Thread: Disappointed - another UK icon gone to pot?

Originally Posted by veloaficionado

Having to do a lot of 10mm wide mortises soon, I bought a Robert Sorby corner chisel from Classic Hand Tools in the UK. I thought I'd get a 1 1/4" paring chisel as well, having wanted one all the years from when I used to use dad's Marples one and thinking it was the best thing since sliced bread.

Anyway, I got the package today, and the corner chisel looks ok, except for a bit of inaccuracy in the match of the bevel of the grind on the inner wing. Fairly smooth back.

The paring chisel is, to be quite frank, a bit rough. There's circular grind marks across all the faces of the blade, including the back one, of about 180 grit roughness. Yes, you can lap that back to a better finish and put as fine a grind on the bevel as you like, but I expected better than something that looks like a garden tool finish.

Came across this old post: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/s...tml#post579131

Cheers,
Paul

Originally Posted by Berlin

Cool. Not heaps of info so I guess it was one of those myriad Sheffield brands... Like Turner planes perhaps

I found this on Turner planes.

Toby

Paul, those are the chisels i reckon benefit from sanding off the sharp edges on the handles

Toby, they (turner planes) are quite common here, relatively speaking, when i go to the sunday markets to grab some veggies every once in a while, then wonder around around the trash and treasure stalls, invariably there is usually one or two there to be had...most people would probably still seek out stanleys as a preference though


cheers
chippy

Thank you all for your chiselly wit and wisdom. I took the offending item unto the flat side of the Tormek and managed to grind and polish about 1/4" of shiny metal next to the edge on the flat side, but with a strange sort of wavy effect further down the blade - taking off the high spots of the factory grind. Took about 20 minutes - and it needs some more, I think.

This produced a pretty sharp edge, along with grinding the bevel, so I'm mostly happy. p.s. why does it have a leather washer under the neck/bolster? I'm hardly likely to be pounding it with a mallet.

And yes Toby, deep in the stamping of my lil ole carving chisel it's an "I & H Sorby". Still probably my favorite tool. Very good for serifs on chip- carved lettering.