Different Chisels for Different Work

[Jim Koepke]

Frederick Skelly asked about the differences in qualities of chisels which made me think about different types of chisels.

Some of the chisels here may have 'quality issues' or they may be craftsmanship issues.

First off is my 1/4" Defiance branded chisel. The sides had vertical striations over the full length on both sides.

300964300963

The little patch shown here is all that is left after a lot of work on the sides. The actual width of the chisel measured out to 0.2418". This is my go to chisel when cutting 1/4" dados.

Not sure if this is a Defiance by Stanley or if it was before Stanley bought out Defiance.

Here are my main chisels for paring the dovetails on my current project.

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The closest three are Witherby's and the two far ones are Buck Brothers. All but the farthest one are 1/2". The far one is 1". In between tails the Buck 1/2" is great for pairing. The bevel edged Witherby is used for chopping.

Between pins the skew chisels are great for getting up close to the sides without cutting into the pin as the minimal side on the Buck Bros might do. Of course on the job on my bench at this time even a wide chisel can get between some of the pins.

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If you look below the edge of the socket you can see light transmitted by the pitch in the wood. Kind of gummy and makes it necessary to use a little alcohol to clean the tools before they get put away.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Jim,

Nice looking pins.

Oh, this was about chisels :-). Nice looking chisels as well.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

Ken,

Thanks for the kind words. My dovetails are finally starting to come out well even though there are often still a lot of mistakes.

Looking at the images again I noticed just the edge of a Stanley 1-1/4" peeking out from behind the Buck Bros.

1/2" is likely my most plentiful size. My dovetails are often sized based on the chisels available for use.

The bevel edged Witherby firmer style chisel is great for chopping out the waste. It isn't shallow enough on the side bevels for paring most of the time.

My hope is others will show and comment on the chisels they use for different operations. I should take some shots of my other 1/2" chisels including a mortise chisel.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Jim,

Be careful what you ask for :-).

Here is an overview of some of my working chisels.

Starting on the left are the glue trimers, and paint can openers, the chisels I pick up to do the dirty jobs around the shop. The one with the English handle is from the first set of "good" chisels I acquired back in the late 70's. Next are a few of my Union Hardware Chisels, some of my favorite users because of the thinness of the iron and the balance in hand. They are invaluable when a pin needs trimming. Then is an old firmer and a couple of home ground dovetail chisels next to a couple of Japanese dovetail chisels. I don't use any of them a lot but when needed they are handy to have. Still going from left to right are some of my other Japanese chisels, a couple of #2 White steel paring, a #2 White steal with a Red Oak handle, and one from my latest set #1 White steel with a White Oak handle. A modern Stanley 750 I use for chopping waste because while the iron isn't all that great they have good balance and the Hornbeam handles are damn near indestructible. Next up are my mortice set: a couple of Ray Iles pig stickers with Stanley 750s for cleaning out the waste for the same reasons as stated before. Last are a couple of Ashley Iles I use for general purpose work when for some reason I do not wish to use the Japanese chisels.

Also are there are some of the hammers I use in the photo. I think I have a lot of chisels but with some of them laid out on the bench I can look around the shop at the chisel racks and they look pretty bare. I guess that means I need to buy more chisels.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/chiselOverView_zpsb0804350.jpg

ken

[Brian Holcombe]

Cool thread;

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/FD3518D9-9CE3-4BC9-BDD9-74EC87D5A550_zpskwoc8tla.jpg

Blue Spruce, Lie Nielsen and Koyamaichi white steel. I have two more on the way, which are Koyamaichi paring chisels with long handles in blue steel.

I use the blue spruce for paring and they are great at it because they have a bit of flex. I usually use these for fitting joinery.

The LN's are not precious, so they are heavy use type chisels.

The Koyamaichis arrives yesterday and they may be my users going forward, I like how they are more than the LN's and they are very easy to sharpen due to the hallow backs.

[ken hatch]

One of the dovetail chisels whispered she was ready for her close up:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/chiselCloseUpA_zps73fd48f3.jpg

[ken hatch]

A couple more close ups working down the line:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/chiselClossUpB_zpsd9b76c26.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/chiselClossUpC_zpsc2671e9b.jpg

[Reinis Kanders]

Here are my little soldiers:)
I actually like Narex handles, I have relatively big hands because I am tall so they fit well.


301018.

[Jim Koepke]

Starting on the left are the glue trimers, and paint can openers, the chisels I pick up to do the dirty jobs around the shop.


I have a bunch of those, but never for can opening.



Next are a few of my Union Hardware Chisels, some of my favorite users because of the thinness of the iron and the balance in hand. They are invaluable when a pin needs trimming.



There are a few Union Hardware Chisels in my accumulation. It would be nice to have a full set of those. My Union 1/2" has a handle that isn't optimized for use with a mallet. The bigger one gets used a lot in big joinery.

jtk

[Kees Heiden]

Ha, a chisel display thread!

Here are my first real chisels. Mostly Berg, some Nooitgedagt and English ones. Rehandled with some maple I had lying around. I still like them a lot because they are very thin, with very thin side bevels.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/Chisel/Chisels3_zps0e157125.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/Chisel/Chisels3_zps0e157125.jpg.html)

Then my posh chisels. A couple of Koyamachi's, white steel. I use them for all kinds of chopping work, great chisles. A few paring chisels because everone needs a few of these. And a couple of random gouges.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/Chisel/Chisles1_zps20473c08.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/Chisel/Chisles1_zps20473c08.jpg.html)

And then my "new" Nooitgedagt mortise and big honking chopping chisels (all late 19th, early 20th century). I haven't used these a lot yet, but the little I did with them was a real pleasure. As you can see one of the mortising chisels needs some grinding work. To the right a bunch of English sash mortice chisels, now not so important anymore.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/Chisel/Chisels2_zpsceb0f244.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/Chisel/Chisels2_zpsceb0f244.jpg.html)

Most important, almost all these chisels are sharp, which is the most important feature of a chisel.

[Kim Malmberg]

Kees,
I'm curious about your Nooitgedagt chisels. Any chance of seeing more of them. I once held one in my hand but put it back and I haven't seen another one since. How do they compare to the Bergs?

[Kees Heiden]

Hi Kim,

Which ones do you mean, the ones on the first or the last picture? In the first picture I think there are two Nooitgedagts (should have a look) and 4 or 5 Berg's. they are both perfectly fine chisels. I also have some relatively new Nooitgedagt chisels which are way too soft. Likewise with plane blades. Anything prewar, or early postwar with laminated blades is very good, dependable, sturdy stuff. I also have had a few late ones which are just not worth it. Edges litterally folding over when the wood is a bit hard. These are from the 70s or 80s, which must have been the worst time to buy handtools.

The chisels in the last picture, the left 6 ones are something special. These are quite old. They follow a pattern long discarded by the English at that time. The sides taper towards the bolster. the morticing chisels really taper in all directions, in thickness and in width. This makes sure that you chisel won't ever get stuck inside the mortise. They are beasts. Here is another picture:

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/Chisel/foto_zps60fe3d7f.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/Chisel/foto_zps60fe3d7f.jpg.html)

[Derek Cohen]

I think that I had better stick to chisels that I have re-built or modified as others may make you weep! :)

Stanley 750s that were re-handled in She-oak and had lands re-ground. 1/8" through 1 1/4" ...

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

They are wonderful chisels to use. They may not hold an edge as well as Veritas, but I love their balance.

Below are a set of Bergs that I similarly re-handled (long handles for paring). Since sold to fund other chisels ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Berghandles.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/IMG_2141.jpg

I made the following fishtail chisel and used it for a few years before convincing Dave Jeske to make them, and obtaining his ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Dovetailchisel1.jpg

These are three of the largest mortice chisels I have ever seen. Ibbottson. They were cleaned up, re-handled, used for a short while, then sold.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Morticechiselrestoration1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Ibbottsonname.jpg

Replaced by Oval Bolstered Mortice Chisels ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/OBMC1.jpg

This one is for Kees - a set of Nooitgedacht chisels that were sold on eBay around 1995. They were all the rage on Badger Pond as they were cheap. About $40 for the set at the time. Also since gone to a better woodworker.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/edc291dc-c2b8-42c1-b207-327bdbe0e599_zps4c34a7b2.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Kees Heiden]

At some point Nooitgedagt was the largest chisel factory in the world. There must be a lot of them floating around.

You've got quite a decent collection of tools there Derek!

[ken hatch]

Kees,

Love my pig stickers but I might be fickle if I ever ran across one of your mortise chisels. I haven't rust hunted for awhile but I might need to start again.

ken

[lowell holmes]

Hi Kim,

. The sides taper towards the bolster. the morticing chisels really taper in all directions, in thickness and in width. This makes sure that you chisel won't ever get stuck inside the mortise.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/Chisel/foto_zps60fe3d7f.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/Chisel/foto_zps60fe3d7f.jpg.html)


Does the width of the chisel change as well as the sides? How does that work?

Both my R Iles and Narex chisel are tapered front and back, but maintain a constant width.

I do like the handle shape. It looks comfortable and easy to grip.

[Kees Heiden]

You can see the tapering in thickness of the chisel. The width tapers from the pointy end towards the bolster but also from the flat face towards the top side.

The handles are huge, and my hands only medium. You really have to learn to hold them lightly otherwise I get cramps in my hands.

[ken hatch]

Kees,

Yep, it's the ones in the last photo. I've not seen those in the States. They could be hiding in plane sight because I've always looked for English pig stickers but.....

ken

[lowell holmes]

I have two R Iles pig stickers, 1/4 & 3/8 widths. I checked them this morning and they are uniform in width all the way from the tip to the bolster.

I have two Narex pig stickers, 1/8 & 1/2 widths. The 1/2" tapers 1/32 from the tip to the bolster. The 1/8" is uniform in width.

I learned something I had never considered before.

[Kees Heiden]

Kees,

Yep, it's the ones in the last photo. I've not seen those in the States. They could be hiding in plane sight because I've always looked for English pig stickers but.....

ken

No idea if you can find them in the States. The shape is too early for the international career of Nooitgedagt. Similar chisels were also made in Germany at that time.

[Joe A Faulkner]

So I'm not seeing any cranked neck chisels in these photos. Are you guys holding back or are these rarely used?

[ken hatch]

So I'm not seeing any cranked neck chisels in these photos. Are you guys holding back or are these rarely used?

Sorry don't have any, never have seen the need but open to convincing I need 'em.

[Jim Koepke]

So I'm not seeing any cranked neck chisels in these photos. Are you guys holding back or are these rarely used?

They can be handy on dados with one end stopped. Mine are all fairly long so they aren't useful on short double stopped dados.

Here is a picture from 3+ years ago with some crank necked chisels on the left side:

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Maybe when a shelf building project comes up they will get a bit more use.

The thought for my original post came while chopping out some dovetails. Three different chisel types were being used. A light thin bevel edged chisel for paring. A heavy beveled edged chisel for chopping and some square sided chisels skew ground to clean the corners and other tight spots.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

So I'm not seeing any cranked neck chisels in these photos. Are you guys holding back or are these rarely used?

The only cranked neck chisels I have are in-channel gouges ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Incannel1_zps87b928dc.jpg

I do love these boxwood Marples handles.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Weaver]

So I'm not seeing any cranked neck chisels in these photos. Are you guys holding back or are these rarely used?

I've got a dozen and have never used them unless the gouges have a profile I need. The flat bottom chisels have never seen actual use. They are pattern makers tools (flat or gouges both)