Union Hardware Chisels

Several months ago I bought some Union Hardware Chisels from EBay. I didn't think much about them, in fact I didn't even sharpen them for several weeks after they came. I used the 1" one several times to clean glue lines and other chores, not quite for paint can opening but close. I kept picking it up for odd jobs because it fit my hand so well and was really comfortable to use. It was looking pretty bad with dried glue stuck to it so one day I did a quick lap of the back and a bevel grind ending with a short polish on the hard Arkansas. No real effort but it was sharp for the first time. I was still using it as before but also doing a little clean up and pairing just because it was close and handy, and now sharp. It has taken awhile for me to realize it but damn it is a nice chisel, takes a really sharp edge with little effort, holds the edge well and fits easily in my hand. One of the really nice features is how thin the blade is, it's hard to find newer chisels with thin blades, most seem to be 750 knock-offs.

BTW, picked up a couple Union Hardware Chisels yesterday and I'm on the look out for more.

180 Shop

As posted, my hand tool shop with a band saw and maybe a jointer and planer did a complete 180. It is now a full power tool shop. Now that the kitchen is almost finished, the hand tools will take over for the most part but except for the room required it is nice to have a full complement of power tools when needed.

Forgive the mess, ah hell, who am I kidding it will always be a mess.

Almost Finished Kitchen Redo

Last T-Day MsOK and I made a Texas run to see the kids and pick up my tools. Ken M had kept 'em in his barn for the last 15 years, they were in reasonable shape, it's good to have friends. The machinery was long gone and my plan was to set up a hand tool shop with a good band saw and maybe a jointer and planner for dimensioning rough stock. All I really wanted to do was turn large pieces of wood into smaller ones and have an excuse to buy old chisels and planes. It didn't quite work out that way.

On the way home MsOK decided our next project was to redo the kitchen (we had just finished painting the outside of the house), that was OK with me, at least it wasn't painting and someone else would be doing most of the work. Time to cut to the chase.

After several weeks of looking at what was available at the Orange Store and the Blue Store and the cost of installing it, in a moment of shear stupidity, I said "fuck it, I'll build it myself". Almost one year later, at the cost of a Pentagon weapons system and a total 180 on my shop, I'm almost finished. All that is left are 14 doors and a little finish trim work. Most of the doors are cut, just need to finish glueing up few more panels and get 'em painted and hung.

Here is a photo of the almost finished kitchen: