A couple of chisels I just finished making

[Jamie Bacon]

Just finished two chisels I've been working on. Based on the firmer chisels in the Benjamin Seaton chest. More pictures and a full write up can be found on my blog (http://www.planeshavings.blogspot.com) if you're interested.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r71/baconpga/th_DSC01696.jpg (http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r71/baconpga/?action=view&current=DSC01696.jpg)http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r71/baconpga/th_DSC01580.jpg

T (http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r71/baconpga/?action=view&current=DSC01580.jpg)hanks,

Jamie Bacon

[Jim-M Campbell]

Wonderful job! I commend your efforts and applaud your results :-)

Love your blog too. You earned at least one new follower.

Jim

[george wilson]

Good to see you have gotten them done!

How did you make the bolsters? I had recommended using thick steel washers. Glad to see that you apparently didn't have warping problems.

[Trevor Walsh]

These look excellent, nice work.

[george wilson]

How about posting edge on views,and views of the bevel sides of the chisels?

[Jamie Bacon]

Hey George. The bolsters started out as a length of 3/4" wide, 1/8" thick O-1. I marked a line about 5/8" from the end and drilled a hole in the middle of the 5/8" and the 3/4" measurements. I drilled a pilot hole first and then went to I believe a 11/64 bit. From there I filed a rectangular hole and kept test fitting it to the tang until it fit square and tightly where I wanted it on the tang. Once I had that right I cut the bolster free from the length of steel at that 5/8 mark and the filed it to an octagon and then tapered it down toward the edges with a file. There's a pretty full description of the whole process I used as well as additional pictures on by blog. Just click the word "blog" in my original post and it links right to it.

And thank you for taking the time to answer all the questions I had for you.

[Jamie Bacon]

Thanks for the compliments Jim and Trevor. I'm pleased how these turned out.

[george wilson]

Jamie,I looked at your blog. Good pictures. About double tempering: It does no good unless you re temper the steel at 25º LESS than the first temper. I hope you were barely able to hold the chisels in your hand when you put them into the toaster oven. About 130º is how col you should let them get to,and not let them get colder. This helps the performance of the steel,and is known as austempering.

The way you put on your bolsters is how I have been suggesting people to do it. Unless a person is an expert blacksmith,they are difficult to form from the solid.

Your chisels came out very nice. Now,if you can stamp "Newbould Best" on them !!! IIRC,that is how the originals are stamped.

[Jamie Bacon]

Thanks for the kind words George. It means a lot hearing you say they came out nice.

Well, my double tempering was a waste; this time. I'll try it the way you said on the next two I make. I am sure they didn't get too cold before I tempered them. After I quenched them, I wiped the oil off with a rag and sanded the black off the steel on some 80 grit paper stuck to my power jointer's bed and then put them in the oven. All the while holding the tang with vise grips and wearing a glove on my left hand as to not burn myself while applying a little pressure on the chisel while sanding off the black.

[Jeff Wittrock]

Really nice looking chisels! They look so very light and graceful I bet they are a joy to use for paring.
I enjoyed reading your blog as well. Thanks for posting.

[Jamie Bacon]

Thanks Jeff. I haven't had a chance to use them yet, but they feel really good in the hand. Glad you like the blog. It's nice to know people enjoy it.

[george wilson]

Jamie,I thought you told me the chisels were 1/32" thick on the bevel end.

[Jamie Bacon]

Jamie,I thought you told me the chisels were 1/32" thick on the bevel end.

That was my original plan George, but as I was grinding the taper, they looked so thin when I got to 1/16" that I chickened out and stopped there.

[george wilson]

It has been a long time since I looked at those original chisels. Were they 1/32" thick on their ends?

[Jamie Bacon]

It has been a long time since I looked at those original chisels. Were they 1/32" hick on their ends?

According to the book The Tool Chest of Benjamin Seaton, the 2" chisel has a blade thickness of 1/16" at the cannel and 5/32" at the shoulder. The 7/16 chisel is 1/32" at the cannel and 5/32" at the shoulder. These are the only two that thicknesses are given for. These are by Thomas Shaw and are the ones I'm styling my chisels after.

[george wilson]

I have a small Thomas Shaw carving gouge,with what appears to be the original(user made) mahogany handle. At least,the style is correct,and the work carefully done.

[Jim Koepke]

Nice work on the chisels and the blog. I will likely be reading a lot during the coming weeks.

jtk

[Jamie Bacon]

Very cool George. I'd love to stumble across some chisels by Thomas Shaw or Philip Law or James Cam. Any of the 18th century makers.

I just had to put the chisels to wood to see what they'd do. Time will tell how they hold up in actual use over time, but here is a picture of some random paring on end grain pine with the 3/4". Very sharp and it feels good in use. The 1" didn't seem quite as sharp. Not sure if it didn't temper quite as well or if it just needs a little more attention to the edge.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r71/baconpga/DSC01717.jpg

[george wilson]

Actually,I have a James Cam mortising chisel too. about 5/32" wide. Maybe 3/16" Hardly been used.

[Jamie Bacon]

I have a small Thomas Shaw carving gouge,with what appears to be the original(user made) mahogany handle. At least,the style is correct,and the work carefully done.

According to this book, in 1797 Thomas Shaw changed to Shaw and Marshall, so I would imagine your gouge would be pre 1797. Pretty cool.

[Jamie Bacon]

Nice work on the chisels and the blog. I will likely be reading a lot during the coming weeks.

jtk

Thanks Jim. Glad you like the chisels AND the blog. It's been fun to write.

[george wilson]

Very nice,clean cuts in that very soft pine!!:) The real soft stuff can be harder to cut clean than harder woods.

[Mark Maleski]

Jamie, those are very nice chisels. You tool makers are making this difficult - I want to spend my time building furniture but these homemade tools keep tempting me to divert my time. Will you bring these to our fall SAPFM/Chesapeake meeting?

[Jamie Bacon]

Jamie, those are very nice chisels. You tool makers are making this difficult - I want to spend my time building furniture but these homemade tools keep tempting me to divert my time. Will you bring these to our fall SAPFM/Chesapeake meeting?

Thanks Mark. This toolmaking thing is EXTREMELY addictive. Especially when you make something like these chisels, which to my knowledge you can't buy unless you spend big bucks on the antiques. I'm working on a 1/2" and 1/4" now. I'd be glad to bring them to the fall meeting. Do we have a date for that yet?