Replies

1. 
   MichaelPB | Nov 06, 2005 07:36pm | #1

   Eric,

   Squaring up the chisel can be done with hand tools.  Sand one surface flat to about 220/320 any additional sanding after that isn't going to take of significant metal.  Get  an object that is square in profile and a couple of inches long, this is going to be your fence.  Place the chisel sanded side down and place the square up against the unfinished edge.   Look at the gap, if any, and that will tell you where you have to remove metal.

   That is the easy part, the hard part is taking that metal off paralled to the other surface.  Ideally you set up something like the scary sharp method with room on the side of the sandpaper sheet for your fence to ride on.  Holding the chisel firmly against the square fence/cube, start flattening the other surface of the chisel.  Done well,  you will get a 90 deg chisel out of it.

   As for the chisel handles, look in various catalogs for ideas.  Something cool I saw a guy doing in Sacramento was he turned a tennon on the end of the handle and then glued on leather washers.  Looked good but have no idea if it is effective in practice.

   Hope that helps 

1. 
   EricinOC | Nov 06, 2005 10:35pm | #2

   Michael,

   thanks for the advice! sounds like a good plan of attack. I'll try to let you know yhow it goes-Eric

2. 
   JohnWW | Nov 07, 2005 01:55am | #3

   Before you put a lot of time into this, be aware that most people who have tried corner chisels, myself included, have found them to be far more trouble to use than they are worth. 

   Trying to control two edges, in two different grains, is almost impossible, plus just driving a 2 inch wide blade requires a lot of force.  You never see a corner chisel used in an article or a book on mortising and it is because they don't work well.  Every antique corner chisel I've seen looks like new, despite its age, because they were rarely used enough to show any wear.

   John W.

   
   

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   Edited 11/6/2005 5:57 pm ET by JohnWW

1. 
   DCarr10760 | Nov 07, 2005 04:40pm | #4

   John,

   That's true enough, particularly for smaller sized ones.  The one place where they work okay is in timber framing when most of the mortice is hogged out with augers and the bruzz squares the corner.  If it is sharp it works alright.  It's more controllable if the force applied favors severing the end grain, the side will take care of itself.

   Of course, having said all of this, I generally just use a timber framer's firmer chisel like everyone else.

   I have seen 3/8-inch corner chisels milled from bar stock, I tried one once and it was a total waste of time.

   Best Regards,

   David C