Any thoughts on the Lee Valley batoning chisel?

[Matt Lau]

Lee Valley has a batoning chisel (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=67735&cat=1,41504) out. Any thoughts?

It was my birthday recently, and I'm thinking of finally buying a birthday present.

I'm thinking of getting a 1" chisel. Primarily, it will be for shaving down spruce bracing, and paring the V-joint of guitar necks (Spanish open V joint)...essentially once handed paring. I currently have 1/8", 1/4", and 5/8" chisels in white steel (the cheapest Japan Woodworker house brand). I'm looking for something that is good in the hand, a pleasure to use, and not too ridiculously expensive. It'd be great if it looked nice too.

I'm also seriously looking into the Ashley Iles MkII, Traditional Woodworker house brand, other Japanese Chisels, etc.
While I'm lusting after Blue Spruce, I can't justify it with my limited means.
I'm also open to looking into palm chisels.

Being able to split spruce billets for bracing would be nice, but not essential.

I'd like to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

[Paul Saffold]

I thought the batoning chisel looked interesting. I have several yard sale "treasures" of chisels and I plan on modifying one of them. When I've riven oak for pegs with a plane blade, I thought there must be an easier way.

[Jim Koepke]

When I've riven oak for pegs with a plane blade, I thought there must be an easier way.

Maybe a small froe. I use a big one on fire wood for riving out kindling. I have thought of making a small one from some old planer blades I have.

jtk

[Trevor Walsh]

Paul, I like the plane blade idea for peg riving, I started using a large not too sharp chisel. I may give that a shot.

Building a small froe out of mild steel doesn't seem like a bad idea either.

Matt, I really like the AI MK2s, I think they are one of the best price for performance chisels out there, similar in price for the Marples blue chips (now Irwin) but with wood handles and fine grinds. The steel is very good, though I don't strike them. I'd use a beater something for the riving, it doesn't want to be wicked sharp, but keep a fine chisel for shaping the braces.

[Chris Vandiver]

Here you go; http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=09%2E812%2E5&dept_id=13218

[Jack Curtis]

That bamboo froe is really handy for all sorts of stuff. For example, it also chops up charcoaled pine with aplomb.

Jack

[Matt Lau]

Guys, funny you should mention it.
It's just down the street.

I normally just use a chinese kitchen knife though.

[george wilson]

It is mandatory,but not written that you must learn to twirl the batoning chisel. Beware.

[Bill Houghton]

It is mandatory,but not written that you must learn to twirl the batoning chisel. Beware.

Is it required to wear a high feathery hat and a short skirt while using it, too?

[Tom Vanzant]

Don't recommend high feathery hats if the baton is aflame.

[george wilson]

Dunno,Bill. Post a pic of you doing it and I'll let you know!!:):):)

[Mike Holbrook]

I tried to find a Japanese Froe that I think Silky use to make for splitting bamboo. I did not find it but I found a knife/hatchet that I think might serve well. If you want to get serious about splitting some wood, Highland Woodworking has actual froes designed for splitting, with wooden handles, four types from $50-$180. Gransfors Bruks, Barr Tools, Ox-Head, Peavey...one needs to be in my wood splitting tool collection. There is so much Hickory & Ash.... around my house that is just begging to be split.

[Chris Fournier]

By all means make your own froe but I think that you should give very careful thought to the idea of whacking away at anything tool steel with a hammer. I would use a wooden mallet etc but get sloppy and smack your planer blade with a metal hammer and you'll be picking tool steel out of your body. Unless of course you know how to properly temper the steel for the job at hand.

[willie sobat]

I used a similar chisel years ago when I worked as a glazier. We were replacing the windows in an old department store. The building was considered an historic landmark and as such much of the original detail work was to be retained. We used the chisels to remove glazing putty that had been in place for century in most frames. It wasn't pretty. We tried to keep the glass from flying, but waking a battening chisel with a 16 oz claw hammer as high as seven stories up made for some exciting moments. I never thought of it as something I would use for delicate woodworking. However it might be just the trick for small rivings.

[george wilson]

Tempering a HSS planer blade isn't going to happen. It will stay hard no matter what you try to do to it unless you have more sophisticated equipment than I do. That means you would have to have an inert gas electric furnace very well insulated to cool EXTREMELY slowly. HSS is tempered at 1000º as it comes from the factory. I haven't been able to soften it myself.

HSS doesn't stand being struck very well. You'd be better off using mild steel unless you want to AT LEAST break off your tool in the wood. Certainly,HSS won't stand being twisted like you twist a froe.

I have been shot in the shoulder as a teenager by another kid pounding on a crow bar(wrecking bar is the correct name for what we all call a crow bar). Shards of steel went right into me. Lucky not into my eye.

[John Coloccia]

Being able to split spruce billets for bracing would be nice, but not essential.

I'd like to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

That's EXACTLY what I first thought when I saw it. Right now, I use a combination of a large chisel and a shingle froe, but that chisel seems just the thing.