The Motorhome is in the shop for it's annual fluid change and prep for the Oregon trip and of course the camera battery has died and the charger is, you guessed it, in the Motorhome. Long way around to no photos with this post.
I seldom buy off eBay because, let me count the reasons, burn rate, hidden defects, hidden defects, and burn rate. I've been looking to add to my firmer chisels, both bench and paring. Just because I do not buy I do look and a couple or three days ago there was a Weatherby 1/2" firmer with a paring blade that didn't look too bad. It was obvious the seller had done some grinding to clean the chisel up some but the big factor from the photos I could see the back of the iron was pit free.
I bet you can tell where this post is going. While grinding the gunk off the seller dubbed the back. Two hours of work on the back with my 120 grit Atomia and about 1/32" off the bevel and I have a usable chisel. I would have paid twice as much for the chisel if the seller had just removed the gunk and left the grinding to me.
BTW, if you have a Tormek you owe yourself the new model 77 jig. The Weatherby chisel is a perfect example why. Many older firmer chisels do not have parallel sides, the tip will be wider than the tang end. With the model 77 jig it is no problem, tighten and loosen a couple of screws until the blade is square and you are set. There are other improvements as well, damn fine jig.
ken
Hi Ken
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is a firmer chisel? I thought they were heavier blades which would make firmer paring chisels an oxymoron.
You forgot to mention high shipping costs for a lot of ebay purchases. I usually pass on heavily worked tool finds since I trust other people's abilities less than my own. Two hours on one chisel makes an Iles or Japanese chisel seem like a bargain.
Steve
Steve,
ReplyDeleteThere are several kinds of chisels classed as "Firmer", in general a firmer chisel does not have beveled sides. there can be heavy timber framing firmer chisels, long very thin bladed paring firmer chisels, or "bench" firmer chisels. The common characteristic is the lack of beveled edges. While I do not know if it is true but "firmer" may be an English bastardization of the French word "to form". They were used to clean out mortises.
I agree 100%, the only reason to dip a toe in the fetid cesspool of eBay is for something that is no longer made or is hard to find. Firmer paring and bench chisels fit that description. What I really want is a full set of early Marples tanged firmer chisels with the round boxwood handles. I've asked Josh at Hyperkitten to look for some. Who knows how long it will take to find a good clean set.
ken
After I published I thought it may be the side bevels. That explanation makes sense. Sorby used to sell firmers in the catalogs but I don't know if they still do.
ReplyDeleteSince you don't suffer from spending 2 hours on a chisel, you could always buy beveled chisels and grind the bevels away. I bet that Stanley 750 firmers get good money on the ebay :)
Steve
Steve,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you think :-).
Sorby still makes some firmer chisels but only with heavier blades. I'm interested two different type chisels, the long thin bade paring chisel and what I think of as the perfect bench chisel, the Marples tanged firmer with round Boxwood handles. It may just be how they look but whatever they flip my tool switch.
ken