a good 135 degree miter square?

[david charlesworth]

Thank you Lenore!

David

[Karl Fife]

Another funny term related to zombie threads is "Necropost"

Necropost: Pronunciation: /ˌnekrəˈpōst
(Verb)
The act of posting to zombie thread.
(Noun)
The post which resurrects the zombie thread.

For the record, necropost is not a canonical term despite my attempt to be funny with the pronunciation guide. Neither is it a lexicographer's definition, rather, my own hack of a definition. :-)

[Tony Zaffuto]

For the sake of us that are getting long in the tooth, why not just say what something is?

[Lenore Epstein]

For the sake of us that are getting long in the tooth, why not just say what something is?

Because zombies are fun?

[Patrick Chase]

For the sake of us that are getting long in the tooth, why not just say what something is?

I think Karl's just really into that sort of thing. After all, it was his "necropost" that revived this thread.

It's OK Karl, we won't judge you here.

[Pat Barry]

For the sake of us that are getting long in the tooth, why not just say what something is?

What in the world is "long in the tooth"? How is it that you get long in the tooth?

[Jim Ritter]

Old age, receding gum lines. Mostly used in determining age with horses.
jim

[Karl Fife]

Another funny term related to zombie threads is "Necropost"

For the sake of us that are getting long in the tooth, why not just say what something is?

What in the world is "long in the tooth"? How is it that you get long in the tooth?

ROTFL: I love it! An idiomatic expression used to critique the use of another idiomatic expression, then misunderstood in the process! You couldn't make this stuff up!

And all in a positive spirit to boot. This forum is the best.

[Karl Fife]

Karl,
Your link and size are correct, thank you!

The sticky blue mats are great, as they are easy to keep clean and last for years. You can get them from Dycem. Tel 1-800 458 0060. Email; info@dycemusa.com here it is uk@dycem.com

The 375gm hammer is from Dictum. An earlier model and I polished the faces my self. I think Joel at tools for working wood has a similar one.

Best wishes,
David

Hi David.
I must say again that I appreciate the systematic, careful, and disciplined approach you bring to each step in any given process.

Your chisel sharpening video was a game-changer for me. I'd heard more than one well-known woodworking teacher say "Don't work the chisel back too long before re-flattening". Looking back, I think this vaguely-defined instruction to have been useless at best, especially for the target audience of students who may have two or three other problems happening concurrently. By contrast, your method, which counts the number of strokes between re-flattenings, and changes the direction of the scratch-pattern, is sufficiently rigorous that a sufficiently careful student can totally eliminate tool preparation as a problem. From that fundamental starting place, the student has the choice of fixing/developing his/her techniques, hopefully experiencing that moment when they first discover the amazing capability of the common chisel.

If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a chisel question, because you're a demonstrably process-oriented thinker. :-) It's about the physics of paring:

Last weekend, I carefully prepared an old 7" long, beveled-edge 1.5" Witherby socket chisel. I used it in part to make the world's largest marking gauge (see attached picture. I'm Kidding, but doesn't it remind you of that somewhat)? The picture is actually of a practice through-mortise for a wooden plane stop on a Roubo-style workbench. It's The biggest mortise I've ever had to finesse. The aforementioned Witherby was essential, however, despite it being dead-flat, I found it harder to take fine adjustments/shavings from mortise walls than with the nearly identical, but shorter (well-worn 3.5") bevel-edge Stanley socket-chisel. I might describe it as having been harder to make the Witherby chisel 'bite'. I suspect this is simple physics, in which the long Witherby blade (being longer, ergo more surface area) has more opportunity to "ride high" on any particular protruding feature in the wood. Both chisel backs had been prepared dead-flat per your method, and both had been verified as NOT dubbed on the cutting edge. I verified this by reflecting the straight lines of fluorescent lighting tubes above across the chisel's cutting edge at a 45° angle. The light remains straight, and does not bend like a fun-house mirror. Do you think I am on the right track with regard to understanding the difference in performance between these two chisels?

I suspect that a Japanese paring chisel, with its hollow-ground middle would not behave like the longer Witherby, not only because of being comparatively short in the blade, but also due to being hollow ground, thus less able to ride on high spots.

I also suspect that slightly *flexible* long paring blades of the traditional Sheffield and Blue-Spruce long paring chisels may ALSO not respond like my thin-yet-rigid Witherby chisel, nor like that of the Japanese chisels. As I read up on the methods and tools of pattern makers, it seems that this flexible nature evolved to allow one to finely adjust the 'bite' and depth of cut by flexing and/or applying pressure to the blade. Summed up nicely by a comment in this post:
http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/...#comment-19884

Could I trouble you to share your thoughts, and perhaps even make a recommendation for an ideal paring chisel to use in this type of fine-fitting and paring of larger pieces hardwood (as well as cabinet work in general)? I don't currently own a set of paring chisels, but I now see the merit of keeping some key size/style chisels prepared with a comparatively low honing angle. In general, do you prefer the flexible long-blade land pattern-maker type methods, or do you prefer the Japanese-style paring chisel? Can you tell me what sizes and styles paring chisels you might recommend to a passionate engineer who wants to deeply develop his skills in these techniques?

It appears the Japanese paring chisels always have a canted blade with respect to the long handle. Are they typically canted enough such that the handle clears the work (like a framing slick) if placed on a flat surface?

When I prepared the Witherby, I played with low bevel angles with its O1 steel. I was surprised at how *sharply* (No pun intended) the edge durability tended to degrade below about 25°. I understand A2 steel to be slightly less tolerant of low bevel angles than O1. How do the Japanese *laminated* blades stack up in this regard?

I know this is a comparatively long-winded post, but I really do appreciate any thoughts you could share with me, and by extension, the sawmill creek community.

Thank you David!
-Karl Fife

p.s.
Love the blue mat!

[Jim Davis]

Why not just true up your miter square?

[david charlesworth]

Karl,

I have never had any long flexible pattern makers chisels, so cannot comment on them.

I very much like my Japanese long paring chisels and polish them at 32 degrees. Some are thicker than others but in general I feel they do not flex significantly.

Using a slightly smaller stick with soft pencil or soot? would help you to identify high spots.

If there was room I would consider using a block plane like the 60 1/2 or the rebate block plane. We have done this often in the past.
best wishes,
David

[Jim Davis]

Wrong thread???

[david charlesworth]

No, I was responding to Karl, about 4 posts up.

David

[Karl Fife]

David,
I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.

Using a slightly smaller stick with soft pencil or soot? would help you to identify high spots.
If there was room I would consider using a block plane like the 60 1/2 or the rebate block plane. We have done this often in the past.
David

This is very interesting, and it seems like it must be a very ancient technique.
As it happens, I can fit my rebate block plane into the mortise, so I'll be trying both of these techniques!

I very much like my Japanese long paring chisels and polish them at 32 degrees. Some are thicker than others but in general I feel they do not flex significantly.
David

Question about your Japanese paring chisels:
Can you tell me your current recommendation(s) for Japanese paring chisels? Lee Valley carries the Koyamaichi (usu) "push chisels" formerly only available directly from Japan. Tools For Working Wood carries Nishiki Kinari "extra-thin" paring chisels. Is there a something you like better? I don't mind spending extra money if necessary for functionally superior tools.

My current tasks will be best served by 36mm and 24mm widths, but can I ask which paring chisel sizes you find most useful in your varied work?

Finally, I notice that in of your videos, many of your fine Japanese chisels appear still to have what looks like original bluing on the primary bevel. Is this because they happen to be rather new, or am I missing something, perhaps having to do with them being made of soft iron laminated to the cutting steel, thus having a different appearance?

Thank you so much for all of the help and suggestions you've given me. It's been extremely helpful!
-Karl

[david charlesworth]

Karl,
The Nishiki thin paring from tfww should be very good, I have some others from him.

I have Koyamaichi paring chisels (Lee Valley) and they are very good.

I am very fond of 5/8", but this depends on the scale of your work..

All my chisels have been ground and sharpened many times. Sometimes I use black felt tip to show what is going on?

David