dove tail chisel

[tablesawtom]

While rereading my post and reply's I thought I would pass this along. I use my fathers steel to roll burs on my cabinet scrapers. You can pick them up at flea markets much cheaper than you can buy them what is sold for that purpose. I just know that someone will write about using a screw driver.  But a steel, as used by a butcher, is much harder and smoother.

Tom

[Admiral]

While rereading my post and reply's I thought I would pass this along. I use my fathers steel to roll burs on my cabinet scrapers. You can pick them up at flea markets much cheaper than you can buy them what is sold for that purpose. I just know that someone will write about using a screw driver.  But a steel, as used by a butcher, is much harder and smoother.

Tom

As a former butcher apprentice, you are right only if the steel is worn out smooth, otherwise it has straight grooves in it that don't play well with scraper cards. That being said, old steels I've found in the markets are usually fully worn out. Those are the ones you want.

[new cab guy]

I have the LN chisel in question and I love it.  You did a great job on yours.

[new cab guy]

While rereading my post and reply's I thought I would pass this along. I use my fathers steel to roll burs on my cabinet scrapers. You can pick them up at flea markets much cheaper than you can buy them what is sold for that purpose. I just know that someone will write about using a screw driver.  But a steel, as used by a butcher, is much harder and smoother.

Tom

I have a hammer my dad gave me.   I use it all the time (despite the fact I have a really nice vintage hammer).  I think about him when I use it.

[Arlin Eastman]

I agree with Toms thinking.

If you have spare chisels why not experiment with some angles and bevels to see what works best for certain jobs.  Then when you find what you like keep it for that project or even try it on another project.

[Steve N]

Tom, I had the advantage living in Cincinnati, to try LN, LV, Blue Spruce, and other tools at past PWW events, specifically WIA and the Marketplace. I ended up buying from Dave Jeske, Blue Spruce tools. What I found is they were awesome, bur for me anyhow just when they were used for taking small bites in corners. Jeske's tools are like Lamborghini's next to clunky yellow cabs, of all the others. As with all things tools, YMMV  



Blue Spruce fishtails

[tablesawtom]

I am sure that Blue Spruce tools are wonderful tools, but I live on SS and a small modest pension just like a lot of other folks here. I do not know what Blue Spruce tools cost but there isn't enough money left over for them in my house hold.

Don't get me wrong I am thankful that you can afford them, but I, like a lot of others can't. Since I was willing to sell the chisel for $3 I can assure you that I paid a lot less than $3 and I made a usable dovetail chisel out of it.

I posted it so that maybe someone else, who can't afford  Blue Spruce tools,  might decide to do the same or make a angled one. Why does it always have to be about the high dollar stuff being the only way to go and the rest is just inferior junk and shouldn't be mentioned. It is just a shame that when people ask even about anything here, the only recommendations that count here are for the high dollar stuff. 

Again I am sure all the high dollar stuff are very fine tools but dollar for dollar, in use, I don't think that they are worth that much difference in price when used maybe 5 time a year.

Tom

[tablesawtom]

I just looked up Blue Spruce dovetail chisels and a 1 /2 is $95. That is mot comparing apples with apples.

Tom

[Dave Diaman]

My first fishtail chisel was a spade bit that I ground into a fishtail shape. It worked great. I did harden it after I ground it.

[MattP]

I am sure that Blue Spruce tools are wonderful tools, but I live on SS and a small modest pension just like a lot of other folks here. I do not know what Blue Spruce tools cost but there isn't enough money left over for them in my house hold.

Don't get me wrong I am thankful that you can afford them, but I, like a lot of others can't. Since I was willing to sell the chisel for $3 I can assure you that I paid a lot less than $3 and I made a usable dovetail chisel out of it.

I posted it so that maybe someone else, who can't afford  Blue Spruce tools,  might decide to do the same or make a angled one. Why does it always have to be about the high dollar stuff being the only way to go and the rest is just inferior junk and shouldn't be mentioned. It is just a shame that when people ask even about anything here, the only recommendations that count here are for the high dollar stuff. 

Again I am sure all the high dollar stuff are very fine tools but dollar for dollar, in use, I don't think that they are worth that much difference in price when used maybe 5 time a year.

Tom

+1 million. My prized shop possessions are a set of 4 blue handled chisels I got at the orange big box for $30 or so. They do everything I ask of them. Frankly, I sometimes feel quite smug using those chisels knowing there are people who paid $95 a pop to BS tools (see what I did there?) or $70 a chisel to LN, while my big box tools are doing everything I need them to.

Just FYI, this thread has inspired me to try the same thing you did with a couple of the old chisels I picked up on ebay a few years ago and stuck in a drawer. If I can learn to use my grinder as well as you use yours, I'll join you in laughing all the way to the bank about our $3 dovetail chisels.