Anyone seen one of these before.

[undergroundhunter]

Hi guys n gals,


I picked this up yesterday from a car boot as I just bought an old Stanley ratchet brace and am now on the hunt for bits. Now I have seen shell bits before but never one with a point on the end, I suspect that its to aid in starting the hole in the correct plane but I thought it was unusual. There are no maker marks on the bit not even a size number. It was all rusted up so a bath in some cillit bang and water over night was in order. Also I'm not sure on how to sharpen it, there does seem to be a bevel on one edge but what should I be using to sharpen this type of bit. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.


Matt

 

[Richard T]

I should think that it has just been sharpened that way - maybe as you say as an aid to centring.

I would use a teardrop form slip stone to sharpen if it t'were me.

They are very nice things to use I've found. Interesting shavings.

Edited to say: cillit bang - now there's an idea.

 

[undergroundhunter]

I should think that it has just been sharpened that way - maybe as you say as an aid to centring.

I would use a teardrop form slip stone to sharpen if it t'were me.

They are very nice things to use I've found. Interesting shavings.

Edited to say: cillit bang - now there's an idea.

Thanks Richard T.
At first I thought that it may have just been sharpened that way but when you look you can see grinding marks and they are consistent all the way along. The other idea I had was that could it possibly have been used for making chairs as it creates a tapered hole????

I must say the Cillit bang was a bit of an inspired moment. Smells awful though.

 

[AndyT]

This page from "Woodworking" by Paul Hasluck (1912) may help:

But elsewhere I have read that the defining feature of the spoon bit is that the end of the tool curves up towards its central axis, so it could actually be used to spoon up liquid, so if yours is just straight it's probably just a creatively sharpened shell bit, as Richard said.

This link to the Clico website shows what real chairmaker's spoon bits are like

http://www.clico.co.uk/products/clifton/clifton-spokeshaves/chairmakers-spoon-bits

 

[xy mosian]

The body of the bit isn't going to do any cutting, at least not in a parallel bit. That means only the first part going into the wood needs sharpening. With an un-modified bit I would polish, ok fine hone, the existing bevels. If that is unclear then the last thing you want to do is lose the centre, carefully sharpen the outside of the spoon end. Watch out for sharpening in a way which allows the body of the bit to rub in the hole in a way which leaves the cutting edge in fresh air.
This article might not be fully applicable but may give some insight. http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/modi ... nbits.aspx
xy

 

[adzeman]

Its what they call a spoon bit. They have gone a bit out of fashion

 

[Eric The Viking]

Spoon bit: that nice Mr. Underhill uses them on telly, and they do seem to cut a surprisingly neat hole, at least in his hands, anyway.

He used one for chairmaking and it seemed to be able to start a hole on a diameter of a round upright, which I thought was clever given the shape. But his had a rounded end, not the pointy configuration of the one you have.

E.

 

[xy mosian]

Of course I cannot remember just where, but I recently read that a spoon bit needs some form of starting hollow. Perhaps this is an attempt to avoid that need. Once started they can drill at almost any angle and are very reluctant to change direction. Not to be used with a power driver.
xy

 

[DTR]

I've used Cilit Bang for removing rust and it works very well. But make sure you re-oil afterwards, as the cilit bang seems to promote more rust forming very quickly