Blue spruce dovetail chisels

[jeff vanek]

i know the blue spruce dovetail chisels are not made for everyday pounding, and it states in the description that they are "well suited to light taps from an appropriately sized mallet " what weight mallet are you guys using with these, if any?

[bob blakeborough]

I have done VERY LIGHT tapping with the 16 ounce mallet from them, but not to drive the chisel through wood. Just more a light tapping as a control type thing. I wouldn't suggest using them for any sort of serious material removal. If that's the case I would just get the bench chisels. The edges on those are still plenty sharp for dovetailing...

[Terry Beadle]

I have a 5/8ths Blue Spruce paring chisel. I've never hit it with any thing. It's primary bevel is set for paring so using it to remove larger chips just doesn't make any sense.

It sure keeps a sharp edge a long time.

If I were to "hit" it with a hammer, it would be a wooden hammer and it would be lighter than 8 oz. A tap, not a hit. So far after several years of use, there's never been a need to even tap it. I'm agree with Mr. Blakeborough no serious material removal of large chips with a paring chisel. If I had to use it for that purpose, it's primary bevel would be regound to 30 degrees, a 35 degree micro bevel, and even then, lite taps.

[Jim Neeley]

I haven't (and won't) subject them to chopping mortises and the like but I've used them for "chopping" out dovetails, even in fairly hard wood. I double-quoted the "chopping" because I use my 14oz BS (my favorite) mallet, giving it a sharp rap, but have previously sharpened them with a 30* secondary bevel to a *very* sharp state. When that sharp, it doesn't take a beating to take a 3/16" or so cut. I then pare away the waste and repeat.

I wouldn't call my rap light but it isn't like I'm chopping mortises (I use a mortise chasel for that). Never had any edge problems.

Thinking about it, my "rapping intensity" was probably more out of concern for beating up the coco handle, not the blade. I gotta get over that... lol..

[Ed Looney]

Jeff
I would say tap as in assisting a par when a push by hand isn't quite enough. By no means are these chisels designed to chop as a bench chisel would be. If you are looking for a good mallet Blue Spruce makes the best I have ever held in my hand. The 14 oz would be perfect for tapping on their dovetail chisel as Jim Neeley said.

Ed

[Derek Cohen]

The issue with tapping BS chisels lies not in the steel nor the design but in the wood used for the handle. Mine are African Blackwood, and this is not recommended for hitting.

With a sharp chisel, one that is designed for paring, take thin slices.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[jeff vanek]

The issue with tapping BS chisels lies not in the steel nor the design but in the wood used for the handle. Mine are African Blackwood, and this is not recommended for hitting. Regards from Perth

Derek

which one of his wood handle types hold up better then others?


i've been looking at chisles on line now for two weeks, everyday i think i make my mind up, then another brand pops up....i'm still clueless as to which one i want!

[mike holden]

On the other hand, I have seen Bruce Jeske (Mr. Blue Spruce himself) pound one of his chisels cross grain into hard maple at WIA, so I would not be worried about using a mallet to cut dovetails.
Mike

[jeff vanek]

On the other hand, I have seen Bruce Jeske (Mr. Blue Spruce himself) pound one of his chisels cross grain into hard maple at WIA, so I would not be worried about using a mallet to cut dovetails.
Mike

was it a dovetail chisel he was doing this with or his bench chisels?

[Jim Matthews]

I use one of these, from Garrett Wade (http://www.garrettwade.com/pop_multi_view.asp?t=l&pn=61S01ppp01).

I'm working in American Cherry, and I suspect the wood species is more important than the force applied.
I'm not taking a big backswing, mind you.

[mike holden]

Dovetail chisel Jeff.

[Derek Cohen]

If I were to "hit" it with a hammer, it would be a wooden hammer and it would be lighter than 8 oz. A tap, not a hit.

I agree with Terry, I would not use a hammer over 8 oz. Dave Anderson makes one that is 8 oz, as I recall, and has the advantage of a wooden face at one end, the other consideration.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Rick Fisher]

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/jokerbird_photo/P1170282.jpg

I don't have any of the dovetail chisels from Blue Spruce.. The acrylic infused handles on these chisels are great.. The paring chisels are almost delicate, if the DT chisels are similar, I would not mallet them ever. The bench chisels are impressive, I would not whack them really hard, but they take such a sharp edge that you rarely need to.

The craftsmanship and quality of Blue Spruce is really impressive.. top notch..

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/jokerbird_photo/P1170288.jpg

[jeff vanek]

these chisels are so beautiful, it seems alot of guys are afraid to even have them in the same room as a mallet!

[Jim Neeley]

Rick,

I do not own Bruce's paring chisels but he describes them as being quite flexible. The dovetails are far from flexible. Not as stiff as my L-Ns, but not flexible.

...and to continue my earlier post, I certainly wouldn't hit them with anything metallic, even a bronze hammer!

[Russell Sansom]

Rick's photos made me say this:

We are SO lucky in our age to have these amazing tools available. There's healthy competition, there are slightly more affordable versions, and we have a broad variety of well-reviewed, well-regarded brands to pick from. Add to that the amazing sharpening options. I didn't have any of this in the mid-seventies when I set out to make harpsichords for a living. I think everybody should put in a spell as a starving artist and should forge a few sets of their own in the basement, but I did that but I don't have to any more.

I'm taking this opportunity to express my thankfulness for the current state of the tool art and for places like SMC to share my perceptions of them.