Cranked chisel

[IanW]

I was recently in Ottawa with my better half, who had to visit some folks at the huge federal govt health complex. When I noticed the place was about 10 minutes from the Lee Valley store, I dropped SO off with such obvious alacrity and so many "take your time, I'll be fine" assurances, it's no wonder she looked a bit suspicious!

So I spent a pleasant hour or two pottering about the store, and picked up a bunch of small items that wouldn't stress our luggage allowance too much, including this 16mm cranked chisel. Not a tool you need every day, perhaps, but very useful for paring surfaces too far away from an edge for flat chisels to reach. It came with a 'standard' handle, which included a hooped top, which is a bit pointless on a tool which couldn't take anything more than a gentle tap because of the blade configuration. I guess they only do one handle design at the factory! It wasn't the most comfy design for holding, either, so as soon as I got home, I made a western rosewood substitute with a decent brass ferrule. It now feels a lot better, I reckon. Still got a bit of work to do to clean up the back, but I put a Q&D edge on it to have a test run, and it seems to fit the bill.

My question to the panel is, why they DO this (polish the damn things to the point of rounding the edges so much)?? Got a few regular bevelled chisels from this mob, and had the same problem - hours of work on a stone or diamond plate, cutting the back down to restore the full cutting edge. Ok, it makes the blade look all bright & shiny, but who really cares? Surely most w'workers are going to buy a chisel for its edge-holding ability before worrying about superficial appearance?

If it weren't for the fact they seem to make good, consistent blades, I'd avoid them, since the amount of time and sweat required to get the back flat again is considerable. :mad:
Cheers,

[Clinton1]

I think that they polish the back as a lot of people think that it is a sign of quality.
After all, the majority is always right, right?

[IanW]

I think that they polish the back as a lot of people think that it is a sign of quality.

Yer, Clinton, I'm sure it has something to do with how the intended buyers perceive them. But are we w'workers so thick? I think I'll fire off a missive to the factory and tell them to stop doing it.
So sorry folks, you'll have to buy your chisels un-polished from now on....

Cheers,

[Auld Bassoon]

Hi Ian,

Actually I believe that this mob also make a range of chisels that aren't burnished. Those who know buy these instead of hours of work There was a related thread on here a month or so back.

[IanW]

Steve - yes, I did find and read that thread. It got my hopes up, until I read that they only send the unpolished ones to the US. Apparently, you have to be a very BIG customer to get 'special' treatment.

So I decided to have a general whinge on the BB, partly to see if anyone would come up with a good reason for polished blades. Frankly, I can't see any advantages, and there are clearly disadvantages, so it leads me to wonder why on earth they persist with such an unnecessary step in these cost-conscious times!(??).

I sent an email to Lee Valley, asking them to pass it on to the manufacturers (can't find a website or any way to contact them directly), in the hope that if enough customers moan about it, they may cease....

[Rob Lee]

Hi Ian -

I'll make sure that your comments make it through to Hirsch/Two Cherries on the polishing, though we've said it before. Sometimes, repetition helps!

When we get around to making our own chisels (not close!) - we certainly won't take 'em near a buffer!

Beauty job on the chisel handle...!

Wish you'd said something about coming to Ottawa - we could've set you up with a tour while you were here.... I mention this only in case others reading this pass this way...

Cheers -

Rob

[IanW]

Wish you'd said something about coming to Ottawa - we could've set you up with a tour while you were here.... I mention this only in case others reading this pass this way... Rob

Rob - thanks for the reply, and the pledge to pass on customer comments to the manufacturer. It seems a few people must have done this, so it's hard to understand what sort of market-research is telling them to go on buffing unnecessarily.

And thanks for the offer of a tour. I was under a time constraint, so was very happy to just wander about and have a good look at what's on offer. In fact I was probably more interested in the the gardening stuff, having a partner who is a keen gardener. Local firms carrying Veritas tools aren't interested in that line, unfortunately. But most of your w'working goodies I'm still hankering after are now available locally for a bit less than mail-ordering direct, which is a win for all of us, I hope.

I would like to have met you as a fellow BB member, just to say hello, and let you know there are several of us here in S.E. Queensland who would likewise be happy to give you a tour, if you ever come by, but looking at the size of the operation you've got to manage there, I reckoned you were probably busy enough!
Cheers,

[Rob Lee]

Hi Ian -

No worries - I try to give a tour about every two weeks...gets me out and about, and lets me see what going on in some of the other buildings...

'Course yesterday I wish I'd stayed in the office...

Was poking around the machine shop, and noticed one of our big mills wasn't running.... asked about it, and was told that is was broken....about a dozen times. Seems that a tool was put in the carousel incorrectly (it's about 8' in diameter, and holds 60 tools!), and it damaged the robotic "fingers" that pick up the tools... every time it went to put the tool back, it broke a tool holder slot... so we now have a machine that can't change tools, and a carousel that looks like a hockey player's smile (missing a bunch of teeth)...

Murphy's law would have it that this mill is making the "special offer" plane for the main catalogue - which mails in about 8-9 days.... production is down for 4 of 'em....

Ah well...just makes things interesting....!

Cheers -

Rob

Ps - this is the one that went down... fortunately, we have 3 of 'em, so we can shift production around....

http://www.hurco.com/Hurco/English/P...ing+Center.htm

[Groggy]

Wish you'd said something about coming to Ottawa - we could've set you up with a tour while you were here.... I mention this only in case others reading this pass this way...

Rob, when are you going to get it? The majority of us are waiting for the tour of the AUSTRALIAN store!

...and what special plane offer is this? You can tell us, we'll keep it quiet.

[journeyman Mick]

Hi Ian -

No worries - I try to give a tour about every two weeks...gets me out and about, and lets me see what going on in some of the other buildings...

'Course yesterday I wish I'd stayed in the office...

Was poking around the machine shop, and noticed one of our big mills wasn't running.... asked about it, and was told that is was broken....about a dozen times. Seems that a tool was put in the carousel incorrectly (it's about 8' in diameter, and holds 60 tools!), and it damaged the robotic "fingers" that pick up the tools... every time it went to put the tool back, it broke a tool holder slot... so we now have a machine that can't change tools, and a carousel that looks like a hockey player's smile (missing a bunch of teeth)...

Murphy's law would have it that this mill is making the "special offer" plane for the main catalogue - which mails in about 8-9 days.... production is down for 4 of 'em....

Ah well...just makes things interesting....!

Cheers -

Rob

Ps - this is the one that went down... fortunately, we have 3 of 'em, so we can shift production around....

http://www.hurco.com/Hurco/English/P...ing+Center.htm

Bugger!
Rob,
no doubt you're onto it, but have you/they worked out how it happened and how to prevent it from reoccurring?

Mick

[Two Cherries]

Hi .. the KIRSCHEN (Two Cherries) are now available in Australia from www.mytoolstore.com.au ... for really good prices.

He does not have them listed but I believe he can now source the KIRSCHEN - Two Cherries - 6-piece un-polished Chisel Set (Cat. 1166-HK)

Ta

[mat]

Two Cherries

I don't see any cranked chisels or mortice chisels there!