LN chisel

[Chris_belgium]

I know I know, shouldn't use my chisel as a mini crow bar

Can these handles be bought seperately??

 

[milkman]

probably, or you could just make one.

Apologies for nicking this from another forum. its a bit buried so I couldn't just link to it. Therefore I'll big up the site here:
http://www.carpentersfellowship.co.uk/

Apologies for this people, but having only signed-up for this forum a couple of weeks ago I'm going to take the liberty of revisiting on or two of particular interest to me.

Ash is usually cited as the wood to use for handles, and the contributors to the previous thread all subscribed to this. Its prime quality for this kind of use is its elasticity, and it was the wood of choice for such things as cart shafts, pitch fork handles and axe and sledge hammer handles. All these items have length as a uniting factor, and as the length shortens so ash's virtue declines. It is probably still the best wood to use for hammer and hatchet handles, but for chisels it will be no better than most any other woods. Indeed, one of its other virtues, the ease with which it can be cleft , now becomes a vice and makes it more liable to splitting when hit than many other species.

Its widespread use for chisel handles probably has much to do with the facts that most aren't hit, that you can always hoop it if it is intended to be hit, and that if you have a workshop full of ash for making rake, axe, sledge and other handles, it is easest to use that wood for chisel handles as well.

What then is good for hitable chisel handles? Anything with a twisted, interlocked grain that's a pipper to split is the answer. Hornbeam, holly, hawthorn, elm box and apple would suit well and aren't too hard to get hold of. Norman G. rates robinia and I've had a lot of trouble splitting eucalyptus in the past, so that ought to be good. Rhododendron might be worth a try as well. Bear in mind that hardwoods split much better green than when seasoned. Wood from the base of a trunk will also have a much more interlocked grain than that from a little higher up, so if you're going to cut some ash take it as low down as you can.

The other thing to consider is the design. Hooping has been covered and is well worth doing (the wood needs to be seasoned when you do this). If you haven't the time for this then make sure that you dome the end of the handle (if you're turning it) or chamfer the edges if you're carving/whittling it. Nothing is guaranteed to break away quicker than an unsupported edge being hit by a mallet.

And talking of mallets, the handle would best be of ash but you probably wouldn't lose much by using other strong, long grained wood (anyone got any oak?). The important thing here is to make sure that the grain is straight and runs the length of the handle (which should happen automatically if the wood is cleft. With sawing you have to be more careful). The head could be any of the woods (above) that you might use for your chisel handles. I really don't know why beech has been so widely used for mallet heads - it's a short-grained wood that splits easily. As with ash and chisel handles it probably has most to do with its widespread use in joinery and the fact that it is heavier than ash.

Happy hitting.

 

[OLD]

Me i would just refit the broken handle so that every time i saw it or used it i was reminded of why the handle was shorter.

 

[Argus]

.


You're fortunate that it's just the handle that broke.

If you can get the stub out in one piece, use it as a template to turn a new one.... assuming that you have access to a lathe.

Boxwood is the connoisseur's choice, failing that, Ash for practicality.


.

 

[David C]

Chris,

Yes, just send e mail to Lie-Nielsen.

I have made a few, the taper angle has to be very precise.

David C

 

[paulm]

It's quite easy to turn the taper to the right angle. Use another existing handle handle and establish the diameter at the top and at the bottom of the taper, together with the length of the tapered piece, and then just join them up !

Test fit and where the wood becomes shiny due to compression of the fibres in the socket, remove a tiny bit more more material until the majority of the tapered section becomes shiny on further test fittings.

Easier done than explained as always !

Made a replacement set of iroko handles for my cocobolo ones, for when I want to use the chisels with a heavier mallet for some less refined work :lol:

Cheers, Paul

 

[Chris_belgium]

Hello, thanks for the replies, i don't have access to a lathe nor do I have the turning skills

I'll send an email to LN to get a new handle, was hoping there was maybe a UK supplier who has these things in stock.

Regards, Christof.

 

[Martin Brown]

I am sure we have these in stock. I will check and post tomorrow.

Martin