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I got mine through Graniger. Search for "Clamp on Scraper" at their site. They have three different sizes 20mm, 25, mm, and 30mm blade widths. The length also increases as the size goes up. I...

Draw filing can remove material quicker with a large, coarse file, however, it is real easy make things convex if you get too carried away. As with scraping, making frequent checks (prints) against...

In the photo below is a carbide machinist's scraper made by Sandvik. I'm doing a lot of scraping on an old Lathe I'm rebuilding. The carbide scrapers are quite expensive (~$80) due to the price of...

Here is another option, Scrape it flat...
http://www.antiquetools.com/scrape/

I use a 4-1/2 for smoothing, a 5-1/2 as a panel plane, and a 7 for a jointer. I've got an old 5 that I use for roughing. The half sizes may be to heavy for some, but I'm a tall guy and they seem to...

I forgot to mention that the rule of threes equally applies to wooden straightedges as well as metal. Get three lengths of some stiff, stable stock, and plane up an edge on each one. Keep checking...

I once heard that in woodworking, a straightedge will reasonably check a surface up to 3 times its length. I don't know if that is true on not, but most hand planed surfaces are spherical in...

With the method I use, the length and inherent straightness of the jointer plane determines the board straightness. If the edge is planed hollow with stop shavings, then a final, full length cuts...

Here is a method that I've adopted that almost always insures a flat edge without having to check with a straightedge. It works for me, but a lot may depend each individuals planing technique.

If...

With cutting tools, the chip size is determined by the feed rate per tooth. Suppose one stroke of a handsaw cuts (or feeds in machinery terms) 1" deep. The same block of wood fed 1" through a...

Matt,

I made the angle of my socket 5 degrees based on old bench chisels I have. If you decrease the angle to much, it could cause the handle to expand the socket. The 4.6 degrees you have shown...

The initial Mortise Chisel socket dimensions were based on the socket of an old Ohio tool 1-1/2" framing chisel. It had a 6 deg taper (12 deg included angle) and .1" wall thickness. Try to look at...

I don't like the striking hoop and "nub" on the top of German chisels. It makes the handle too long and can really hurt the hand when paring, so I do this mod.

I also remove the thick clear...

I would like to learn some basic blacksmithing skills someday. It would come in handy for projects like this. In this case, I could start out with a much smaller bar and upset the socket end to...

The part is now clamped in a vice in the mill. There is a spacer under the part to give support.
http://personal.bellsouth.net/p/s/psbax/ww/firmer_fab/pb_firmer_fab9.jpeg

The first side has been...

Some folks were interested in seeing the details of how I made my mortise chisels. I made a 3/8" firmer chisel yesterday and took some photos along the way to show the process.

The round blank is...

I've considered making tools to sell, but just don't have the time right now between work and family.

I would quit my day job in a heartbeat, buy some more machines, and start up a boutique tool...

Gordon and Dick are right! They are factory defects. It looks like there are a lot of factory defects in the bunch. Most are brand new but rusty. I went through the box and looked at some more,...

It's not the grind at the tip, but the whole shoulder of the flute that is taller on one side. They came from the factory this way.
http://personal.bellsouth.net/p/s/psbax/ww/skews.jpg

I was recently given some old rusty turning gouges and just cleaned them up. What I noticed as odd was that a 1/4" gouge's "wings" were not symmetrical. One side is significantly higher than the...

I kind of thought the same thing after I finished turning the socket. I agree, it is a weak point in the design. In the photo there is some oxide reside at the base where the socket meets the blade...

Now that you mention this, I have noticed that almost all old well-used tools I've collected didn't have flat backs when I found them.

Carborundum is another name for Silicon Carbide which is one step below diamond in hardness. The reason the natural stones flattened well is that they are mostly Quartz which is softer. Aluminum...

Thanks for the compliments.

The blades, including socket, are all 9.5-10" long. Overall lengths are 12-14" depending on handle size. I made then as long as I could comfortably fit in my milling...

I've been working on this set for three years now, I've managed to make one over each Christmas break. A new baby sure slows down your hobby time, but I wouldn't trade time spent with the family for...