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Thread: How to remove Veritas chisel handles?

  1. #1
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    How to remove Veritas chisel handles?

    I’m considering replacing the handles on my Veritas bench chisels with something nicer, but am unsure regarding how to remove the handles - anyone here replace yours? Did you need to heat the ferrule to soften the epoxy? Any tips would be much appreciated.

  2. #2
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    Hasin, I asked that same question back on 10-31-16 to Marty Schlosser who actually replaced the handles on his Veritas chisels and this was his reply.

    Chet,
    It wasn't that difficult. I split them first down the centreline, then chunked away to get the wood and glue out of the ferrule and from around the tang.

    Took all of about 5 minutes, then it was on to mounting the new ones I'd made, which I also epoxied into place. So far they're held up, but again, I'm not doing much hammering on them. Whick remindes me, I still need to make myself a decent mallet. Gotta find one of those round-tuits...

    Marty Schlosser
    Kingston, ON, Canada

    You can read the whole thread here
    Cherry for Ashley Isles Bench chisel Handles?

  3. #3
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    I haven't tried it with bench chisels but I've removed other tools epoxied into wooden handles by heating the shaft of the tool near the ferrule with a propane torch. This softened the epoxy and let me pull the handle off. I held the tool itself in a vise. These were tools with round shafts but for square or rectangular tangs I might rig up something above the vise to pry upwards. It doesn't get hot enough to affect the hardness or temper of the working part of the tool but if concerned about the heat you could grip the tool between pieces of aluminum or copper for a heat sink or use the old wet rag method.

    JKJ

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    I haven't tried it with bench chisels but I've removed other tools epoxied into wooden handles by heating the shaft of the tool near the ferrule with a propane torch. This softened the epoxy and let me pull the handle off. I held the tool itself in a vise. These were tools with round shafts but for square or rectangular tangs I might rig up something above the vise to pry upwards. It doesn't get hot enough to affect the hardness or temper of the working part of the tool but if concerned about the heat you could grip the tool between pieces of aluminum or copper for a heat sink or use the old wet rag method.

    JKJ
    or a Potato

  5. #5
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    The inside of the chisel looks like this ...



    Remember, it is similar to the way a Japanese chisel is connected.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  6. #6
    Are those handles really epoxied on? Given the design of the handles (same as Japanese chisels) I don't see any reason to use epoxy.

    And if they're not epoxied, you can remove them without destroying them. I've removed handles from Japanese chisels and it's not that difficult.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  7. #7
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    Thanks everyone. Ideally I would like to remove the handles without destroying them, it just feels bad ruining some good handles, even if they will be sitting unused...

    I do believe they are epoxied, as one or two of mine have a tiny bit of squeezeout under the ferrule. It seems I will have to go the destructive route, or just leave them as is.

  8. #8
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    Mike, yes they are actually epoxied on. I called LV a couple of years ago to ask when I was thinking about replacing them. They have held up fine so I abandoned the idea until I have to.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Cohen View Post
    The inside of the chisel looks like this ...

    Remember, it is similar to the way a Japanese chisel is connected.
    Derek, how did you get the handle off without damaging it? Is that a prototype that wasn't epoxied, or did you use heat?

    To the OP: PM-V11 at Rc62.5 starts losing hardness above 350 or 400F (depending on austenitization temperature, and assuming it was refrigerated before tempering). Epoxy starts to soften a bit over 200F, so while you do have a window to work in it isn't very big. Locally heating the ferrule but not the iron can obviously help to open that window up.

  10. #10
    I chipped the butt of one of my handles after weeks of very hard use/abuse building a fence. I had no idea what was inside, but it was the 1", so I was comfortable clamping the blade in my end vise and taking a pair of channel locks to it. I just gave it a careful twist and it popped loose then popped the new one on. There was definitely epoxy there so I reattached with epoxy as well. I will say that these handles can take a huge amount of beating without a mark.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Chase View Post
    Derek, how did you get the handle off without damaging it? Is that a prototype that wasn't epoxied, or did you use heat?

    To the OP: PM-V11 at Rc62.5 starts losing hardness above 350 or 400F (depending on austenitization temperature, and assuming it was refrigerated before tempering). Epoxy starts to soften a bit over 200F, so while you do have a window to work in it isn't very big. Locally heating the ferrule but not the iron can obviously help to open that window up.
    Hi Patrick

    The chisel, above, was a pre-production prototype. It was epoxied, but this one was just lightly so.

    Chisel handles are a personal matter. Nevertheless I am surprised that someone wishes to replace an intact Veritas handle since these are one of the nicest chisel handles I have used.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  12. #12
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    The overall look of those chisels reflect a distinctly engineered look to them. Functional but lack a lot of visual appeal. imo the same critique applies to their range of Veritas bench and joinery planes.


  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stewie Simpson View Post
    The overall look of those chisels reflect a distinctly engineered look to them. Functional but lack a lot of visual appeal. imo the same critique applies to their range of Veritas bench and joinery planes.
    That's very true and is arguably Veritas' hallmark. I would describe it as an "efficient" look, as that's what engineers generally strive towards unless forced to do otherwise by marketing etc. It sounds more like a compliment than a critique to me, though :-).

  14. #14
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    Like all Veritas tools the handles are definitely well thought out and designed, but I don’t find the caramelised maple very attractive, and I would prefer a shape similar to the blue spruce chisels. I go back and forth between wanting to change them out and accepting that the handles are fine the way they are...
    Last edited by Hasin Haroon; 02-02-2018 at 1:05 AM.

  15. #15
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    Among bench chisels handles available new today, the two that stand out for me are Blue Spruce and Veritas. They are quite different in dimensions, and yet both are very comfortable to hold and control.

    Koyamaichi, Blue Spruce and Veritas ...



    The extra length of the Veritas aids is balancing their thicker, heavier blades ...



    The fact is that there are others that will disagree, and they have their own preferences in how they hold a chisel.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

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