Lie Nielsen, Chisel Handles

[custard]

I've been using Lie Nielsen socketed chisels for about two years now, I'm 99% there in terms of only picking up the chisel by the socket and rapping the handle on the bench to secure the handle, but it's only a matter of time before a combination of that remaining 1% and a concrete floor will necessitate a major regrind!

Has anyone epoxied the handles in or found a way of making them more secure.

 

[David C]

The hot tip from the states is to try some hairspray !!

Perhaps rap a bit harder. Mine almost never get loose, but my workshop has fairly consistent humidity.

Honest.

David

 

[Harbo]

I've only had one drop out and onto my rubber floor mats so no damage.

Those mats are a great investment!

Rod

 

[Muina]

Happily reading the post until the concrete floor bit, I think a tear just rolled down my cheek. I remember the Hairspray thing actually, I seem to remember they did a Quick Tip video on Youtube not so long ago.

Anthony

 

[Alf]

At the risk of metaphorically standing on a hill in a thunderstorm and saying "Yah boo" to the gods, mine have never fallen out yet.* However I believe powdered rosin has also been mentioned as an effective solution - as sold for the bows of stringed instruments - should hairspray not appeal.

*Hark! Is that the merry rattle of socket handles falling to the floor like so many autumn leaves that I hear from a workshop direction...?

 

[Jacob]

Does the spigot have a pointy end - in which case snip off a few millimetres?
If you wet the wood slightly it will rust the sides a touch and make for a firm friction fit.* I know this from accidental experience (not with a LN chisel of course, I have never had the pleasure).

PS *or a teaspoon of water in the socket?

 

[custard]

Spookily the hairspray idea seems to be working!

 

[Argus]

.


I was staggered at the cost of the alternative LN long handles and being a turner, I made my own.

The sockets of the current range of LV chisels are bored, not swaged, so they will all be the same profile or shape. So it's an easy task to make a negative profile and turn your own.
But I was faced with the same problem... most handles LN handles tend to work loose after a while.

So how to keep them in place while retaining the ability to remove them in one piece if required?

Heat.

Sand the tapered end of the handle clean; next warm the socket with a small propane blow torch - just enough to expand it, not too hot, but DEFINITELY NOT RED HOT.
Insert the handle and whack downwards on the bench top. Allow it to cool. It won't come out in use.

.

 

[PeterBassett]

You're braver than I would be, if I owned such chisels....

 

[Argus]

.

You're braver than I would be, if I owned such chisels....

Not really; localised gentle heat, that's all.

It just needs to be hot enough to expand the socket a little to grip the handle. Too hot to touch, but not enough to colour the steel.



.

 

[jimi43]

If you guys will buy these cheap foreign imports! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :wink:

Stick some Araldite in the hole and be done with it! :wink:

Jim

 

[GazPal]

If you guys will buy these cheap foreign imports! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :wink:

Stick some Araldite in the hole and be done with it! :wink:

Jim

I couldn't agree more Jim

 

[Fat ferret]

So how to keep them in place while retaining the ability to remove them in one piece if required?

Why do you need to change the handles anyway? :? Seems like a poor deal if the handles keep coming off such expensive chisels.

 

[Jacob]

So how to keep them in place while retaining the ability to remove them in one piece if required?

Why do you need to change the handles anyway? :? Seems like a poor deal if the handles keep coming off such expensive chisels.

Fashion - nothing else.
But if they are well used and heavily bashed at regular intervals then they will stay firmly wedged in.

 

[bugbear]

I... and a concrete floor will necessitate a major regrind!

For your comfort (sod the chisels) I'd recommend anti fatigue mats anyway.

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

Why do you need to change the handles anyway?

To convert them to/from long paring chisels (pseudo -slicks)

BugBear

 

[woodbloke]

...or by fitting a tiny button handle, into dwarf LN's for those awkward places that are too big for a standard size - Rob

 

[custard]

So how to keep them in place while retaining the ability to remove them in one piece if required?

But if they are well used and heavily bashed at regular intervals then they will stay firmly wedged in.

You'd think so. But I have the same problem of loosening handles on the Lie Nielsen mortice chisels which are regularly and heavily bashed!

However after three days, the hairspray idea is still working. I guess the real hairspray test will come in the next few days as humidity is forecast by the BBC to go from 34% on Wednesday to 96% on Thursday, that should see boards curling all over the place!

 

[woodbloke]

... humidity is forecast by the BBC to go from 34% on Wednesday to 96% on Thursday, that should see boards curling all over the place!

I should give them a quick going over with hairspray as welll...ought to keep their shape then! :lol: :lol: - Rob>>>>>>>>outa here :mrgreen:

 

[Jacob]

LN chisels do seem to be a problem one way or another, crumbly steel etc. I don't know why anybody bothers at those prices.
It must be a design fault somehow - I've never ever had a chisel handle drop off ever, including socket chisels. In fact I had a helluva job removing a socket chisel handle when I wanted to replace it, not least because the inside of the socket was rusty. So there might be the answer - a teaspoonfull of water in the socket?