Late Night/Early Morning Thoughts

[Jim Matthews]

Mostly use 1/2" chisels - suits my joinery - so I have a dozen or so good ones and can reach for a sharp one as needed - sharpen them all when job is done. After a nap.

I'm heading this way as well. I keep a shorter 1" chisel on my bench which deals with most tasks.

The others are used for specific things, like mortising.

75% of the use is that bench chisel.

[James Pallas]

I try to keep my skills on track by challenging myself. Age and steadiness are taking their toll now. I still find myself trying to split a pencil line when sawing, leaving half on the finished piece and the rest sawdust and chiseling be able to still see the cut of the knife edge. Success is a little more fleeting now days.