making chisels

[michael mott]

Today I needed a long small chisel

 

To make what I needed I began with a piece of 5/32 drill rod and filed the end into a rectangular section.

 

 

this was then polished up with some wet and dry sandpaper stuck to a strip of wood.

 

 

After hardening the end only the bevel was ground ready for shapening.

 

 

 

Finally a handle was fashioned from a piece of hard maple.

 

 

Michael

[Captain Slog]

Hi Michael,

 

Very neat.  Would you mind detailing the hardening process you employed.  I vaguely know about heating up, quenching, heating again and air cooling or vice versa.

 

Cheers

Slog

[michael mott]

Hi Slog

 

All I did was to heat the end about 1 inch at the tip to cherry red then quenched it in cold water. it was not quite hard tested it with a file, so heated it again to a very cherry red and again quenched it in the same water and then it was hard. I thought about tempering it but decided not to. if it is too brittle I will temper it that means heating it up again but watching very carefully the colour of the oxide forming on the polished surface I would take it to a dark straw colour then quench it again.

 

I did use Drill Rod which comes in just about every size up to 1 inch in 36 inch lengths. it has a ground finish and is great for making tools.

 

To soften the steel heat it to cherry red and let it cool slowly.

 

To case harden mild steel heat to hot as possible without melting it and plunge it into some carbon powder, reheat and repeat a few times and you have a hard coating on the mild steel.

 

 

Michael

Edited December 23, 2013 by michael mott

[Captain Slog]

Hi Michael,

 

Thanks for the fantastic information, most helpful

 

Cheers

Slog

[Q A's Revenge]

Nice Job Michael, lets see some shots of it in use when you're ready!

 

Another material used by woodworkers to make their own plane blades and chisels is Ground Flat Stock, sometimes called Gauge Plate. This is also easy to harden. It is available in a wide range of strip, flat and square sections. Full instructions for hardening are given on the packet.

Cromwell tools sell it amongst others.

 

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/160202/ground-flat-stock

[Doreltomin]

Hi Michael,

 

Thank you.. very interesting and helpful hint! Would you mind to tell also what you use to heat the material to cherry red? An open fire is enough for that or you need also some kind of blower to heat the fire up?

Edited December 23, 2013 by Doreltomin

[michael mott]

Q A' Revenge, (what's your name?)Thanks for your kind remark and the information. I do have a sheet of 1/8th gauge plate I use it for certain tools like plane blades and also have used it for the expansion link on a live steam engine.

 

Doreltomin to heat up to cherry red you do need a very hot flame, I use an Acetylene torch, I have a large bottle and the torch uses air as the mix, a jewelers supply has them. A smaller propane torch that has a good pointed flame will also work on material if the amount of metal is not too large.

 

Michael

[jud]

Michael: Like your Case Hardening method, probably give it a try using charcoal. Do you leave the oxidation on for all dips or do you re-polish each time? Drill rod is great stuff and I have found Key way stock is be handy for milling small items. Color is what has been used for a long time to determine temperature, the reason you found the forges in a dark corner in blacksmith shops.

jud

[Q A's Revenge]

Propane or MAPP gas torch is handy for small stuff. You can heat bigger stuff with one if you can concentrate the heat with refractory fire bricks. Charcoal is good though, I've got mild steel up to melting temperature in a home made forge.

 

Another name for Ground Flat Stock is "01" tool steel, but most old timers wouldn't call it that.

 

Vic.

[muzzleloader]

I have made small chisels using allen wrenches. No tempering needed just sharpen and stick in a handle. Of course you can't get the length but you can make very small chisels.

 

Mark

[michael mott]

Vic thanks, the chisel in in use here

Janos, Yes I think that it is called silver steel in the UK as well.

Mark, that is a great idea.

 

There really is something special about making your own tools.

 

Michael

[Q A's Revenge]

I assume 'drill rod' is equal to 'silver steel'?

Janos

Similar. Here in the UK Silver Steel is specifically BS-1407 grade tool steel. In the USA "Drill Rod" can be one of several different steels each with a different chemical composition.

 

Thanks for the link Michael. Agreed, making tools is special, and quite addictive once you start!

[grsjax]

There are three types of drill rod, A, O and W or air, water and oil hardening.  Which type are you using?

[Bill Hime]

Michael,

What a great tutorial! And your so right, there is nothing like making your own tools. It takes a true artisan to know his craft well enough to create tools to fit his needs. And that is a very fine looking chisel indeed.

 

Warm Regards,

 

Bill

[michael mott]

Gr, I have to confess I have no idea, the store that i purchased this stuff from many years ago simply had a rack of various diameters of drill rod, I purchased a few sizes at the time. When I was an apprentice in the mid sixties we did use oil for some things because it slowed the cooling process rather than the shock of cold water.

 

There have been a great many changes in metalworking since I learned the few things I know and my career path did not require that I keep up with them all the whole CNC process for instance is completely foreign to me.

 

I deal with backlash on my machines and have to calculate amounts from simple dials.

 

Bill thanks for the kind remarks, I do not have much disposable income so I have to make do with materials I have on hand. I scrounge a lot from odd sources as well.

 

Michael