Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
handle wood
Jack Guzman from Maine
>I found this handle to an antique iron(for ironing clothes).I have the iron also and want to clean this up,replace the handle. It appears the handle was bent after thinning a piece of round stock at the bends. The bend has failed. The wood is splitting away from both bends(besides the obvious broken handle). I plan on using steam to assist the bending of my version. What would be the best wood to use for this purpose?Thanks---Jack
Please repair
jim_reed@marietta
>It is generaly best to keep your woodworking sense in check when dealing with antiques. Customers like authentic stuff. Less is more. You will probably retain more value if you repair the crack.
Re: Please repair
Jack Guzman from Maine
>It's not for resale. It's a knickknack for LOML. She may even use it some time on the woodstove.Besides,the piece is broken in half following the grain. How could I repair that?---Jack
Re: Please repair
Bob Hackett
>Jack,
A couple of copper planking nails driven and clenched would be a neat repair(after alittle glue.
If you must replace it,I`d suggest you use riven ash to steambend a handle.Air dried wood works better than kiln dried for steam bending anything.If you need stock,let me know offline and I`ll either meet you somewhere or send it.
Mainely,Bob
also
Jack Guzman from Maine
>I don't think this thing has much value.Though I've never seen a handle for these before,the irons are very common.People around here commonly use them for door stops.---Jack
Re: Please repair
Jack Guzman from Maine
>Thanks Bob ,I appreciate that. I have some wood lying around.I should be able to come up with a chunk of ash.---Jack
Re: handle wood
Tom in Tipp
>Jack,
See if you can get hold of some green hickory of that diameter. You may be able to make that bend without having to steam it if the wood is green enough.
Tom
Re: Please repair
William Duffield on the Cohansey
>Hickory would be your best bet. Shagbark works a lot better than pecan, etc. Get it green, rive it so there is no grain runout, and let it dry to about 30% mc. When you steam bend it, make sure you do not repeat the mistakes made in the original. That is a really radical bend. During the bend, you must not allow the wood along the outside radius to stretch, or it will crack, just like it did in the original. All the forces that change the length of the wood must be compressive, on the inside of the bend. For more information, and tooling for steam bending, see the Lee-Valley website. They have a free instructional manual you can download. If you don't want to build the necessary tooling, Rob and Co. offers competently designed and manufactured parts for sucessful steam bending.
Different handle
Todd Hughes
>I have seen lots of these sad irons and don't think i have ever seen a handle shaped like the one you have.Once saw a collection of probably over 100 that a womans hand and again i don't recall seeing a handle like this.I would have to say it is very unusual, even with common handles you see probably 10 of the irons for every handle since most women I have been told had half doz. or so of the irons that they kept heated and one handle for them. I would glue it or leave it alone and just pick up a common type handle to use.......probably some sad iron collector out there getting ready to trash "an old cracked wood plane" with CE. Chelor on it......Todd
Re: Different handle
Jack Guzman from Maine
>Now you got my interest up Todd.I think I'm going to search a bit before I mess with this thing.It's true,the irons are everywhere. I saw this one on a table at a flea market. I wouldn't have bothered with the iron(he had two different ones)but the handle was something I'd never seen before so I bought it and one of the irons.
I don't think I could repair it without changing it. I don't sell stuff but if you think it is an important antique and are interested email me . I'm willing to trade it for something I could use.Otherwise I'll probably make a new handle for it just for the exercise and give it to LOML.---Jack
Re: Please repair
Jack Guzman from Maine
>William,I went to their (LV) Kettle and Pipe page and I'm sure that I could make a functional outfit from the picture.It sure looks simple enough. Regardless of whether I change the handle on the iron I'm going to make one. It sounds like a useful exercise.Besides,I bet I find other uses for a steam box at some later date.---Jack
the page *LINK*
Jack Guzman from Maine
>For anyone wondering what page I'm talking about ,here's a link.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=42176&category=1,45866
Re: Another Important Link
William Duffield on the Cohansey
>Even more important, because it's not as easy to throw one together, is the metal straps and clamps that are necessary to prevent tension cracks from forming on the outside of the bend. Procedures and the tools sold by Lee-Valley are described in their on-line instructional material. It starts with the cover page.
Re: Another Important Link
Jack Guzman from Maine
>I saw that after I posted this morning. That company is awesome. How many times have you searched for information only to find a link to a book you can buy?They just give you the information booklet. Another reason Lee Valley is a top shelf company.---Jack