I have a 19" long, 30mm Japanese paring chisel, with a tricky problem. I need opinions on how to fix it. (Brian, are you reading this? )
Here's the patient:
I assume this is a typical Japanese tang design, though I don't know that for sure. I'm not brave enough to try to take it apart. (Not without expert instruction, hence this thread.)
Look at where the bolster meets the ferrule. It is loose. The ferrule itself is seated firmly to the handle, but the main neck is slightly loose in the ferrule. It doesn't move side-to-side, but moves up-down freely, maybe 2-3 mm. You can see in the pics how it's hanging low, from gravity.The resultant movement at the business-end is at least 1/4".
There is a 2" crack in the handle itself, right at the ferrule, but this crack does not compress if I clamp it.
I rarely use this chisel, & when I do a little duct tape does the trick, but I'd like to fix it, and do so correctly.
Can anyone send me down the right path?
----------------
Also, as you can see clearly in the third pic, the neck (shank?) is quite curved. I think it may have been forged that way. Again, this is not a huge problem, you get used to it very quickly, but I sure wish t was straight.
Would you attempt to straighten it somehow, (it's probably soft / wrought iron) or leave it be?
THANKS.