Mortice Chisels

6/23/06, 3:33 PM #1

jmccul
Guest

Mortice Chisels

jmccul

>I recently purchased two "pig sticker" mortice chisels. I have tried an Iles of this chisel and I was glad to be able to purchase this pair. These chisels are both marked James Cam, cast steel. On has what appears to be an original beech handle and the other was replaced with a hickory handle. Doing a google search I find that Cam was a prominent Shefield Maker around 1800. I like old tools because of their quality and I am not a real collector. I am unsure because of age and condition whether to use these or does this age make them more of a collectors item. Thanks in advance

Re: Mortice Chisels

6/23/06, 3:42 PM #2

joel -( tools for working wood)
Guest

Re: Mortice Chisels

joel -( tools for working wood)

>Use them!!!

They still have generations of work left in them

Re: Mortice Chisels

6/23/06, 4:56 PM #3

Todd Hughes
Guest

James Cam and James Cam

Todd Hughes

>James Cam was a well respected late 1700s early 1800 edge tool maker but after he died several other companys such as Marsh and Shepard bought the use of his name in 1838 and stamped it on the tools that they made. Marsh Bros. were stamping chisels and other tools James Cam up into the 20 th. century probably 100 years after Cam had died. So just because your chisels are marked James Cam doen't mean they date from the 1800 period and most probably do not. I have seen a good many James Cam mortise chisels [Think I have a couple even including a small 1/8 inch one] and I would have to say they are not rare. I would use them but you may want to be careful and not hit them to hard because in my experance this type of chisel has a handle that is rather prone to getting damaged......Todd

Mortice Chisels

Posts