Thread: Timber species for bench chisel handles?

Tassie Myrtle.

Yep; got some of that.

Nice to turn and finishes well.

Crow's Ash or Australian Teak, (depending on where you are from), stable, hard, durable and has a great feel.

Any thing that's not too soft or splintery will work

Spotted gum is a favourite

Ah yes, crows ash. Done a bowl out of that. Amazing stuff.

FC: not soft and splintery - think you'll find that in my spec's.

You don't think that Spotted Gum would be too hard to get some compression?

Ern, if you've got some Fraxinus, I'd go with that. It's the tough, elastic timber that's used the world over for all types of tool handles.

If you slightly dome the ends of the handles, you won't require hoops - which you shouldn't require for bench chisels anyway. It's usually only registered mortice chisels that are hooped and even then, some manufacturers don't bother with them.

Thanks for that advice WW.

Yes, all the Sorby turning tool handles come as Ash, and the Henry Taylors sent to the US as well.

I've turned a green piece as a chalice and it stayed surprisingly stable through it, though somewhat fibrous at the cutting edge.

Doesn't stain well but that's not an issue as it's not a repro.

Spotty is used for it's shock absorbingness (supposedly), it should compress fine

Yeah, good for mallets and axe handles I believe.

Hi rsser,
How about Cotoneaster. Dash hard & finishes well. Don't think you will nee a Hoop with this wood.
Regards,
issatree.

Yeah, a while ago Stu or Hans had some of that in the form of repro handles.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by rsser

I've got plenty of redgum but that stuff moves.

It certainly does but not on the size scale of handles.
I make them with and without ferrules/hoops.
These are turned from brass rod and are really only decorative.


This one is cut from a plumbing fitting (this chisel is one of the 3 I use to make chisel handles the blade of which was used to makes its handle)


These handles were made without using a lathe, just using a spokeshave.
The handle on the left uses hoops cut from plumbing fittings. The bigger one was turned from brass rod.


All these chisel handles comes from one of 6 red gums we planted 31 years ago and in 18 years they grew to fill our pocket handkerchief back gardern. in 1996 we had 5 of them taken taken. Fortunately I had the sense to have the biggest one milled and still have most of the timber under my house. These handles come from the last pieces of firewood that remained in 2007/8

I really like the feel of redgum especially the compression wood.

Beautiful handles Bob.

Yes, its a lovely timber and feels good to use.

A lot of my turning tools are mounted with it.

But the last one put me off the stuff. A tight and carefully fitted ferrule, and it fell off a week later.

Pity.

Originally Posted by rsser

it fell off a week later

Hi Ern

My favorite half dozen turning chisels were inherited with the purchase of my lathe and all were fitted with lovely redgum handles made by the previous owner, far too nice to bin and I liked the guy and his work so have kept the handles on.. needless to say I have to hunt through the shavings every spring and re-persuade them to stay put.

fwiw I fitted a set of bergs (sockets) with Osage handles a year ago and belt them regularly, no hoops and no problems so far. The bonus for me with Osage is that it's the only wood I can turn sans sandpaper which 1. is quick and 2. makes me feel like I know what I'm doing

If you're in no rush I'd be happy to drop of a little log next time I come through town, I promised some to Tom ages ago but have been without bandsaw so if you could chop up enough for two.. all the better