Several months ago, I bought a few old chisels and sharpened them up.
Among them I found this sorry fellow :
Having a sharp chisel is nice but having one you can grip is better so I decided to try my home-made pole/bungee lathe (http://lumberjocks.com/projects/63606) to make myself a new handle.
The old handle came off without issue :
Then I sawed off a brass plumbing coupler to make a ferule…
Planed a chunk of plum (mirabelle) tree to rough dimensions…
Gouged away a cove for the lathe’s string to run into (smoother lathe operation):
And started at the actual handle. I used a spanner (wrench) to size the 22mm tenon for the ferrule and put it in place :
Then I shaped the rest of the handle.
Finally I bored a stepped hole for the tang as straight as I could manage and fitted the blade in the handle.
Finished it with a coat of oil then wax.
You can see that I also filed away the edges of the blade to make myself a bevel-edged paring chisel (I already owned a straight edged chisel of the same size). The blade’s axis is slightly out of alignment with the handle’s but it is not too bad and can’t be much helped with my current hand skill level…
Here is the final result :
I could not bring myself to throw away the small chunk of wood on which the lathe’s string ran so I turned the piece around and made a top for my son out of it.
Not a very elaborated project but this is now the chisel I turn to by default when I need to do some paring.
All the best to you,
-- Fabrice - "On est bien bête mais on sent bien quand on se fait mal" - my grandfather
20 comments so far
MyChipCarving
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658 posts in 4408 days
#1 posted 07-11-2012 12:11 PM
Very nice results. A chisel with a personal touch and something to be proud of. Thanks for sharing.
-- Marty, https://www.MyChipCarving.com, 866-444-6996
Sodabowski
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2401 posts in 4117 days
#2 posted 07-11-2012 12:24 PM
Ah bravo Fabrice, super résultat :D Superbe morceau de prunier d’ailleurs, ça m’a immédiatement fait penser à l’énorme souche que j’ai récupérée l’été dernier :)
LOLcat version: OMFG dood, grate resultz. BTW wonderful plum lumbar, mekz me fink bout teh hyoodj burl ize got me last sumrtiem. Kthx :p
-- Thomas - there are no problems, there are only solutions.
Brit
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8457 posts in 4126 days
#3 posted 07-11-2012 12:27 PM
Wonderful work Fabrice and some inventive, problem-solving too. I liked the use of the plumbing fitting and the open-ended spanner and the end result looks great with the bevelled edges. Thanks for sharing the process.
-- Andy - Old Chinese proverb says: "If you think something can't be done, don't interrupt man who is doing it."
OnlyJustME
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1562 posts in 3660 days
#4 posted 07-11-2012 12:29 PM
very nice job and good looking wood. I wouldnt mind a whole set of chisels with wood handles that pretty.
-- In the end, when your life flashes before your eyes, will you like what you see?
ShaneA
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7085 posts in 3882 days
#5 posted 07-11-2012 01:56 PM
Looks great. Thanks for sharing
llwynog
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288 posts in 3862 days
#6 posted 07-11-2012 02:53 PM
Thank you everyone.
Andy, neither the plumbing fitting nor the open end spanner were my invention. I found both the ideas online while perusing blogs. Spanner works great to see if the proper size is reached.
Thomas, I must say I am humbled by your command of LOLcat language, did you take part in an exchange student program or did you attend private courses ?
-- Fabrice - "On est bien bête mais on sent bien quand on se fait mal" - my grandfather
BTimmons
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2303 posts in 3769 days
#7 posted 07-11-2012 05:09 PM
Not at all bad for a day’s work.
-- Brian Timmons - http://www.BigTWoodworks.com
Rob Drown
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839 posts in 5117 days
#8 posted 07-12-2012 12:23 AM
Nice looking chisel Very cool!!! How did you make the string lathe? That is very resourceful.
-- The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools. Confucius, 经过艰苦的努力的梦想可以成真
Dave
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11435 posts in 4124 days
#9 posted 07-12-2012 02:41 AM
Now thats a handle. The plum is wonderful. And you lathe technique is superb. You sir have done that old chisel justice.
-- Superdav "No matter where you go - there you are." http://chiselandforge.com
Druid
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2205 posts in 4079 days
#10 posted 07-12-2012 06:00 AM
Nice to see that you could get 2 useful items out of the one turning. C’est bien fait.
-- John, British Columbia, Canada
llwynog
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288 posts in 3862 days
#11 posted 07-12-2012 06:09 AM
Marty, Matt, Shane, Brian, Dave, thank you for your kind words.
Rob, you can find more details about the building of the lathe on http://lumberjocks.com/projects/63606
-- Fabrice - "On est bien bête mais on sent bien quand on se fait mal" - my grandfather
llwynog
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288 posts in 3862 days
#12 posted 07-12-2012 06:46 AM
Thank you John, long time no see :)
-- Fabrice - "On est bien bête mais on sent bien quand on se fait mal" - my grandfather
mafe
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13404 posts in 4373 days
#13 posted 07-12-2012 02:24 PM
So wonderful to see that old chisel get back to life.
What a beauty.
It will probaly become a favorite.
Best thoughts,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
llwynog
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288 posts in 3862 days
#14 posted 07-13-2012 07:36 AM
Mads, I was actually inspired by your own chisel restoration posts to begin with.
-- Fabrice - "On est bien bête mais on sent bien quand on se fait mal" - my grandfather
mafe
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13404 posts in 4373 days
#15 posted 07-13-2012 12:05 PM
I am always so happy to see these rings in the water, it is what we are some here that share and that I love about our friendships. That we inspire eachother.
Tahnk you,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
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