LN mortise chisels

Disappointing

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

>When American standard-bearer L/N last year decided to make mortise chisels and chose the relatively wimpy Sorby English "sash" design....albeit with stronger construction....instead of these All-American millwright brutes, my uncles, father, grandfather and thousands of other tradesmen of the early 1900's well familiar with these all probably rolled over in their graves.

Re: Disappointing

Jeff Schmidt (KY)

>Those "all american millwright brutes" are a bit on the long side. I suppose that can help with gauging plumbosity.

I would have preferred LN to have replicated the pigsticker style.

Re: Disappointing

Dean in Burlington

>Does this mean you are going to pull out your Dad's or grandpa's old black and white TV or 13hp Ford seeing they made such great stuff back then? :)))

pig stickers, much to recommend

bill tindall

>I must agree that this design has much to recommend. Most of all, the shape of the handle provides tactile feed-back as to the orientation of the chisel, just as in the case of a butcher knife. One doesn't see many round knife handles, for good reason.

The pig stickers are so very easy to make. Buy bar stock in appropriate size. Cut to length and cut bevel. Send to heat treat place of choice. Install butcher knife handle (clam shell, I just epoxy the handle around the chisel). Sharpen. Pound away. Purists will protest that the handles may break in 10-40 years, but it takes but a few minutes to install a handle.

They are so ugly that LN could never sell them.

Re: pig stickers, much to recommend

Paul Kierstead

>Not to be difficult, but this always drives me a little crazy.

- I don't know where to buy bar stock in small quantities and get it delivered to my door for a sane price.

- I don't know what kind of bar stock to buy.

- I don't have any sane way to cut serious tool steel, particularly straight. I doubt my Canadian Tire hacksaw will hold me in good stead.

- I don't know who to send it to for heat treatment, nor what heat treatment to order.

Perhaps making it easy for many of you, but some of us have close to zero metal working knowledge or tools.

Re: LN mortise chisels

Glenn Madsen

>I ordered one, 5/16", at the San Mateo, CA woodworking show, the last week of October, 2004, from the LN booth.

The shipping paperwork shows it left the LN dock on 3 November.

$50 for a completed chisel of this quality is, for a fellow without a metalworking shop or background, is cheaper than almost any other option I could resonably consider. A set of proper metalworking files are that expensive.

The only mortises I've cut with it so far have been in 6/4 Anigre. It has earned the right to stay 'in the lineup'.

Re: pig stickers, much to recommend

L. Hanson

>It doesn't interest everyone, that's for sure. But for those that do hold an interest, finding out how it's done is as simple as asking. There are tons of people here, for example, willing to help out.

Your questions:

- I don't know where to buy bar stock in small quantities and get it delivered to my door for a sane price.

McMaster-Carr among others... plus you can sometimes (not always) make them from scraps you find, like leaf springs from cars...

- I don't know what kind of bar stock to buy.

O1 Tool steel is a good basic tool steel useable in the home shop. For a 3/8" x 1/2" piece to make a 3/8" mortise chisel from, order the following from the above link:

9516K311

(Same as 9516K101)

Grade O-1 Steel Precision Ground Flat Stock 3/8" Thick, 1/2" Width, 1-1/2' Length

In stock at $16.16 Each

The last time I ordered from them, I got about $100 worth of O1 and Brass and the shipping was about $6.

- I don't have any sane way to cut serious tool steel, particularly straight. I doubt my Canadian Tire hacksaw will hold me in good stead.

Yes, actually it will, for the purpose Bill has in mind. I've done more than a bit of metal working with little more than that. You would also want a grinder of some sort, and a way to make the handle...

- I don't know who to send it to for heat treatment, nor what heat treatment to order.

Here's a nice little guide on tool steels:

A Woodworker�s Guide to Tool Steel and Heat Treating

And here's one from Ron Hock:

Ron Hock's DIY heat-treating

- Perhaps making it easy for many of you, but some of us have close to zero metal working knowledge or tools.

There's lots of info out there for those who willing to give it a try. Doesn't take too much, just a little study... But like I said, it's not for everyone. Not everyone gets off on working with wood, either.

Leif

NorseWoodsmith.com

Re: pig stickers, much to recommend

Dennis

>Part of using hand tools has always included making your own, just part of the slippery slope you hear about.

Not hard to make a very usable tool, and i sure don't want to start a war over this but have been lot of posts here on "how to" and more on the tool making subject.

Dennis,who is enjoying a very windy warm night in Florida

Fellow Ottawa Forumite

Brad in Ottawa

>Paul,

Tonnes of information available... just ask the questions or search the archives. Check your e-mail I have sent some information for you to look at and some suggestions.

In terms of sources of metal you have a few choices. Try Metal Supermarkets, they are in the East end, conveniently near the Home Depot. Or Loucon Metal in Nepean. No affiliations with either.

E-mail me and I can help you out!

Brad

Nope - the 60hp Ford

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

>1959 :)

The '62 Pete Still Works Every Week, Too

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

>The old girl gets up and works every time she's asked...if you're man enough to handle her.

Re: The '62 Pete Still Works Every Week, Too

Mike G.

>Nothing like an old classic that will still do the job, eh? A friend has a '59 Mack I'd like to have. It still looks mint. I also like the tractor.

Mike G.

Re: LN mortise chisels

earl drury

>Get you a set of Butcher's and hit em hard

4 Sets of Butcher On Ebay Now *LINK*

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

>A good, sturdy pigsticker that'll go for a fraction of what those wimpy L/N sash chisels sell for.


Ebay Listing

Nice pickup

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA, the rain's here

>but what do you drive when you've got serious hauling to do?

10 Tons, 240-yr-old Madrone 

Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

>

Re: More Tool Steel Sources *LINK*

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Another good source for O1, A-2 and other precision ground, fully annealed tool steels, with a good selection at reasonable prices is Bohler-Uddeholm, through their on-line sales site, FlatGround.com.

My latest order of O1 drill rod and flat stock from them showed up on the back porch at the Loxahatchee Toolworks just this afternoon.

The most significant advantage of using O1 is that it is reasonably easy to harden and temper it to meet your requirements in your own garage and kitchen. For small blades, about all you need is a propane torch, a few fire bricks, a can of old peanut oil, a pair of pliers, and your oven.

There are other sources of scavenged pieces of tool steel, even in very small quantities, that you can take advantage of. I use old saw blades. You can find uses for just about any kind of blade, including those from circular saws, hacksaws, jigsaws, bandsaws, and even handsaws painted with bucolic scenes. Lots of home shop planers and jointers have disposable blades, that can be cut up, reground and sharpened. Old dull files, in many shapes and sizes, are also available.

Disadvantages of scavenged steel is that you have to guess what kind of steel it is, and if you can't figure out how to anneal and reharden it, you have to be careful to not remove the temper when you are cutting and grinding it. Of course, you have to exercise this same care when sharpening your other chisels and plane blades.

LN mortise chisels [pictures]

steve knight

>

here are the pics of the LN chisels

Re: Fellow Ottawa Forumite

Dennis McDonaugh

>I think what Paul means is he doesn't have the interest to find out the answer to his questions. Probably because he doesn't have any interest in making a chisel. I don't either, I have too many other interests to pick up that one too.

Re: LN mortise chisels

Dan Clermont in Burnaby

>Rob Cosman had a full set of mortise chisels at our local woodworking show this past year. I couldn;t have really cared less as I;ve always used a drill press follwoed by a Marples Blue chip.

But... Rob did a demo on some Eastern hard maple and cut a nice crisp mortise in minutes with very little effort.

I now have the 3/8" on the list of tools I want.

Dan Clermont in Burnaby

Re: LN mortise chisels

Mike MacDonald, McDonald's Crn, Ontario

>I asked about a demonstration of the new mortice chisels when I was at the Ottawa show. They seemed so light I wanted to see them in action, but Mr Cosman seemed only interested in his dovetail and sharpening demonstrations, so I wandered over to the LV booth and added the beefer Hirsch mortice chisels (which I had seen in action) to my med shoulder plane order.

Re: Disappointing

kees

>Bob,

according your article: You prefer Japanese, new ones to start with?

Kees

That would be why...

Bob Hackett

>LN has chosen to make chisels and will probably do very well with them.

I love watercolor paintings but have trouble drawing anything above stickmen.All the art in my house is done by other folks who are better equipped to do that work,my skills reside elsewhere.

Mainely,Bob-Who has been able to trade tools ,turnings and even wood for art.Nothing trades as easily as money though.

Re: LN mortise chisels

kees

>Curtis,

I don't like to buy sets of tools. Just need now one mortise chisel 6mm. Hirsch is is serving me well, but I don't like the handles.

So I think about remodelling.

Kees