steven newman Posted February 12, 2016 Report Posted February 12, 2016 Sometime last Yard sale season....I picked a strange looking chisel up for..maybe fifty cents had a cigar band style label, or did at one point in time. Looked like either a Japanese chisel or a Butcher....Handle was splitting at the tang's end. Got to cleaning this "thing" up.. Found some markings on that flat area.......C E JENNINGS with an arrowhead under that, and then a "Made in USA" below that. I also got the back all polished and flat. Should do for now. well a Jennings handle for a tanged chisel did NOT look like this handle.. And, at first, I was going to just cut a hunk off of an Ash hammer handle I had made ( awaiting a head for it).. Then I saw a handle down in the spares box. Seemed to look a bit easier to use, and was closer to what was on the chisel when new decided to use it instead, and save the ash handle in case I break a hammer handle someday. While cleaning all that black junk off of the steel of the chisel....sandpaper slipped off the end.....thumb merely bounced off. Looked down at the thumb.....had a nice slice, and it was leaking, to boot....OW! Got the tang all nicely cleaned up, didn't have a torch to heat it up....drove the tang in anyway, trying to drive it straight... Well, still about 1/4" from seating all the way in....try again tomorrow. As for the old handle? Had an old "Corsair" 3/4" chisel that needed a handle......cleaned the blade up, and installed it into the "old" handle. Nose is full of dust, as I ground the end a bit to match the Corsair's blade. Sharpened it up, and can use it as a "beater chisel" Thumb is healing...there will be a mark. Fifty cent chisel? handle was from one of those "Junk Box" things at a yard sale. Will post a completed chisel picture later. Without cutting a finger this time... John Morris 1 Quote
Gene Howe Posted February 12, 2016 Report Posted February 12, 2016 Nice save, Bandit. But, sorry 'bout your thumb. Oh, the sacrifices we make in the pursuit of the craft. Quote
lew Posted February 12, 2016 Report Posted February 12, 2016 ooowwww! Looking forward to the finished surgical instrument! steven newman 1 Quote
steven newman Posted February 13, 2016 Author Report Posted February 13, 2016 Still a work in progress, but.. The flattened back. Chisel has a bit of a curve to it, saves knuckles that way. There are a couple more chisels, waiting their turn at the sharpening center.. yellow handle is a "Fulton" chisel, with a metal cap on the handle's end. Not sure about the other...has a Craftsman look to it. Will try to get these two sharpened up, without cutting anything on me. May have to drive the handle back off, and check the depth of the hole....so I get get that last 1/4" into the handle.. Might find a hoop to add to the top of the handle???? lew 1 Quote
steven newman Posted February 14, 2016 Author Report Posted February 14, 2016 Well, that sure was anUGLY looking thing? Surely we can do better? Well went to the shop for a while tonight, did a re-fitting of the handle. Had to drive the handle off the chisel's tang...chisel hit the floor ( wasn't about to stick a foot out to catch it, either) so I also had to repair the edge, too. Re-drilled the hole a bit, dressed the end of the ferrel a bit. Found a metal ring in the spares box... sanded the handle for both a better fit, and look... Drum Roll, IF you please.... Sharpie for "scale". still a gap at the ferrel and the ring, should close up as the chisel gets used... Also added some "grips" around the handle. Witch's Brew as a finish. Might be a decent enough Tool Box Chisel? Quote
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