Thread: Chisels I got in a $50 box of tools

Originally Posted by GreenTemple

Sure thing fellas, kind of you too offer. Should I clean them up for you first?

No need, just insure them and pack carefully.
Cheers,
Jim

Green Temple,

If you have too many to do up, remember your mates. Now not too many on this Forum were born in the year the Kata Tigers won the premiership (1950).

Graham

Originally Posted by Carry Pine

Green Temple,

If you have too many to do up, remember your mates. Now not too many on this Forum were born in the year the Kata Tigers won the premiership (1950).

Graham

What about us poor deprived wartime kids??????
Cheers,
Jim

Hey Jim,

Can't you see I'm crawling. He's from Katamatite. Nothing wrong with a bit of name-dropping.

Graham

Originally Posted by Carry Pine

Hey Jim,

Can't you see I'm crawling. He's from Katamatite. Nothing wrong with a bit of name-dropping.

Graham

Point taken Graham, but what's the point in growing old if you can't use it to get a sympathy vote?

The steel in that clear handled one (with the bit of blue near the ferrule) should be top class. I have a few of these & they hold a very fine edge. It will be worth the effort to restore it.

Originally Posted by Carry Pine

If you have too many to do up, remember your mates. Now not too many on this Forum were born in the year the Kata Tigers won the premiership (1950).

Bit before my time Graham, but I give you credit for having even heard of Katamatite.

RossM, I'm glad you mentioned that chisel because it has been abused by the looks of it and I think I will lose a bit of length in the repair job. It looks like a couple of the chisels have been sharpened in 'interesting' ways which has been good for me to learn from. That one was sort of sharpened from all directions including from the flat side, and perhaps with a file at some stage. I've been working on all of them, until I get bored with one and move onto the next. I've done a pretty good job on the bigger of the yellow handled Marples.

I have a question though... Do I need to clean the sole right back past any blemish? I've cleaned it up a bit more than in the photo below but it will give you an idea of the fine pitting from the rust (I guess). I thought I could just clean it up a little more each time I sharpen it, especially when the edge runs across any of it. What do you think?

Also, I've heard Camellia oil is the go for protecting things? Is there another good oil to use?

Grahame

Hi Grahame,

If there is pitting on the back of the chisel then there are likely to be problems in sharpening with a rough and potentially crumbling edge where the bevel intersects with any of the pits. At best you will end up with score lines in the wood when you attempt a paring cut. Unlike a plane iron, you can't run a small back bevel to compensate, as the chisel relies on a perfectly flat back to register against for its cutting action. (A back bevel on a plane iron might, in some cases, allow you to overcome small pits near the cutting edge by grinding these out, but it does change the blade geometry as well) You don't need to grind out all the pitting on the back, but there should not be any close to the cutting edge. And as mentioned, the back needs to be flat.

Camellia oil works fine, and I have also had success (in a humid environment near the ocean) with FerroPack G-15, which comes in a spray can. Chris Vesper can supply this if you can't find it elsewhere.

The chisels are coming up a treat. I got myself a honing guide - one of those things that just change the whole ball game. When you just start out you have no concept of how valuable some bits of equipment can be.