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I like my two cherries but also like the japanese chisels I bought from Japan Woodworker. If it's sharp I like it. If it stays sharp I like it even more.

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Handles are fun and easy to turn. What kind of ideas are you looking for? Just copy a shape that you find comfortable for starters. Minor variations in shape, decorative grooves, and different woods help make the tools easy to identify on your bench. Copper pipe makes good ferrules, but you can also find precut brass ferrules, brass tube, or aluminum tube. Drill in steps for the tang. One mistake I keep making is not drilling big enough and splitting the handle when I drive it onto the tang. But even then, superglue will mend it. Turning the taper for a socket chisel is tricky because it is a relatively short taper and has to be just right. My only advice there is to go slow.

You don't need to put any finish on them, but shellac applied with a rag as the lathe is turning will dry almost instantly, and get a good gloss. I'd rather not have a glossy finish on a tool handle, so I sand them out but leave them unfinished.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Attention-Attention Look at Hesh's picture. Check the logo on the blade just below the ferrule. This "glue clearing chisel" is genuine Ron Hock steel- as far as I know, the only run of chisels he has made. I have talked to him a fair number of times and begged him to make chisels. He is busy enough as it is.

     As for Blue Spruce, I have a set of standard length, two skews, two awls and now, parers coming. Dave has made one 1/16th" chisel- for me. He told me it was a real hassle to do- it will take somehing to get another one out of him. He is as pleasant a fellow as you would ever talk to and your satisfaction is his only real concern.

     My parers are a mixture of vintage socket chisels- my choppers are a set of Stanley 750's. A well made and heat-treated chisel, properly honed offers pleasure equal to the feel of a honed and fettled plane.mt

I agree that you should focus on a few chisels, which would give you a budget of $50 each. At that price, you can get some very nice chisels.

I really like my Japanese chisels from Japan woodworker. They stay very sharp for a very long time.

I've been using the Lee Valley chisels...very happy with them. They can be
bought as a set or individually. The price is reasonable, but if you're looking
for cheaper or more expensive, they have them - plus an assortment of
other tools, including the mirco planes and Japanese wooden instrument
planes. www.leevalley.com I believe.

By the way...just new to the site...Bob Garrish turned me on to it and I'm very
happy to have found it.

Jamie

Welcome to OLF, Jamie.  Hope you like hanging around and talking shop.  It seems to be what we live for around here.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

[QUOTE=fmorelli] [QUOTE=Miketobey] Attention-Attention Look at Hesh's picture. Check the logo on the blade just below the ferrule. This "glue clearing chisel" is genuine Ron Hock steel- as far as I know, the only run of chisels he has made.[/QUOTE]



Mike, I'm slightly miffed. If you go to the LMI web site, it says their chisels comes out of a German foundry. If I recall, Ron does his stuff straight out of California. I'm sure I'm missing something



Thanks,



Filippo[/QUOTE]

I think the "Glue Clearing Chisel" is of a different ilk than the LMI chisels.  It is a Schneider Chisel.  It does not indicate where it is made.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

i would not recommend butt chisels for guitar making, they are carpentry tools. they are too short. shaping braces with a chisel is a two handed operation, and you need a longer chisel to have something to hang onto.

Thanks, Michael. I appreciate the input.

On the "Glue Clearing Chisel, if you look closely at the marking below the ferrule, you will see Ron's trademark. Mine certainly has it and so does Hesh's. My beef with the lovely LMI chisels was the stupid coating and rounded backs. I sold them to a fellow forum member at a price that reflected that.mt

And, the Schneider Plane has a Hock trademarked blade.mt- at least mine does.