Chisel handle timber?

[Fumbler]

I was interested in making some chisels and wanted to know what the best timber would be to use for handles and wether or not to use a clout cap or not. I also posted this in the hand tool forum but thought it'd be better in here.

if someone can point me in the right direction or let me know if there are any chisel making guides available.

cheers
Richard

[dai sensei]

My choice has always been Rose Sheoak but the WA Sheoak is pretty much the same. Good hard straight grained but with beautiful lace pattern.

[dusteater]

If you decide on using WA Sheoak ,give us ahoy.

[Fumbler]

Thanks Neil and Dusteater. I met a guy recently who did a Damascus steel course making knives and they came up superb. So thought I would do the same and see it they could tailor the course to make chisels.

I wanted to do make some similar to the Japanese style, and make them both useful and an heirloom if you will. That is if my son would ever want to pick up the woodworking bug, they might inspire him, or at least drag his attention away from the iPad and clash of clans!!

[Robson Valley]

How often do you honestly believe that you will be swinging a 30oz lead-core mallet, as hard as you are physically able, against a fine woodworking chisel?
Rarely.
Instead, you will be making finesse cuttings. Tap-tap, not whang-bash.

I've done it against Pfeil wood carving gouges like 2/30, 5/35 and 9/15.
Carving adzes ( elbow, D and Stubai) are another issue altogether.
Hard, clear, straight grain woods as have been suggested above will be a pleasure to work with.

[Luke Maddux]

I was interested in making some chisels and wanted to know what the best timber would be to use for handles and wether or not to use a clout cap or not. I also posted this in the hand tool forum but thought it'd be better in here.

if someone can point me in the right direction or let me know if there are any chisel making guides available.

cheers
Richard

Australia may have the finest selection of chisel handle timbers in the world. Pretty much any of the small, scrubby trees which grow in the dry, inland areas of the continent and which are commonly (or uncommonly...) harvested for wood can make fantastic handles. Some examples include...

-Any of the Sheoaks
-Most of the acacias, with honorable mention going to Gidgee, Mulga, Brigalow, Anything called "Myall",and Inland Rosewood (just off the top of my head).
-Dead Finish (Archidendropsis basaltica)
-Most of the Eucalypts
-Crow's Ash

And plenty of others, including stuff which doesn't necessarily come from the dry areas.

The most important thing is to look for dense, hard woods with straight grain. Figuring is nice to have, but it ultimately is an indicator of reversing grain, which creates shearing planes in the wood and can result in unexpected breakage during chopping (hitting it with a mallet).

As far as bolstering the back end, I never have, but it would certainly improve the longevity of the chisels, especially something like a mortise or firmer chisel which is only really used for chopping.

Good luck,
Luke

[Bushmiller]

Fumbler

While I have seen JP chisels made in the Damascus style, my impression is that these are one-offs rather than mainstream. I think the JP chisels are laminated using a super hard steel backed by a soft steel. I think there is considerable skill involved in bonding these two dissimilar steels so they do not de-laminate at a later stage. The Japanese have an extended history in these techniques and understandably are really good at it.

JP chisels for striking tend to have a top ferrule with the timber extending beyond the ferrule. This allows the timber in time to burr over the steel.

So it is an ambitious project, but I will look forward to seeing your efforts.

Regards
Paul

[Robson Valley]

I went and looked. I've been carving with Pfeil gouges for many years (20?). I use a 12oz/375g ShopFox carver's mallet which has a polyurethane face.
The bigger gouges (2/30, 5/35, 9/15 etc) get bashed on with a lead-core 30oz/940g Wood-Is-Good mallet which also has a polyurethane face.
I'm striking hard enough to see if I can actually break a gouge handle. Why the 9/15 hasn't broken is anyone's guess.
There is no evidence whatsoever of peening on the handle crowns.

Australian hardwoods should not need a crown ferrule as gouge/chisel handles. Open striking on a large carving has to be
a much wilder process than the finesse you must be using to create a dovetail joint.

[Fumbler]

Australia may have the finest selection of chisel handle timbers in the world. Pretty much any of the small, scrubby trees which grow in the dry, inland areas of the continent and which are commonly (or uncommonly...) harvested for wood can make fantastic handles. Some examples include...

-Any of the Sheoaks
-Most of the acacias, with honorable mention going to Gidgee, Mulga, Brigalow, Anything called "Myall",and Inland Rosewood (just off the top of my head).
-Dead Finish (Archidendropsis basaltica)
-Most of the Eucalypts
-Crow's Ash

And plenty of others, including stuff which doesn't necessarily come from the dry areas.

The most important thing is to look for dense, hard woods with straight grain. Figuring is nice to have, but it ultimately is an indicator of reversing grain, which creates shearing planes in the wood and can result in unexpected breakage during chopping (hitting it with a mallet).

As far as bolstering the back end, I never have, but it would certainly improve the longevity of the chisels, especially something like a mortise or firmer chisel which is only really used for chopping.

Good luck,
Luke

Cheers Luke

[Fumbler]

[QUOTE=
JP chisels for striking tend to have a top ferrule with the timber extending beyond the ferrule. This allows the timber in time to burr over the steel.

So it is an ambitious project, but I will look forward to seeing your efforts.

Regards
Paul[/QUOTE]

Paul, Thank you, yes, it is ambitious, but i am never scared of taking something on. tend to do well the fir time round, but drop the ball on the repeats cant understand why. And from the results I have seen from the course, I'm sure 1 or 2 useful sized chisels wouldn't be out of the question. Oh and I will be making own mallets from matching timber, one loaded with lead/lead shot, and an un-laden version for softer striking.

Don't hold your breath anyone as its probably a long way off.

[clear out]

How often and whereabouts in Sydney are the courses?
When I'm back in Oz I would be interested in doing a course like this myself.
On a recent trip to Tassie I saw a small drawknife made from Damascus and it was stunning.
Like to attempt making one.
H.

[Fumbler]

How often and whereabouts in Sydney are the courses?
When I'm back in Oz I would be interested in doing a course like this myself.
On a recent trip to Tassie I saw a small drawknife made from Damascus and it was stunning.
Like to attempt making one.
H.
Apologies for the tardiness of my reply, not sure about sydney, I'm sure my friend told me there is one but you have to make a what they say. I was looking more at the Canberra course which is a bit expensive but should be well with it. I'm waiting on a response from them to see if we can do chisels. Otherwise it'll be a knife of some description.

https://www.tharwavalleyforge.com

here is the link to where I was looking.