Replies

1. 
   Bruce | Sep 21, 2004 04:41am | #1

   I have one, only one, old Buck Bros. chisel.  It's about a hundred years old, and belonged to my grandfather.  It is the toughest piece of steel for carpentry applications that I have ever worked with.  It borders on impossible to hand-hone it, it's so hard, but not the least bit brittle.  And when you get it sharp, it's really sharp. and stays that way.  In my estimation, you've been handed a treasure as far as chisels go.

   Bruce

   The High Desert Group LLC

1. 
   JohnSD | Sep 21, 2004 04:52am | #2

   Thanks for replying Bruce,  I now have four: 1, 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4, all are mortising chisels with no side bevel.  The person who gave them to me said that they were given to him by some one who baught out tools from school districts that were closing their shop departments.  These apparently came from Maryland.

2. 
   joinerswork | Sep 21, 2004 04:53am | #3

   John,

   I've got an old '50's era I'd guess, Buck Bros socket butt chisel that was my Dad's, it has real good steel in it.  Also have a couple carving tools that I bought new in '71.  They are less nicely finished, but still good metal, they all take and hold an edge very well.  The butt chisel is trademarked on the back of the blade, while the gouges were only stamped on the handle, which I cut off for comfort.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   JohnSD | Sep 21, 2004 04:55am | #4

   Bruce, I see you live in Durango, me too.  Small world, John

2. 
   JohnSD | Sep 21, 2004 05:13am | #5

   Ray, thanks also for replying.  I will need to make some new handles for three out of four of these chisels.  Some walnut pieces were included with them, so I might try using them for the handles.  John

1. 
   joinerswork | Sep 21, 2004 03:08pm | #6

   John,

   If they are butt chisels, usually they have a leather washer on the striking end of the handle as a sort of shock absorber.  If there is a shoe repair shop in your area, get a piece of half-sole leather from them.  It'll be about 1/4-5/16" thick, just right for that purpose. turn a stud on the end of your handle, drill corresponding size hole in the leather ,  cut oversize O.D. , glue on, finish turning.  Just like down town.

   Regards,

   Ray 

1. 
   JohnSD | Sep 21, 2004 05:12pm | #7

   Thanks for the suggestions Ray, I will see what I can do...John

3. 
   AlanTurner | Sep 21, 2004 05:46pm | #8

   John

   I have a number of old Bucks Bros. chisels, and all are excellent steel. Mine range from mortising to bench to paring to crankneck. I have other old chisels also, some better than others, but the BB are right up there with the best. Enjoy your present. Probably my prettiest chisel of all is a 1/8" BB paring chisel.

   Alan

   http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

4. 
   Steinmetz | Sep 22, 2004 05:52am | #9

   John, I've been refurbishing Buck Brothers chisels for years.

   Socket or tang they're worth pampering.

   Unfortunately, some stubborn 'Crapsmen' in the past,

   have worn the handles down and even mashed up

    the metal sockets with constant hammering on the steel.

   Mushrooming is the word. Usually, the 'Nub'of the handle

    is still captured inside the socket

   Some (but not all) of these abused chisels can be salvaged

   I grind away any mushrooming, then,

   using a slow speed electric drill, ream out the nub

   with a 1/4" drill bit (All the while 'Wobbling' the bit)

   Then using a Dremel grinder, I remove any metal

    infringing on the inside of the taper 

   Before sharpening and final honing the edge,

   I use a mill file to remove any high spots along the length

    of the blade, then polish the whole blade

   on a medium Scotchbrite Wheel

   As far as I am concerned, for the work involved

   and the minimum cost (Flea found)

   They are a treasure to behold and to use.

   I once was given the ornamentally turned

   wood spindles from an old baby crib.

   (They had repeatable matched turnings)

   I cut each of them up into usable lengths and with my lathe,

    turned the ends to fit many many chisels  with matching  handles.

   I recently 'Glommed' a badly beaten up 1-1/2" socket chisel

   whose socket was so brutalized, that I cut off the socket,

   squared off and chamfered the end of the blade, then polished, sharpened and honed the edge The new plane iron is 5-1/2" long and tapered fore and aft in thickness  also the width of the blade tapers slightly from the front to the rear 1/8"

   Great for adjusting in a  wedged wood plane.

   Just looking for a suitable chunk of wood to make a good old plane with my new iron.

   Steinmetz.

   
   

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   Edited 9/21/2004 11:02 pm ET by steinmetz

   
   

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   Edited 9/21/2004 11:11 pm ET by steinmetz

1. 
   JohnSD | Sep 23, 2004 03:59am | #10

   Steinmetz, Thanks for your suggestions.  One of my chisels is badly rusted and the socket is as you describe, mushroomed.  The others are in quite good shape, with no wood left behind in the sockets, and only needing to be cleaned up and resharpenned.  One actually has a crudely made handle that seems to be firmly attached, made from walnut. I will try to refine it without removal.  With all the positive responses I have received on these chisels, I am realizing that I was indeed given a very valuable and thoughtful retirement gift.  Hmmm, I wonder if needing to make four chisel handles is sufficient justification to buy a new lathe...thanks again,

1. 
   Steinmetz | Sep 23, 2004 06:05am | #11

   John, If the chisel with the crude handle is the socket type, all you need do, is hold the blade in your left hand and using a plastic hammer or a fat wood club in your right one, smack the socket's outside and it will pop out . No damage to chisel or handle. Stein.

   When I learn how to take and enter photos, I'll show you a wood lathe I made using a 1/2" variable speed drill

    It's mostly made of wood with a two foot hollow metal base

   Stein.

1. 
   JohnSD | Sep 24, 2004 07:08am | #12

   Stein, I will look forward to seeing your home made lathe...thanks again for everyone's suggestions...John D