JP

"Jay Pique"

04/04/2007 5:06 PM

Mortise / Mortising Chisels

I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?

JP


This topic has 16 replies

bb

"beecrofter"

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

04/04/2007 5:40 PM

On Apr 4, 8:06 pm, "Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
> JP

Quarton Barr makes some of the best I have seen, google up Barr tools

JP

"Jay Pique"

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

04/04/2007 5:46 PM

On Apr 4, 8:31 pm, alexy <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> >chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> >there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> >the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> >timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
> >JP
>
> Ray Iles mostise chisels at toolsforworkingwood.
>
> http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&...
> no affiliation, yada yada

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Pricier than the LNs, but they
look much more to my liking. Now I'm really going to have to get
frugal in other areas of my life!

JP

b

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

05/04/2007 7:17 AM

On Apr 4, 7:06 pm, "Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
> JP

http://barrtools.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=BST&Category_Code=FABC

JP

"Jay Pique"

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

05/04/2007 3:36 PM

On Apr 5, 8:04 am, "Stephen M" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> "Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> > chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> > there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> > the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> > timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
> > JP
>
> Being in the middle of a timber framing project right now, I'm a bit
> confused.
>
> Why would you be looking at < 1" chisels for timber framing?

I'm not looking for chisels for timber framing. I'm looking for heavy
duty mortising chisels. Lie-Nielsen makes the statement that their
mortising chisels are meant for cabinetmaking, not timberframing.

JP

> http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/default.php/cPath/36_105_109
>
> I have been using the 1-1/2" henry taylor and it has been working very well
> for me. I attending a timber framing seminar At LV a while back and I asked
> the rpoesenter what size chisel I should invest in for making 2" mortises.
> His reply was 1-1/2". Having chopped about 40 *big* mortises recently, I
> concur. You do not wat to be chopping a mortise 4 inches deep that is
> super-snug. This renders the "it has to be imperial" requirement moot.
>
> If you want your chisels the do double duty (cabinet and framing) that's a
> bit of a differnt story, but I just can't see you using anything smaller
> than a 1" chisel for timber framing.
>
> You will want at least one "big guy", not just for the heft, but for the
> reach. I have been really pleased with the HT 1.5. I have used it in some
> cabinet making unanticipated cabinet applications (imagine trimming a
> duchman flush requiring 5 inches of reach with the flat of the chisel to
> register against the workpiece).
>
> That said it's probably not quite up to LN standards. I ground off the edges
> of both the rim of the ferule and the top of the socket just to make it a
> tad more comfy to handle. It does, however perform well.
>
> -Steve
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

JP

"Jay Pique"

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

07/04/2007 8:30 AM

On Apr 7, 6:58 am, Glen <[email protected]> wrote:
> Jay Pique wrote:
> > I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> > chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> > there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> > the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> > timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
> > JP
>
> These are what I use. While I can't say there's nothing better, neither
> can I say that they have ever fallen short in any way.http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=3...

If I worked in metric I'd definitely be interested in those.
JP

JP

"Jay Pique"

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

09/04/2007 3:14 PM

On Apr 5, 2:02 am, charlieb <[email protected]> wrote:
snip
> http://www.paragoncode.com/toolmaking/mortise_chisels/
>
> These puppies are tough - the sides are squared so they
> register well and the sides of the bevel also cut clean sides
> for yourmortise. Unless you hit a nail you've be hard
> pressed to hurt this chisels, especially the 3/4".

Boy, it's too bad he's not still making them. They look great. One
concern I have with the Ray Iles chisels is that the sides are made
not square. Is this likely to result in mortise sides that aren't
very clean - or significantly less clean than those made by square
sided chisels?

I emailed Jim to let him know that there's a potential customer out
here - maybe if we gang up on him he'll get back at it.

Thanks for all the help.
JP

Thanks much.

mm

myerscali

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

26/05/2007 5:25 PM

On Apr 10, 7:33 pm, charlieb <[email protected]> wrote:
> JayPique wrote:
> > Boy, it's too bad he's not still making them. They look great. One
> > concern I have with the Ray Ileschiselsis that the sides are made
> > not square. Is this likely to result inmortisesides that aren't
> > very clean - or significantly less clean than those made by square
> > sidedchisels?
>
> The slight taper on the sides of most mortisingchiselsprevent them
> from sticking in themortise- a problem as you go deeper. But since
> the chisel can be turned slightly in themortiseas you go, you can
> make
> a curved sidesmortise. With the square sides there is a sticking
> problem in deep mortises - and if you don't start off straight it'll
> be
> hard to straighten things out.
>
> > I emailed Jim to let him know that there's a potential customer out
> > here - maybe if we gang up on him he'll get back at it.
>
> Can't hurt to ask. Might check with Steve Knight
> http://www.knight-toolworks.com/
> He used to sell them for Jim. Might have one left over somehow.
>
> > Thanks for all the help.
>
> No problem. Pass it on when you can.
>
> charlie b


Jay, I agree with Charlie.

The Lie-Nielsen mortise chisels will handle everything you want to do
up to 1/2 inch wide.
Be sure to sharpen the beveled cutting edge to a higher angle (this is
essential for a long life for the edge), especially if you are cutting
hard dense wood.
If you don't want to pay for the whole set, just buy one in the size
you are most likely to use, to test it.
If you do, you will surely buy the others you need in the sizes that L-
N makes.

Regardless of the mortise chisels you choose, remember you don't need
to lever out all of the wood at one bite.
Small bites, say, maybe 1/8 by 1/4-to-3/8 deep, are a whole lot easier
to control and you won't need to worry about torquing the life out of
the chisel. Ian Kirby (see below) is a little aggressive about that,
but I think smaller bites are better, just pay a lot of attention to
aligning the chisel to the mortise cheeks when cutting and avoid
twisting or misaligning the chisel as you lever out the waste.

Remember that if you are cutting ebony, rosewood, wenge, or even hard
maple, you will need to be a slow, very small, and careful -- and
expect to resharpen often.

Also see Rob Cosman's excellent DVD Hand-Cut Mortise and Tenon, which
is also available directly from Lie-Nielsen.
He takes a more angled approach when starting the mortise, which is a
little easier to do that the straight vertical chop method usually
suggested. He uses mahogany for the mortise demos, I think, so the
wood you choose for your projects might be a little denser.

For cutting mortises wider than 1/2 inch, you can go to www.paragoncode.com
and email Jim Wilson to ask to have your name and order put on his
waiting list.
$$$. His website currently indicates that he is not yet resuming
mortise chisel production. You will need to grind these chisels
carefully to the angle appropriate for the big work you are doing and
you will, of course, also need to sharpen the chisels after grinding
the primary angle.

For mortises wider than 1/2 inch, if you cannot wait, try www.barrtools.com.
Barr Quarton has several large sizes, but remember that Barr's bigger
chisels are mainly for timberframing, so they do not have the
thickness of a mortise chisel and will require a different technique
to get the square, flat, and deep mortises you want.

I would pass on the Ray Iles mortising chisels. If you watch carefully
when a mortise chisel is driven into the wood and is used to complete
the mortise, you will find the mortise chisel has 7 cutting edges.
Having four of those cutting edges angled away from square or parallel
surely guarantees ragged mortises.

You might also search for Ian Kirby's instruction on mortise and tenon
work. It can be found best in Fine Woodworking soft cover book titled
On Joinery (copyright 1985) which may still be available directly from
www.taunton.com, or you can sometimes find it in a bookstore. Price is
a super bargain at $9.95, with old articles by Kirby, Frid, Odate,
Klausz, Boardman, and others.
The same articles are also available if you are a member of Fine
Woodworking's online service, which is also a super bargain, given all
the extensive knowledge that is available for download and storage on
your own computer or to a computer-storage device (CDs for example).

Jay, we have not yet determined why you were seeking beefier. What
are you planning to mortise?

Great cutting to you,

tommyers currently in CA

LB

Larry Blanchard

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

05/04/2007 8:52 AM

alexy wrote:

> "Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
>>chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
>>there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
>>the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
>>timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>>
>>JP
>
> Ray Iles mostise chisels at toolsforworkingwood.
>
>
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=MS-MORT.XX&Category_Code=CRI
> no affiliation, yada yada

And from the same place:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=WS-MCCHIS.XX&Category_Code=TBMC

I've got a couple of these and they work great.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

cc

charlieb

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

04/04/2007 11:02 PM

Jay Pique wrote:
>
> I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>

Jim Wilson made some that would meet your criteria - especially
the beefy part. Steve Knight The Plane Maker used to sell them
on his site.

http://web.hypersurf.com/~charlie2/Boxes/BoxesMTchisels.html

Here's Jim's url. Have a feeling if enough people wanted him to
make some more of his mortising chisels he just might get back
to making them for sale again.

http://www.paragoncode.com/toolmaking/mortise_chisels/

These puppies are tough - the sides are squared so they
register well and the sides of the bevel also cut clean sides
for your mortise. Unless you hit a nail you've be hard
pressed to hurt this chisels, especially the 3/4".

Note tht the square sides can cause the chisel to wedge
in the mortise when you get deeper. When you're working
on extracting it - DO NOT HAVE YOUR CHIN IN ITS EXIT PATH
- you WILL see stars when the end of that handle makes
contact with your chin. DAMHIKT.

charlie b

SM

"Stephen M"

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

05/04/2007 8:04 AM


"Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
> JP


Being in the middle of a timber framing project right now, I'm a bit
confused.

Why would you be looking at < 1" chisels for timber framing?

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/default.php/cPath/36_105_109

I have been using the 1-1/2" henry taylor and it has been working very well
for me. I attending a timber framing seminar At LV a while back and I asked
the rpoesenter what size chisel I should invest in for making 2" mortises.
His reply was 1-1/2". Having chopped about 40 *big* mortises recently, I
concur. You do not wat to be chopping a mortise 4 inches deep that is
super-snug. This renders the "it has to be imperial" requirement moot.

If you want your chisels the do double duty (cabinet and framing) that's a
bit of a differnt story, but I just can't see you using anything smaller
than a 1" chisel for timber framing.

You will want at least one "big guy", not just for the heft, but for the
reach. I have been really pleased with the HT 1.5. I have used it in some
cabinet making unanticipated cabinet applications (imagine trimming a
duchman flush requiring 5 inches of reach with the flat of the chisel to
register against the workpiece).

That said it's probably not quite up to LN standards. I ground off the edges
of both the rim of the ferule and the top of the socket just to make it a
tad more comfy to handle. It does, however perform well.

-Steve



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

cc

charlieb

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

10/04/2007 7:33 PM

Jay Pique wrote:

> Boy, it's too bad he's not still making them. They look great. One
> concern I have with the Ray Iles chisels is that the sides are made
> not square. Is this likely to result in mortise sides that aren't
> very clean - or significantly less clean than those made by square
> sided chisels?

The slight taper on the sides of most mortising chisels prevent them
from sticking in the mortise - a problem as you go deeper. But since
the chisel can be turned slightly in the mortise as you go, you can
make
a curved sides mortise. With the square sides there is a sticking
problem in deep mortises - and if you don't start off straight it'll
be
hard to straighten things out.

> I emailed Jim to let him know that there's a potential customer out
> here - maybe if we gang up on him he'll get back at it.

Can't hurt to ask. Might check with Steve Knight
http://www.knight-toolworks.com/
He used to sell them for Jim. Might have one left over somehow.

> Thanks for all the help.

No problem. Pass it on when you can.

charlie b

an

alexy

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

05/04/2007 11:26 AM

[email protected] wrote:

>On Apr 4, 7:06 pm, "Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
>> chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
>> there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
>> the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
>> timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>>
>> JP
>
>http://barrtools.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=BST&Category_Code=FABC

Someone else suggested that. But I understood that he was looking for
mortise chisels, not framing or bench chisels.
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

an

alexy

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

04/04/2007 9:32 PM

"beecrofter" <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Apr 4, 8:06 pm, "Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
>> chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
>> there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
>> the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
>> timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>>
>> JP
>
>Quarton Barr makes some of the best I have seen, google up Barr tools
Sound like great tools, but no mortise chisels listed on his site
now. Does he have them periodically?
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

an

alexy

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

04/04/2007 8:31 PM

"Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
>chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
>there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
>the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
>timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
>JP

Ray Iles mostise chisels at toolsforworkingwood.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=MS-MORT.XX&Category_Code=CRI
no affiliation, yada yada
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

an

alexy

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

04/04/2007 9:24 PM

"Jay Pique" <[email protected]> wrote:


>> Ray Iles mostise chisels at toolsforworkingwood.
>>
>> http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&...
>> no affiliation, yada yada
>
>That's exactly what I'm looking for. Pricier than the LNs, but they
>look much more to my liking. Now I'm really going to have to get
>frugal in other areas of my life!
You might find this article of interest:
http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/cSchwarz/mortChisel/mortChis1.asp
>JP

--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

Gg

Glen

in reply to "Jay Pique" on 04/04/2007 5:06 PM

07/04/2007 10:58 AM

Jay Pique wrote:
> I'm looking for some good, heavy duty, truly imperial mortising
> chisels. I've seen the Lie-Nielsen offering, but I was wondering if
> there are any other good ones out there. I'm not opposed to buying
> the LNs, but they're statement that they're for cabinetmaking and not
> timberframing makes me a little nervous. Anything beefier out there?
>
> JP
>
These are what I use. While I can't say there's nothing better, neither
can I say that they have ever fallen short in any way.
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=3D0-&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=EE-500-20.XX&Category_Code=TBMC

Glen


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