Estate Sale Finds

[Jim Koepke]

I have been a bit under the weather of late. Yesterday we went into town for dentist and doctor appointments. Happened to go buy an estate sale on the way home and decided to stop.

I spent $1.75 for three items. Not shown was a nice German steak knife for $0.50.

328939.25 What a Deal.jpg

The chisel is a Witherby. I almost left if behind since I have a few 1" chisels and this one had a mushroomed socket. It has since been ground a bit. There is a lot more work to go. The big surprise is it is a 7/8" chisel. I didn't even bother to measure it until today.

Honed the spoke shave blade a bit:

Baby Shave.jpg

Nice little shave for those tight spots.

jtk

[Don Orr]

You seem to have a knack for finding neat things. Nice score.

[Jim Koepke]

You seem to have a knack for finding neat things. Nice score.

I think it isn't so much a knack as it is to always be looking.

If one isn't looking, they will not likely find.

jtk

[Bill Houghton]

Cute little shave.

[bridger berdel]

I pick vintage chisels anytime I can get them cheap. The sizes are often approximate, so I have lots of slightly oversize and undersize ones in the drawer.

[Jim Koepke]

Finished the chisel today. A lot of grinding to get to a good edge.

25¢ Chisel.jpg

There was quite a wear bevel on the back. It seems some old timers didn't know about sharpening.

The handle was made from some local bog cherry or some call it bitter cherry.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

Finished the chisel today. A lot of grinding to get to a good edge.

25¢ Chisel.jpg

There was quite a wear bevel on the back. It seems some old timers didn't know about sharpening.

The handle was made from some local bog cherry or some call it bitter cherry.

jtk

I was going to comment about removing the mushroom, but then I saw your picture. I have a timber framing chisel that had been used minus the handle and I filed the mushroom off.
I hit it with a wire wheel after filing and grinding. I am curious how you polished your chisel. I've tried different things, but I'm not happy with the results.

[Jim Koepke]

I was going to comment about removing the mushroom, but then I saw your picture. I have a timber framing chisel that had been used minus the handle and I filed the mushroom off.
I hit it with a wire wheel after filing and grinding. I am curious how you polished your chisel. I've tried different things, but I'm not happy with the results.

I should have taken a before picture and documented the work. But the excitement of a new toy took over.

The mushrooming was removed with a hand crank grinder. The tarnish and pitting was removed with a Veritas Mk.ll Power sharpening system and then a long strip of sandpaper was pulled around the socket back and forth while the chisel was held in a vise between blocks of wood. To remove the mushrooming from inside the socket a medium size rat tail file and a ream were used.

Much of the patina was left on the top surface. The back and side lands were done as described above and then were cleaned up a bit with various stones.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Forgot to mention I also have a buffing wheel chucked on my lathe for this kind of work.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I don't have a lathe nor a buffing wheel.

I will have to buy a buffing wheel for my 6" variable speed bench grinder (which I seldom use).

I Does anyone make a buffing spindle for a spindle sander?


Belay that!

I just found a design for a buffing cylinder to fit a Rigid spindle sander, which I have. The tip is on Lumberjocks. You cut a paint roller in two pieces and get two of them. I will let you know how it turns out.

If you spent time in the Navy, you will know what belay that means. (:-)

[Jim Koepke]

I don't have a lathe nor a buffing wheel.

I will have to buy a buffing wheel for my 6" variable speed bench grinder (which I seldom use).

What ever works. I used to use a soft cloth with rouge or lapping compound and make with a shoe shine motion.

If you spent time in the Navy, you will know what belay that means.

It is also used in The Pirates of the Caribbean series a time or two.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Jim,

Great job on the find. The chisel looks great after you worked it over. I'm not familiar with the bog cherry, and am not sure I have ever seen it, but it looks pretty tight grained.

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

I'm not familiar with the bog cherry, and am not sure I have ever seen it, but it looks pretty tight grained.

Before moving to Washington it wasn't familiar to me. It can grow pretty tall, but tends to fall over in a strong wind. It is a nice wood for tool handles.

It also is good for mallets.

Here is one I still use:

Finished Mallet.jpg

With all the rain here it grows pretty fast. Sometimes the grain is tight on one side and fat on the other.

jtk