Older Freud chisels

[Richard Dooling]

Anyone familiar with mid 1980s Freud bench chisels?

I have a set of six I kept after shutting down a shop in the late 1980s and have recently returned to woodworking.

I have always thought these were good chisels but I'm having trouble finding out any particulars like the Rockwell scale rating.

These chisels have a tang and the handles have a metal ring to control mushrooming.

Anyone with any sources of info?

[george wilson]

Take a NEW or hardly used Nicholson 8" SMOOTH file.Look at the teeth to make sure there are no shiny tips on the teeth of the file (if it is used).Find a place where there are no shiny tips,because the teeth are dull there. No rust,either. See if the file can barely cut the chisel by bearing down at the tip of the bevel on the top side of the chisels. Don't try to cut a lot,just push the file an inch or two. Bear down firmly. If the file will not cut at all,and skates,it is above 60 Rockwell. If it cuts just a bit,with difficulty,it is about 58 R.C.. If it files like a scraper,it is about 52 R.C.,if it's a good scraper.

58 RC should be o.k.. Hardness isn't the whole story. If the chisel is too hard,like 60 RC,it's pushing the limits for carbon steel to not have the microscopic edge break off in use,and make the chisel seem dull. On the other hand,if you chop straight down on edge grain of quartered oak,and the edge gets corrugated by the wood,the chisel is too soft. All kinds of variations exist,though. You could have too acute an edge angle for that kind of abuse. Mortise chisels hade a steeper grind.

A fully hardened chisel of 60 RC may still not have good wear resistance if it is made out of cheap toolsteel,like 1050. Sears Craftsmen chisels at least some years ago were made of thst metal in Holland. No one says they hold a decent edge.

I think those chisels you have might have been made in Spain,but I could be losing that memory.

[David Turner]

Richard:

I have a complete set as you describe and although I can not tell you the hardness, I can tell you they have been my only chisels for going on 30 years. They have built over 50 pieces of period furniture (handcut dovetails, etc.) and with the exception of one broken handle (boxwood I believe), they are still going strong.

David Turner

[Mike Wilkins]

I have had a set of them since the mid 80's and love them. Not sure what the hardness is on the scale, but they take an edge easily and hold it well.
I even broke a chunk of the 1" chisel chopping mortises in some old heart pine, and got it back to square easily; a little shorter but working well.

[Richard Dooling]

Thanks to all for the feedback. These chisels have performed well over the years but I don’t have a lot to compare with other than some old easy-to-sharpen-quick-to-dull beaters.

George thanks for the tip. Using your method these appear to be in the 58 Rockwell c range. The file cuts under reasonable pressure but it’s not like it’s slicing into the chisel and as Mike mentions they are pretty easy to sharpen without dulling too fast.

Next I’m going to learn a little more steel in general. I am not aiming to become an expert but since getting more into hand tools my curiosity has grown.

How for instance do the plane blades on a Stanley-Bailey from the early 1900s compare to those from the 30s and 40s. Same for chisels and saws.

Soooo much to learn.

[george wilson]

Richard,glad to have helped. I might mention that the finer a file is,the harder steel it will cut. Thus,consistent use of the smooth cut Nicholson brand is important.