Marples From The UK

[ken hatch]

Several days ago the ten Marples bevel edge chisels from the UK showed up in the mail. They are pretty much what the photos showed and what I expected. The Boxwood handles are dark from use, there is plenty of blade life left, and the steel is in good shape. Whoever owned the chisels took good care of them.


That person was either or maybe both a carver and "old school". The backs have never been flattened. You can see a very slight bevel on the back of each chisel. Carvers are known to sharpen that way as are old school wood workers. I've heard Richard, The English Woodworker, talk about his father lifting the chisel a few degrees when working the back of his chisels. He usually says something like "I can't stop the old man from doing it".


I've a decision to make. Either I waste maybe a mm of steel to rid the back of the slight bevel or I just continue the practice. At this time I'm pretty agnostic. I will say I've plenty of flat backed chisels to use.


A photo of the ten:

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Because I was out of chisel rack room I had to find someplace to store 'em. After a bit of butt scratching I figured if I moved the long chisel rack down a bit and the short chisel rack up just a little there would be room for another rack between. Because the racks were going to be so close I put a floor and guard on the two short chisel racks.


Photo:

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A photo of the bench wall with the tool chest. I know it doesn't look like it but I've cleaned up the storage and moved almost all the tools that are not in daily or frequent use somewhere else.

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As always click 'em to big 'em.


ken

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like a great set of chisels.

Maybe you can sharpen them without much attention to the back other than to remove the burr to eventually remove the back bevel if you decide you don't like it.

jtk

[Mike Henderson]

Looks like a great set of chisels.

Maybe you can sharpen them without much attention to the back other than to remove the burr to eventually remove the back bevel if you decide you don't like it.

jtk

I agree with Jim.

Mike

[ken hatch]

Looks like a great set of chisels.

Maybe you can sharpen them without much attention to the back other than to remove the burr to eventually remove the back bevel if you decide you don't like it.

jtk

Jim,

Thanks, I've looked for a clean set of pre-WWII bevel edge Marples for awhile.

I expect that is what I will do, continue to sharpen as they have been sharpened but gradually remove the back bevel. I could be wrong but the best I can tell flat backs are fairly recent, the old guys just removed the burr and got to work.

ken

[ken hatch]

I agree with Jim.

Mike

Thanks Mike, My best guess is I will do that. BTW, they sure are pretty. It is hard to believe the chisels could be over 100 years old.

ken

[Warren Mickley]

I take it that you have not seen the work of the guy who owned these chisels. Except for the narrow chisel, none of these have very much wear. Nothing like my own chisels which have seen only one career of use. I cannot imagine how one might get the idea that a fine craftsman who knew what he was doing used these chisels.

I remember seven years ago David Weaver tried to tell me that the old guys did not use the double iron for tear out because the used planes he bought had cap irons in poor condition. You can't assume that a plane you buy at a flea market came down to you untouched since it was last used by a great cabinetmaker like John Shaw (1745-1829) as an example. More likely a carpenter, handyman, hobbyist, collector or such.

I think you want to flatten enough of the back so that you can register the back on the stone and get consistent results. If you are really going to use these chisels, that is not too much work.

[Tom M King]

Probably worked pretty good for stripping paint, bevel up. I'd have to flatten them.

[Tom M King]

They can be sharpened really sharp. Here's one curling up backsaw ridges on a tenon offcut. The shaving in the background is .0011 thick.

[Pat Barry]

Looks good Ken. What did they cost :)

[ken hatch]

I take it that you have not seen the work of the guy who owned these chisels. Except for the narrow chisel, none of these have very much wear. Nothing like my own chisels which have seen only one career of use. I cannot imagine how one might get the idea that a fine craftsman who knew what he was doing used these chisels.

I remember seven years ago David Weaver tried to tell me that the old guys did not use the double iron for tear out because the used planes he bought had cap irons in poor condition. You can't assume that a plane you buy at a flea market came down to you untouched since it was last used by a great cabinetmaker like John Shaw (1745-1829) as an example. More likely a carpenter, handyman, hobbyist, collector or such.

I think you want to flatten enough of the back so that you can register the back on the stone and get consistent results. If you are really going to use these chisels, that is not too much work.

Mickley,

I haven't a clue as to the ability of the previous owners or owner of these chisels. I doubt they were professional woodworkers because there is no "owner's stamp" on the handles. But whatever these chisels were well carried for. I expect the first couple of sharpening I'll just wipe the wire edge off but over time the back will be flattened to modern standards.

All my tools are used, the closest I come to collecting are my almost complete set of type 9 Stanley planes and my pre-war Marple chisels, those are also usually the first I reach for when a plane or chisel is needed.

ken

[ken hatch]

Probably worked pretty good for stripping paint, bevel up. I'd have to flatten them.


They can be sharpened really sharp. Here's one curling up backsaw ridges on a tenon offcut. The shaving in the background is .0011 thick.

Tom,

I can almost guarantee these have never seen a paint can.

I've never had a pre-war Marples chisel that couldn't be sharpened to an incredible edge. That's the reason I've spent as much time looking for good ones as I have.

ken

[ken hatch]

Looks good Ken. What did they cost :)

Pat,

Just a little less than $30 USD a chisel. The world would be a wonderful place if you could buy new equal quality chisels at that price point. The closest I've found in new chisels are A.I. and Sorby. The A.I. chisels miss having Boxwood handles and the Sorby chisels are a little too big and heavy. That said both are still very good chisels for the folks that want new.

ken

[Tom M King]

My favorites, as well. I have two sets. One I bought new in the early '70's, and the other an old set acquired a few years ago. I can't tell any difference in the metal. Both sharpen, and last about the same.

[ken hatch]

My favorites, as well. I have two sets. One I bought new in the early '70's, and the other an old set acquired a few years ago. I can't tell any difference in the metal. Both sharpen, and last about the same.

Tom,

It's good to know your post war chisels hold an edge well.

What I like about the Marples is both the balance in feel and sharpening balance. The balance between ease of sharpening, quality of the edge and longevity of the working edge. They may not be the best at any one thing but they have incredible balance as a working tool.

ken

[David Myers]

Congrats on the new to you chisels and thanks for sharing.

[Phil Mueller]

“I've cleaned up the storage and moved almost all the tools that are not in daily or frequent use somewhere else.”

If I used all the tools you have pictured daily or frequently, I’d be a very busy guy :D

Congrats on the new chisels!

[ken hatch]

Congrats on the new to you chisels and thanks for sharing.

Thanks David.

ken

[ken hatch]

“I've cleaned up the storage and moved almost all the tools that are not in daily or frequent use somewhere else.”

If I used all the tools you have pictured daily or frequently, I’d be a very busy guy :D

Congrats on the new chisels!

Phil,

Thanks.

LOL, I suppose it depends on your definition of frequent:p. I thought about using occasional but frequent was closer to my use pattern. Not all the tools are used on every project but a number are each time and it depends on the job to be done. An example, for paring tenon shoulders and cheeks I will use the long flexible western paring chisels, for cleaning the base line of dovetails the stiffer Japanese paring chisels come out to play.

I am a pretty busy guy, there is always a project in progress and even when I've spent most of the day at the day job there will be several hours in the shop either before or after.

ken

[Stewie Simpson]

Ken; the following shows how I applied a new handle finish on my vintage set of Marples boxwood firmer chisels. (10 minutes work per chisel handle.)

Old finish.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0104_zpsvdgvlw7w.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0104_zpsvdgvlw7w.jpg.html)

Old finish removed. (220 grit, 400grit, super fine sanding pad)
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0105_zpsy3rrymu2.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0105_zpsy3rrymu2.jpg.html)

New finish.(6 coats of garnet shellac applied with lathe running at low speed)
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0106_zpsozcyudm4.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0106_zpsozcyudm4.jpg.html)

Stewie;

[ken hatch]

Ken; the following shows how I applied a new handle finish on my vintage set of Marples boxwood firmer chisels. (10 minutes work per chisel handle.)

Old finish.


Old finish removed. (220 grit, 400grit, super fine sanding pad)


New finish.(6 coats of garnet shellac applied with lathe running at low speed)


Stewie;

Stewie,

They look great. So far I'm happy just getting 'em sharp :p, but cleaning the handles may be next.

ken

[Stewie Simpson]

Ken; the following shows the completed work on the set of Marples vintage firmer chisels. The backs have all been flattened, the side lands have been jointed, the flat primary bevels reworked, and the chisel handles have all received a new finish.

Stewie;



http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0107_zpsp5ral2dw.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0107_zpsp5ral2dw.jpg.html)

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0108_zpslbgpjoc2.jpg

(http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/new%20handle%20finish%20chisels/DSC_0108_zpslbgpjoc2.jpg.html)

[David Myers]

Beautiful set of chisels in a beautiful box, Stewie.

[Stewie Simpson]

Thanks David.

[ken hatch]

Stewie,

Almost too pretty to use. Nope, not quite right. How about pretty enough to bring great pleasure in use.

ken