Fishtail or skew?

[Jim Leslie]

I am looking to acquire some tools for making half-blind dovetails and am knee deep in research. Having not done this before, it seems logical that a skew chisel would let me get into the back corners for clean-up just like a fishtail, no? I would likely need a left and right skew though. Or do I have this wrong?

[Mike Henderson]

The skews will work fine and are usually less expensive. Buy two cheap 1/4" chisels and grind them to a skew, left and right. They don't get a lot of use, or hard use, so you don't need real expensive chisels. I bought Irwin chisels for less than $10 each. Antique chisels work fine, also.

If you want to go the fishtail route, buy a #1/10 (about 3/8") fishtail carving tool. It'll be a lot less expensive than a woodworking name (e.g., Blue Spruce) fishtail and it'll work just as well for dovetails. In Pfeil tools, that will be a 1F/8 or a 1F/12 - I don't know if they make a 1F/10.

Mike

[Trevor Walsh]

I'm with Mike on this. I think a shorter butt type would be better, and not exceeding 1/4" in width. I pair to the baseline with the board tails up in the air, using my palm as a "hammer" and the knifed baseline as a shelf. I fret saw the waste out.

[Jim Leslie]

Thanks guys; Mike - I never thought about the carving tool. I'll check that out too.

[Derek Cohen]

I cannot recommend the Blue Spruce enough. It is fantastic - holds a sharp edge forever. Get the wider one - it works with all angles.

213650

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Frank Drew]

A single 3/8" chisel reground to a spear point (so it cuts on both sides) does a fine job; as Mike mentions, you can use a used or otherwise inexpensive chisel for this -- most of your cutting will be paring or slicing rather than pounding.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Frank

Along this line, Chris Veper makes a really useful marking knife that doubles as a joinery chisel. Excellent for cleaning out half-blind dovetails as well as scoring heavy lines.

https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Joinery_Knife_4e5ef0eae78b8.jpg

213655


Chris has a new version out, the "mini", and I like this better - just snuggles into the palm ..

https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/resized/MINI_Joinery_Kni_4e5ef1d8af4fc_300x.jpg (https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/MINI_Joinery_Kni_4e5ef1d8bb464.jpg)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jack Curtis]

It doesn't really matter which you choose (fishtail/bachi nomi, skew, point), they all do the job. So then it's just a matter of which maker suits your needs best. I say get a quality whatever that takes and keeps a great edge.

Jack

[Jim Leslie]

It looks like I'll try the skew 1st since I have one available, but I do like the looks of the Blue Spruce Fishtail; I had seen that one earlier in my surfing of it in use like Derek's above.
I also see Lie-Nielsen has them and they are coming to town here soon.

[Jim Leslie]

By the way Derek, what size is that fishtail you show in the picture?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Jim

I have both the 6:1 and 8:1 tapers. You only need the 6:1 taper. This will do it all.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Stuart Tierney]

Hi Jim

I have both the 6:1 and 8:1 tapers. You only need the 6:1 taper. This will do it all.

Regards from Perth

Derek

6:1 = @ 10 degrees, correct?

What about those 14 degree markers that are supposedly popular? That's a 1:4 angle, isn't it?


Stu.

(Who uses a 1:4 fishtail chisel for this stuff. A recycled chisel no less, but I didn't make it...)

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Stu

Well, I just avoid making 1:4 dovetails! :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Stuart Tierney]

Hi Stu

Well, I just avoid making 1:4 dovetails! :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek,

I don't.

I don't have to. ;)

And yeah, those chisels have been green-lighted with a cherry on top.


Watch your mail box for a Christmas present. :D

Stu.

[Frank Drew]

Along this line, Chris Veper makes a really useful marking knife that doubles as a joinery chisel. Excellent for cleaning out half-blind dovetails as well as scoring heavy lines
https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/resized/MINI_Joinery_Kni_4e5ef1d8af4fc_300x.jpg (https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/MINI_Joinery_Kni_4e5ef1d8bb464.jpg)





Exactly right, Derek. Keep those edges keenly sharpened and you can do very nice work with this kind of tool without a lot of effort.

[Jim Neeley]

Hi Frank

Along this line, Chris Veper makes a really useful marking knife that doubles as a joinery chisel. Excellent for cleaning out half-blind dovetails as well as scoring heavy lines.

https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Joinery_Knife_4e5ef0eae78b8.jpg

213655


Chris has a new version out, the "mini", and I like this better - just snuggles into the palm ..

https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/resized/MINI_Joinery_Kni_4e5ef1d8af4fc_300x.jpg (https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/MINI_Joinery_Kni_4e5ef1d8bb464.jpg)

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks for the post, Derek... I hadn't considered using a knife for trimming pin edges but it makes sense, especially with that nice thick blade. Essentially a double-skew chisel.

Greetings from Anchorage,

Jim