Robert Sorby Wood Chisels?

[Steve Mathews]

I just received some Robert Sorby wood chisels (not woodturning) in trade that seem very impressive. Haven't worked with them yet but I noticed they have a leather washer between the handle and blade that supposedly helps to cushion mallet strikes. I've never seen this on other chisels. How effective or necessary are these washers?

[Todd Stock]

Congrats on the score. Re: the little leather washer doodad - I would hope the darned things are an affectation and lack any effectiveness, as the reason why I am whacking away at the chisel probably has something to do with my desire to transfer some of that force from the mallet to the cutting edge.

[Hasin Haroon]

Hi Steve,

Not sure why the new Robert Sorby chisels have those washers, I noticed them too. The old pigstickers (English Mortice Chisels) often had washers under the bolster, but that was to take up any unevenness/imperfections in the bolster itself. A new modern chisel should not really need a washer to mate perfectly with the handle.