Thread: Length of chisels in a set

I am not sure there is any hard and fast rule. Any chisel with enough metal to be fit for intended use would be ok with me.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by pjr

Hello all,

I visited the Hands On Expo on the weekend (Hi Chris V, it was nice to meet you).

While there I saw a most lusciously made set of chisels. They were beautifully held in a presentation box and had such nice looking handles, curly Jarrah I think.

now, I'm more into old tools and have not bought a new set like this so am wondering, why is the widest one made with maybe a full centimeter less blade? The narrowest one also seemed a bit shorter but not so much. There must be some good reason because they are so beautifully made.

The reason for noticing it is that I've been gradually assembling a matching set of old chisels and have been going to a lot of effort to find ones close to the same length. As you would expect, the old ones vary a lot in length through use.

For a new set, I sort of imagined they would start out all the the same and only differ after a varying number of regrindings over the years. So, is there a reason that new sets are put together with varying lengths?

just curious. thanks.

I assume you are talking about these bought by forum member "Enfield Guy".



Why would you gind any more off than was necessary to sharpen them and Trent would have made them very, very sharp?

Originally Posted by KevM

I assume you are talking about these bought by forum member "Enfield Guy".

Why would you gind any more off than was necessary to sharpen them and Trent would have made them very, very sharp?

hi KevM, actually I wasn't referring to those but yes they did look quite similar to that. and congrats to Enfield Guy on buying a set of such lovely chisels.

I'm not sure what you mean about grinding off more than necessary. I wouldn't do that just to make them the same, if that's what you thought I meant.

I'm just wondering why Trent, or whoever, would not make them all the same length to start with, since the mid sized ones are all the same.

...starting to wish I hadn't asked. I was assuming there must be some reason they are made that way but am getting the feeling I may have offended or something, in which case, apologies if I did.

Like you I am also curious as to why, I have always noticed this but never knew and still don't know why.

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this matter.

I think it is a good question too. Would love to know the reason.

Hi Peter

I saw that set of chisels and thought the same as you. Isn't that interesting.

In my experience, the wider chisels are actually longer, not shorter.

For example, I put together a set of Bergs over the years. Here they are in re-handled format (for paring). From the left they are 1 1/4", going down to an 1/8" on the right.



My Japanese chisels all have the same length blade, regardless of the width.

My Blue Spruce dovetail chisels are inbetween, with the widest blade just a little longer than the thinnest (although when I received the 3/4" it was very much longer. However it was the first 3/4" made and I did have Dave Jeske replace it with another. Still, it demonstrates that wider chisels tend to be longer). On the far right is a 3/4", then a 1/2", then 3/8" ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by pjr

Hello all,

I visited the Hands On Expo on the weekend (Hi Chris V, it was nice to meet you

The reason for noticing it is that I've been gradually assembling a matching set of old chisels and have been going to a lot of effort to find ones close to the same length. As you would expect, the old ones vary a lot in length through use.

For a new set, I sort of imagined they would start out all the the same and only differ after a varying number of regrindings over the years. So, is there a reason that new sets are put together with varying lengths?

just curious. thanks.

I'm assuming here Peter, that you're referring to the lengths of the chisel blades and not the collective length as in a set all the handles generally appear the same.
A number of factors here could offer up a reason.

The cost of the steel and heat treatment required.
The grinding of a wider chisel may require a jig that curtails it's length, not that I believe that.
The integrity of the chisel strength may be factor of the length.

Just some ideas I've thrown up,of course that might have nothing at all to do with the answer you're looking for.

Cheers

Originally Posted by DJ's Timber

Like you I am also curious as to why, I have always noticed this but never knew and still don't know why.

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this matter.

my supposition is that wider chisels are shorter to lessen the chance of the user bending or breaking the tang. Compare a wide and a narrow chisel driven into some stuff and worked as a lever. There's more chance of bending / breaking the tang on the wide one.

However, I've also noted that thin bladed chisels tend to be longer — maybe it's because these long thin chisels are used something like a slick

What if all the raw steel blanks were cut the same time and when/if forged and hammered the thin ones become longer. and the wider one stayed short? i.e they all have the same volume of steel in them?

Not the case with Trents Harrold And Saxon Chsels, but could be true the older hand hammered chisels???