Traditionally DO is about equal parts oil, poly and white spirit. If the wet sanding didn't work I'd up the poly content.

(You can buy pure tung oil from Woodworks in Sydney I believe).

Whatever the result though the plus about a thick coat of varnish is the sweat and dust barrier.

Originally Posted by rsser

Traditionally DO is about equal parts oil, poly and white spirit. If the wet sanding didn't work I'd up the poly content.

Ern, when you say oil, poly and white spirit, are you referring to Tung oil, polyeurethane and metho?

Puzzled
SG

Hi SG,

Not made this brew up myself ... just what I've gleaned from reading OZ website material. So:

oil: Linseed (not BLO), Tung ... or ...?
poly: yep, p/u
spirit: no, not meths, turps or pref white spirit (same kind of thing but higher flash point; if you can't find it use turps)

Hi All,
beautiful collections!
Something I am meaning to do is to replace all the handles
on all my old market/gs chisels with nice new aussie hardwoods.

but I am still not sure about what shape handle to put on.
The way I see it there are the following differnet types of handles...

- plane straight timber with square/rounded end.
- plane timber in an onion type shape.
- tapered handles from the butt to the socket(so that it continues the lines of steel)
- leather padded at the end.
- metal coller at the end (japanese style)
- metal coller at the end (flush with the length of the handle)
- long/short


Do these shapes/constructions have any other purpose than esthetics? or what is pleasing for the hand?
or protection of the end of the handle if stricking?

Thanks

Greg.

Greg

Here you go, a selection of chisel handles. Hey Tom, I think that you will like them as well as they come from a Witherby catalogue.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by Scribbly Gum

Ern, when you say oil, poly and white spirit, are you referring to Tung oil, polyeurethane and metho?

Puzzled
SG

What ever you do don't use a polymerizing oil. In other words a drying oil like tung oil or "boiled" linseed oil. I would be sticking to a petroleum based oil thinned with whatever.

Chisels, there are some well abused specimens here, especially the Titan which has spent it's life in the fencing box to knock out morteses in strainer posts, the top steel ferrule has been driven down into the handle.

Attachment 46854

Originally Posted by Toolin Around

What ever you do don't use a polymerizing oil. In other words a drying oil like tung oil or "boiled" linseed oil. I would be sticking to a petroleum based oil thinned with whatever.

Not sure I follow you with the use of a petroleum based oil
My feeble brain can only envisage motor oil - is there a suitable wood preserving oil made from petroleum products?

Thanks for the Witherby Catalogue Derek, I love these old catalogues.

On the matter of what to apply to wood as a preservative to prevent drying out and cracking, thanks for the advice fellas. I'm not sure I'm any better off than before, still a little puzzled.

SG needs remedial help.


Forgot to ask Stringy: Nice chisels Stringy. What are the last three chisels on the right?

Originally Posted by Scribbly Gum

Not sure I follow you with the use of a petroleum based oil
My feeble brain can only envisage motor oil - is there a suitable wood preserving oil made from petroleum products?

Thanks for the Witherby Catalogue Derek, I love these old catalogues.

On the matter of what to apply to wood as a preservative to prevent drying out and cracking, thanks for the advice fellas. I'm not sure I'm any better off than before, still a little puzzled.

SG needs remedial help.


Forgot to ask Stringy: Nice chisels Stringy. What are the last three chisels on the right?

Maybe I had my wires crossed. I thought you were talking about using a "poly" oil as a rust preventative on metal.