Help Identifying My Chisels!

[=Adam=]

Hi guys!

I recently bought a set of 5 old chisels (well one I is a pointy tool, possibly a bradawl?) at a car boot sale for £2.50..... I was chuffed with this price by the way!

Now I bought them thinking that they were marples however it turns out that one of these chisels is labelled palm tree, I have never heard of this brand so I have no idea if they are decent or cr*p. Can anyone give me some info (if there is any?) please

Also this has now lead me to believe that the other 2 older chisels that I have got are not marples, they are currently bathing in a pot of vinegar to try and remove as much rust as possible! The handles have labels on but they are worn out completely so there is very little chance of making out what was written on them!

I know that one chisel is definitely a marples one as it has a plastic handle that has marples moulded in!

The reason that I bought the chisels is because I work part time with my dad for his Joinery business and I am fed up of borrowing tools from everyone (especially chisels) so these tools will see regular light use, hence the reason for not buying a brand new set of marples split proof ones!

I am under the understanding that one of the chisels is a mortice chisel, this means nothing to me really, I know that they are best suited for hand cutting mortises but can they be used for general paring and chopping out? I do apologise for my ignorance in this case!

I will get some pictures of the chisels later with a bit of luck so it will be a bit easier with identifying what I have bought haha!

I just want to know if I am on to a winner really!

 

[adidat]

the first one you described sounds like a mawhood brand, some marples can be recognized by a small three leaf clover and sometimes will say marples hibernia.

piccies would be great

adidat

 

[jimi43]

Hi Adam

As you probably know...I am a bit of a sucker for old bootfair gems and would love to see the pictures of the chisels after which I am sure we will be able to identify them. After tracing the illusive obelisk...I'm sure not many marks can elude us now!

The palm tree mark is possibly a Mawhood...which was a great Sheffield maker!

Good find if it is.

Jim

 

[jimi43]

Nice one Chris!

Jim

 

[adidat]

right back at you jim, do you still need that number?

adidat

 

[=Adam=]

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

The palm tree one that I was on about actually has palm tree (the words) indented into the metal.

Don't worry I will get some pics

 

[jimi43]

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

The palm tree one that I was on about actually has palm tree (the words) indented into the metal.

Don't worry I will get some pics

There is also a "Palm Tree" brand...but I don't know much about them.

Old Tools have some for sale here.

Hi Chris

No mate...I sent them an email...hope to hear from them soon...meanwhile I am going to do some tests tomorrow

Cheers

Jimi

 

[adidat]

i got as much as jim, i have never heard of the maker sorry, will keep my ear to the ground!

adidat

 

[adidat]

right this thread from back in 2006 seems to make sense :duno:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/chisels-t9762.html

I'm pretty sure the company is Mawhood, whose manufacturing premises were the Palm Tree Works in Sheffield. Unfortunately, I know no more than that.

Pete

hope this helps

adidat

 

[TobyC]

Do thet look like this?

These are Mawhood, they don't say palm tree but they have one. Yours may be newer Mawhoods.

Toby

 

[TobyC]

This isn't proof of anything but...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...&viewitem=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_646wt_1270

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1-framing-chisel-palm-tree-mawhood-133915457

Toby

 

[=Adam=]

I managed to get some pics guys!

This was my loot!

The Palm Tree stamped one:

Chisel on right of first pic:

Chisel on the left of the first pic:

Handles:

Im not sure if you can make it out in the pics but the chisel on the left has a stamp that says brades co.... any information about these?

What do you think? Not bad for £2.50 eh

The bradawl is not shown as it is a bit boring haha!

Thanks again guys!

 

[TobyC]

Your Palm Tree handle is the same as the Mawhood handle. I call that confirmation. Now let me look at the other ones.

Toby

 

[jimi43]

The one on the right is Made in England so your guess is as good as mine....

The Brades one is a firm...famous for its axes.

It is a brand name for William Hunt and Sons (WHS) details can be found HERE

The EAGLE axe I recently restored was from the same factory (see "Eagle Has Landed" thead)

Nice chisels and well worth what you paid for them. Clean them up..sharpen them and use them with affection...knowing that you have some of the better steels from the great British industry.

Jim

 

[=Adam=]

Thanks for the info guys!

I have sharpened the Brades one up and it has come out lovely!

One thing I would like to ask is do these need to be oiled/coated to stop them rusting?

 

[jimi43]

Using them regularly will keep them in top condition but you can wipe with Camellia Oil (from Workshop Heaven) and that will do it.

Other oils may affect finishes if you overdo it and get the oil on the wood.

Jim

 

[TobyC]

I use paste wax, some people use oil.

Toby

 

[TobyC]

This is from "Old-Time Oldbury".


The Brades
Brades Works had a big clock tower for all to see - no being late! The press shops stretched along Brades Road
to the canal bridge and housed big hammers for pressing steel for the different kinds of tool. Opposite was
Brades cricket pitch, sports and social centre and some gardens. Off Brades Road was Dock Road with a few
houses and ‘The Brades Tavern’.
Elsie Checketts
Brades made very good chisels and very good tools. They were world leaders. When I was in Africa, part of my
equipment was a ‘panga’ a big knife - you see them hacking away on these jungle pictures. There it was - ‘Brades
Steel Works’ stamped on the blade. I thought ‘its come from a good place’ and it reminded me of home.
William Hunt and Sons of the Brades was the proper name. I can go back as far as the Eaton family, who were
the managers and directors. At the bottom of Dingle Street was Brades garages, and the Eatons used to keep
their cars there. I was down there playing with the lad who lived in the house there, and I picked a half crown
up and gave it to Mrs Payne, the lady who lived in the house. ‘Oh, she said, that’ll be Mr Eaton’s. I’ll give it to
him.’ The next day she came up to me and said ‘Here’s sixpence for you. Mr Eaton sent you that’.
There was an agreement between Accles and Pollocks and the Brades that their starting and knocking off times
would be different. Accles started at 7.30 in the morning and the Brades Steel Works opened up at 8.00 in the
morning.; Accles finished at 5.00 in the evening, the Brades finished at 5.30, so you didn’t get the great multitudes on the road. Round about 5000 would come out of Accles and Pollocks. You didn’t dare be coming from
Oldbury to Rounds Green when they opened the gates at ‘The Paddock’ or you'd be carried back into Oldbury.
At twenty-five past seven the ‘Bull’ would blow and folks would start running down Brades Road ‘We’m nearly
late!’. Then it would blow again at half past. A bit later the Brades would blow their hooter.
Wilf Walters
Brades was a family firm. I was the last of our family to work there, following four uncles, an aunt and a cousin
over a sixty-year period. Frank Giles, the works convenor, used to say, “Once a Brades man, always a Brades
man”, and I think he was right! I remember some of the families: the Pardoes, Paynes, Pools, Shepherds and
Windmills. People were known by their nick-names: ‘Chottey’ Rowley and ‘Bubbler’, who had a stutter.
Les Darby

Toby

 

[No skills]

I have a Mawhood chisel that was found buried in mud back at my old place of work, I must say it takes a wickedly sharp edge even given the barbaric sharpening that goes on here (on an angle grinder, 60 or 80 grit roughly :shock: ). This thread reminds me that I must rescue it from my work box and bring it home before further horrors happen

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Thanks for the info guys!

I have sharpened the Brades one up and it has come out lovely!

One thing I would like to ask is do these need to be oiled/coated to stop them rusting?

A lot depends on where you keep them. Indoors - no problem, they won't rust in normal domestic conditions. If they're in the shed or garage, then they will, though as the lads have said, a good wipe over with camellia oil will hold rust at bay short-term. If you're going to put them away for a longish time - over the winter months, say - then smearing them in grease may be a good idea. It can be easily wiped off with a bit of white spirit in springtime, and the camellia oil applied.