New old chisels...

[Scott M Perry]

My new Witherbys arrived today:

IMG_2118.jpg

Not a complete set, and they need new handles, but I've been wanting a good bunch of Witherbys for ages. A couple bevel edge chisels, the rest are mortise chisels -1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 mortise, 1/2 BE, 3/4, 1-1/4 BE, and 1-3/4".

Questions: What's a reasonable way to clean old chisels up? They're not pitted, and it's a complete waste of time, but I'd like them to be a bit more presentable. Flitz and steel wool? Wet/dry paper? Not sure what to do.

Scott

[Dave Cullen]

WD-40 and a red 3M scuff pad.

[David Weaver]

In time, I think you'll find that you like the way they look there better than when they are glammed up. If there's no active rust, there's nothing bad looking.

I wouldn't do anything to them unless you decide later you're going to sell them (and then clean them).

If, however, I couldn't resist, I'd use a true brass wire wheel on a buffer (beware of brass plated steel wire), as it will not do anything to remove any crispness.

[Mike Henderson]

I use a deburring wheel. It doesn't take off any amount of metal but it will clean up rust and stain very well. If there's rust pitting, it will not fix the pits.

If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay for those?

Mike

[Scott M Perry]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I don't want to polish them to a mirror finish, but getting rid of some of the staining would make me feel happy.

Mike, sent you a PM.

[Jeff Heath]

A 3M deburring wheel in your grinder will make short work of it. How high of a polish you want is up to you. It doesn't take long. I like my tools looking good, too.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Ooh, color me jealous! I've got a single similar old straight-sides Witherby, and I love the darn thing.

[Paul Saffold]

Nice chisels, Scott. I have only one Witherby in my motley collection.
It looks to me like you only have one mortice chisel, the narrowest.
The other straight sided might be firmers.

Bob Smalser has a good post in the stickies about chisel types.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...or-The-Record)

[Dave Parkis]

I'd also use a ScotchBrite pad and some WD-40, but I wouldn't use the ScotchBrite pads from the BORG. Go to an autobody supply house and get the coarsest one they have. I use the 7440's (grey) and they eat rust WAY faster than the maroon ones. If you do go try to get a grey one, make sure its a 7440 as they also make a fine grey one and that would take days.

[Scott M Perry]

Thanks, guys.

The deburring wheel sounds great, but they t'ain't cheap. Can they be had at the borg?

Paul - of course, firmers they are.

Dave - would the 7440 dub the edges? And how would they be on just plain staining? There's no rust on these.

Thanks!
Scott

[george wilson]

Those non woven wheels are about $40 to $50.00 for a #9 hardness 6" diameter one 3/4" wide. They are pretty effective,but can make your surfaces uneven looking if you don't know how to grind accurately. Not that they hog off metal,but you can get some wavyness in the surfaces if you try getting all the crud off the chisels.

[Sean Hughto]

Those all look like paring chisels to me. Witherby steel is definitely nice in my experience. In cleaning them, I would just suggest using gentle grits and having patience. They are yours and they are to be used so make handles you like and shine them up as much as suits you. By the way, do you have another set for bench use; I mean, put into old Stanley parlance, these are 720s - what do you use for 750 work?

[Dave Parkis]

The 7440 will not dub the edges ( at least I haven't noticed any). IME, the ScotchBrite pads only go after the rust and don't eat away any metal. I use them to clean up planes and chisels and I think they work great. I just spray a little WD-40 on the pad and then scrub the bejeesus out of the metal. I used to use the maroon ones and found that the 7440's do a better job in about 1/4 of the time. I will point out that these pads ain't cheap (about $4 for an individual pad), but if you cut it into quarters, one pad will be more than enough for the chisels in the pic.

[David Weaver]

If you don't want to buy something to remove them power-wise because of the price, just use something fine grit wet and dry - start with 400 with a lubricant and work up to 1000 or so.

I hate to take crisp edges off of tools. The makers took pride in making them accurately enough not to have everything rounded over, and they draw your eye.

I don't needlessly clean tools now, though I spent a lot of time doing it when I first got into the hobby. I'd rather see chisels like those plum brown or blued than shiny. But anything is OK as long as the crispness is kept.

[Scott M Perry]

Sean, I have some AI bevel edge bench chisels, some chaff cobbled together, but really not many chisels, and always wanting for a different size it seems.

Dave, are the 7440s available at, say, Pep Boys?

Scott