Chisel making questions

Hey Dave, does not Todd have a nice belly?

Don Thompson, Cutler Ridge, Florida

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:)

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

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Re: Pink Ivory's tough

John Kissel

>David,

would you please explain what Gem carving points and wheels are? I've never heard of these terms and it sounds interesting.

Thanks,

JK

Re: Chisel making questions LONG! *PICS*

William Duffield on the Cohansey

>I like to make my ferrules out of machined brass pipe fittings, like this.

I use these because the brass has a better color than copper, because the threaded insides don't need a hammered detent or epoxy to hold them in place, because of the extra mass and heft, and because the filed and polished shape I make looks kewl.

However, from a structural point of view, these materials and methods are completely unnecessary -- they are overkill! They do not improve the performance of the tool one iota.

If a stamped or spun copper ferrule, or even a short section of copper old water pipe or steel EMT, is properly fitted to the diameter of the tenon, and the wood is not soft and spongy and easily compressed (and does not allow the thin ferrule to deform from circular to an oval), and if the tang fits the socket, the cheapest copper or steel ferrule is completely sufficient. It will work for a century, like this old Buck.

The ferrule keeps the wood from splitting, and it works in tension, where the metal is strong, but the wood is weak. Even ferrules that are seated to the wood using a punch to put a dimple in the side of the ferrule hold well enough. To get a good friction fit between the tang and the handle, burn it in. The rough forging of this tang is a significant advantage.

The disadvantage of using cheap scrap tubing is that you have to deburr and smooth the edge. If your time is worth anything, and your goal is to build heirloom furniture, instead of heirloom tools, I can't imagine anything that would give you more value than the ones from Lee-Valley. They are cheap, easy to install, high quality, and come in plenty of different sizes.

Hey, Hey, That'll be enough of that ;~)

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

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Thanks

Frank D. in Montreal

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