Crank Handled Paring Chisels.

[Andy Kev.]

Good Morning All,

I was idly flicking around the second hand tools websites, as one does, and spotted some crank handled paring chisels on offer (wouldn't "dog leg" be a better term than "crank handled"?) and wondered what is the thinking behind the design.

Never having had one in my hands I cannot imagine that they offer better control of the paring action than a chisel where handle and blade are in a line. Obviously tools aren't given specific patterns just for the fun of it, so why this particular design?

Oh, and a Merry Christmas to one and all.

 

[worn thumbs]

It allows you to keep the back of a chisel flat on a surface while your fingers are clear.An ordinary chisel when used to reach into a corner will tend to dig in.I have several of them and they are among my most used tools.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.google.com/search?q=pattern ... 00&bih=789

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Yes, I've always thought of them as principally a pattern makers tool, especially the in-cannel gouges, that would shape fillets in internal corners, avoiding difficult to cast shapes and stress concentrating sharp corners.

They are also popular with green woodworkers making shrink pots.

 

[AndyT]

Agreeing here, I'd say that the only people who need them are pattern makers and not even all pattern makers. I don't know of any processes in furniture making where they would be required.

I've successfully resisted the urge to buy any just in case they come in useful and so far I've not regretted that uncharacteristic decision :wink:.

 

[Andy Kev.]

Thanks for the replies. I did a bit of youtubing after posting on here and found this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KklOGGBh8_Q

The last example makes a particularly good case for owning one if you think you are going to come up with problems in the middle of a board which you can't reach with a normal chisel in a flat position.

 

[Just4Fun]

I sometimes clamp a bit of scrap onto my work piece to act as a guide when paring, to ensure I stay square to the surface. For example, when cutting deep and/or through tenons. Crank-handled chisels would be nice here. With straight chisels the handle fouls my guide unless the guide is too short to be really useful. I don't have a crank-handled chisel though; that is something I regret every time I use that technique.

As for the name I think crank in this sense is an old-fashioned meaning that has largely fallen out of use, but in days gone by was more common. For example, crank was often used in connection with starting handles on cars before electric starter motors took over. The starting handle was cranked, and even today some people say "crank the motor" when they mean turn it over on the key.

 

[AndyT]

I think cleaning up squeezed out polyurethane glue is a poor reason to buy a special chisel - I'll stick with liquid hide glue which cleans up perfectly with a damp rag.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I think it's a very good reason for buying a special chisel .............................

 

[AndyT]

Well, if anyone gives me a set tomorrow, I'm sure I'll smile, say thank you and agree that they are wonderful! :ho2

 

[worn thumbs]

At a guess.around fifteen people who have seen my crank handled chisels have gone on to buy their own.

 

[Racers]

I have one it does come in handy, the last time I used it I had to put a temporary 2 foot long handle in it to clean out a very deep mortise inside a replacement newel post. I couldn’t have done with anything else, I had done the full depth of of my longest paring chisel.

Pete