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Carl Eyman
08-21-2003, 2:00 PM
I've had a set of Freud bench chisels for maybe 18 or 20 years. Very satisfied. These have wooden handles with a metal ferule (sp?) near the top of the handle. One chisel has a looseness in the handle. It is most noticeable in the twisting mode. That is, if one were trying to use it as a screw driver the handle would turn maybe 10* before it turned the blade. (Just kidding about using as a screwdriver) Anyone know a cure? It still works ok but is annoying in some situations.

Paul Barnard
08-21-2003, 9:53 PM
I've had a set of Freud bench chisels for maybe 18 or 20 years. Very satisfied. These have wooden handles with a metal ferule (sp?) near the top of the handle. One chisel has a looseness in the handle. It is most noticeable in the twisting mode. That is, if one were trying to use it as a screw driver the handle would turn maybe 10* before it turned the blade. (Just kidding about using as a screwdriver) Anyone know a cure? It still works ok but is annoying in some situations.
I'm assuming these are tanged chisels in my reply. A couple of things you could do. Remove the handle, heat the tang to a dull cherry then hammer the handle back on. The hot tang will burn the hole back to the right shape. A less heated approach would be to remove the handle and put some epoxy in the hole, replace the handle.

Joel Selman
08-22-2003, 11:08 AM
Carl,
I don't know if this is an option, but have you considered contacting Freud and asking if they have replacement handles?
Here is their contact info.

Freud, Inc.
218 Feld Avenue
High Point, NC 27263
(800) 334-4107

harry strasil
08-27-2003, 8:09 PM
no matter whether the chisel is socketed or tanged. take a piece of paper and roll up to fit in the hole and cut to size, then using light oil such as honing oil, oil the paper, place in the hole and tap the handle back in or on. this is the method I use, and I have found this remedy in several old chisels in my possession, it is quick and easy

Carl Eyman
08-28-2003, 6:09 PM
All are appreciated and will be useful, but when you talk about taking off the handle, my feet get cold. I've been racking my brain (or what's left of it) to dream up a way to make a hydraulic press to take it apart. With my equipment consisting of vises, one hydraulic bottle jack, a few odds and ends of angle iron and channel iron I can't dream up a way to pull off the handle without possibly splitting the wooden handle. Would it do any good to post a picture of the chisel?

I really don't know what holds it on; so that makes it even harder to knownhow to get it off. TIA Carl

Paul Barnard
08-28-2003, 6:20 PM
All are appreciated and will be useful, but when you talk about taking off the handle, my feet get cold. I've been racking my brain (or what's left of it) to dream up a way to make a hydraulic press to take it apart. With my equipment consisting of vises, one hydraulic bottle jack, a few odds and ends of angle iron and channel iron I can't dream up a way to pull off the handle without possibly splitting the wooden handle. Would it do any good to post a picture of the chisel?

I really don't know what holds it on; so that makes it even harder to knownhow to get it off. TIA Carl
I had the same question a little while back. The gentlest option is to rap the handle on your bench while holding the blade. Do this a few times and then pull and it should come off. Thanks to Steve Knight for that method. The Todd Hughes 3lb hammer method doesn't result in a reusable handle :)