I am getting around to re-handling some ancient Buck Brothers and Addis carving chisels (warning - major gloat at the end of the post) (and 17 vintage Taylors) in cherry. One, for the looks, two for a better feel in the hand, and three, so my son's will be more likely to keep them and remember Dad when they go down the rabbet-hole and start using them later in life. Honestly, the last one is the primary reason.
Here are a couple of pics of the smaller and larger carving chisel handles:
chisel handle cherry large & small.jpgchisel handle cherry large.jpg
I am getting ready to give one of my sons a set of Ashley Isles bench chisels and wanted your opinion. Is cherry a suitable wood for a chisel where one might use a mallet? I will send him a Wood is Good Poly mallet when I send the Ashley Isles. The insert in the larger handle is a 1/2" long 5/8" diameter plug of bloodwood with a 5/16" diameter 1-inch long brass dowel going into the handle.
I am thinking of re-handling the Ashley Isles with the larger of the two styles shown above. The cherry is really beautiful and the handle style has a much nicer feel in the hand.
Is cherry a good idea? Or would curly maple be advised? I know the maple is harder and tougher, but wanted your ideas on the cherry and whether it is "tough enough".
Your thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Many Kind Regards . . . Allen
My once in a lifetime gloat
Several years ago I stumbled upon a cache of about a dozen and a half of Addis and buck brothers carving chisels and a couple of Swan chisels (1/8 and 1/4 inch mortise chisels it appears), a sweet set of rosewood handled tiny chisels, a tiny Arkansas slip stone set , a few misc. goodies, an antique wood tool box, oh, and a millers falls cigar spokehave in excellent condition all for $35. The handles of the Buck Bros and Addis chisels were egregiously ugly and unfinished. The Swan socket chisels had no handles and someone had beaten on the sockets @#$^&* (but they finished nicely). They were so dirty when I bought them that I had no idea what I had until I got around to cleaning them up a year or so later!