A Timber Framer needs a good Chisel


   This is a 1-1/2" Robert Sorby Framing Chisel (#285) with a double hooped ash handle. The heavy tapered blade is ~10.5" long, exactly 1.5" wide for it's entire length and machined square on the sides and flat on the back making it a handy reference, especially when working in a 1.5" mortice. The overall length is just under 20" hence the discoloration of the steel near the middle of the blade, that is where the mallet hand grabs to assist in positioning the blade.
   The Sorby is only three years old and shows the effects of leaving two pieces of metal in contact in a New England basement. The chisel was very lightly oiled but the rod that crossed under it was not, the two pitted stripes near the handle are the result. My choice in oil is partially at fault, I use pure mineral oil for day to day wipe down of tools and on my oil stones (Most name brand honing oils are mineral oil with a few stabilizers). Mineral oil is nice because it's totally non-toxic and can be obtained cheaply, however it will eventually break down into carbon dioxide and water. Machine oil (a petroleum product) is the usual inexpensive choice for basement storage.

G.I.Mix & Co. 1.5" framing chisel
   This chisel on the other hand shows a good 70+ years of use and abuse... A dozen years ago the last 1/2" of the blade was broken off by someone using it as a lever, after that is rattled around in my truck and tool boxes until I finally got around to regrinding it last year. It's now sporting a lethally sharp blade just over 9" long with a 3" socket and 4.5" handle; still a respectable length for a framing chisel. The chisel is made of malleable iron with a steel blade laminated to the back, there is about 5 usable inches of steel left

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The Commander

Sometimes called the persuader, the commander persuades stubborn joints to go together.   I adapted Hagrid's croquet mallet design for use as a commander, but the tool inspecter and I aren't too sure the handle will hold up given the mass of the hickory head.   It will get some fine tuning from the chainsaw before it goes to work and a beefy replacement handle waits in reserve.

More tools to come!

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