Stanley #750 dovetail chilsels

[Derek Cohen]

I few weeks back I posted an article on making a dovetail chisel, which included grinding shallow shoulders on the sides of chisels.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/Soyouwanttomakeadovetailchisel.html

I had begun a set of dovetail chisels inspired by a set made by Dave Jeske for Jim Shaver. These were rehandled LNs. Truly, these are amongst the most beautiful Western chisels I have seen. As you can see below, the handles are lengthened over the standard LN handle.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Soyouwanttomakeadovetailchisel_html.jpg

Now the Lord knows I do not need more chisels! :) But they have been calling to me for a couple of years .. and I needed some that I could use a hammer on (my Blue Spruce dovetail chisels have African Blackwood handles and are just for pushing), and I had time on my hands while the glue was drying on a veneer repair ... and ... oh, who am I kidding, I just wanted a set like these ;)

One of the reasons for my interest in the rehandled LNs was that I had a bunch of Stanley #750s that I wanted to modify - I hope no one is offended here. Believe me they were not in good condition when I started out - and the handles for the LNs and the Stanleys are essentially the same design/shape.

I finished them up today. Made a completely new set of handles in She-oak - these you can hammer on with a genno ... and the genno will come off second best. This stuff is tough.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Chiselset1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Chiselset2.jpg

The sizes are 1", 3/4", 1/2", 3/8", 1/4" and 1/8".

A better gauge of the colour and figure ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Handlecolour2.jpg

(My apologies for the lack of clarity - my SLR was stolen returning to Perth from Cape Town about a month ago - apparently a common occurence there. Wish someone had warned me. Due to be replaced soon).

The blades were all hollow profiled on the sides (as per the method in my article). The 1", 3/4", 1/2" and 1/8" are badged "#750". The 3/8" is badged "Stanley" (but is considered to be a #750). The 1/4" is badged "Made in USA" and is not a #750. In fact the shape was different to the others here and I ground it to match. It also would not hold an edge for long, so I re-tempered the steel (took about 5 minutes with torches), and now is excellent.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Blades-hollowground1.jpg

The 1/8" is a #750 but began life as a 1/4" chisel. I am quite pleased with this one ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Eighthsize2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Eighthsize1.jpg

I do not recall having seen a 1/8" #750 - anyone have one that they can post a picture of here?

Just a by-the-way .. Before making these handles I did try an alternate design ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Handlealternative.jpg

I thought the shape/concept very appealing aesthetically. However, on trying it out I found that I missed the indent at the transition that provided a place to push against.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Casey Gooding]

Those are beauties!!

[John Payne01]

Derek,

I don't own one, but here's one in a set.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g254/jcav8ter/100_0967-1.jpg

John

[Jim Koepke]

As usual Derek, nice work.

I also agree with the "finger stop at the transition." Even put one on the froe handle that was made yesterday.

jim

[Frank Drew]

Nice work, Derek, as usual.

But what's a "genno"?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Frank

It's a Japanese hammer, typically used for hitting chisels (as well as nails).

http://www.fine-tools.com/H309700a.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek