Thanks: 0
Likes: 0
Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: For you whittlers
-
4th December 2009, 11:02 PM #1
GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Adelaide
- Posts
- 2,794
For you whittlers
Since my bad experience with a Stanley knife 30 years ago I have avoided whittling (ie carving a handheld piece, as THE Whittling has explained
) but sometimes that's the quick way to carve small things.
Chisels and, let's be honest, most knives are not really designed for the job, though.
Any competitive pistol shooter will tell you that to have a chance one needs to make a custom handle to suit his/her hand. Why not applying the same principle to whittling tools? By definition a whittler has the skills to carve a wooden handle. Why should only the turners have the fun to make handles for their tools?
This afternoon the coincidence of trying to use an unhandled chisel and seeing a cutoff of Jarra that almost fit my hand led to making this crudely shaped but effective handle. I'll finish it better another time, maybe.
Here are the pictures, hope you will find them useful.
-
4th December 2009 11:02 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
5th December 2009, 12:31 AM #2
Bricoleur
- Join Date
- Jul 2005
- Location
- Toowoomba Qld.
- Age
- 65
- Posts
- 2,792
Very nice work F&E, always a satisfying project to make something fit the hand!
I get that same feeling afterwards, about finishing it another time. maybe. Sometimes its a work in progress, chipping off bits that insist on make themselves known, so its never finished.
CheersAndy Mac
Change is inevitable, growth is optional.
-
5th December 2009, 08:00 AM #3
GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Adelaide
- Posts
- 2,794
Yep. I remember shooters carrying a riffler and making small adjustments to the grip for months... I used to wonder whether they would ever be satisfied with it or always use the imperfect grip as an excuse.
Originally Posted by Andy Mac
Very nice work F&E, always a satisfying project to make something fit the hand! I get that same feeling afterwards, about finishing it another time. maybe. Sometimes its a work in progress, chipping off bits that insist on make themselves known, so its never finished.
Cheers
-
5th December 2009, 10:12 AM #4
Skwair2rownd
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- Dundowran Beach
- Age
- 76
- Posts
- 19,922
I would never have thought of that shape Frank, but seeing it in your hand makes me think that many of our handle may be totally wrong.
-
5th December 2009, 07:20 PM #5
SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jul 2009
- Location
- Waitpinga
- Posts
- 835
Hi Frank, Looking at it I'm wondering if you are getting any appreciable advantage over the standard 'palm tool' handle. But hey, if it gives you greater control and lends you greater confidence in use...its a winner!
I don't use chisels a lot. I much prefer a blade of one shape or another for most of what I do, but sometimes there just is no substitute for the appropriate chisel. For me, its safe use is more a function of technique than design, but there's no doubt that good design helps.
-
6th December 2009, 01:24 AM #6
GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Adelaide
- Posts
- 2,794
Can't argue with that. I should have said before that for whittling the blade in the photo is not meant to be used as a chisel, it just happens to be a blade of square shape
. Hence some advantage over a palm handle. To use a chisel as a chisel, a chisel handle is the best handle.
When all is said and done, it boils down to whether one prefers to adapt to a standard handle designed primarily for other tasks or, given the chance, to adapt the handle to suit the task.
Of course, for somebody like you who has invested years in becoming proficient in the former technique, it does not really pay to switch to the latter. It is for the beginners like me that it makes sense to start following the way that, as you say yourself, gives the most help.
Reply With Quote
