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Mushrooming chisel handles?

Mushrooming chisel handles? (post #148321)

GoYouSalukis on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 09:17

Hand Tools

I saw this article about chisels:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuide/ToolGuidePDF.aspx?id=31061

In the article, Chris Gochnour notes this for the best value Japanese chisel - the Grizzly:

"The end of the handle must be mushroomed over to set the hoop in place, so plan on 30 minutes per chisel for this task. "

I have a set of old Hirsch chisels I bought off of craigslist. They have a loose hoop around the end (presumably so the ends don't split when struck with a mallet). The looseness has always bothered me, but I assumed the wood shrunk a bit. Should they be mushroomed, and if so how do you mushroom a chisel end?

Thanks,

Justin

As long as the hoops don't (post #148321, reply #1 of 7)

by noviceneil in reply to GoYouSalukis [original] on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 09:43

As long as the hoops don't fall off when you invert them they should be fine.

Neil

Justin, As Neil stated, as (post #148321, reply #2 of 7)

by flairwoodworks in reply to GoYouSalukis [original] on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 11:03

Justin,

As Neil stated, as long as the hoops stay on, you're okay. But if the looseness bothers you, you can tighten them. In Toshio Odate's book, Japanese Tools, he says to soak the end of the handle in water to swell it, then mushroom the end by lightly striking it with a hammer held at an angle (30-45 degrees seems right to me). I don't have anywhere near the experience with this as Odate, but it seems to me that soaking a handle in water would cause the wood to swell, but as it dries, it would return to its too-small state. If that happens, you could try using something like Veritas' Chair Doctor Glue which is made to swell wood, then dry to hold the swelled shape.

Chris @ www.flairwoodworks.com
and http://flairwoodworks.wordpress.com

- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

I bought two of the grizzly (post #148321, reply #3 of 7)

by clinton66 in reply to GoYouSalukis [original] on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 11:53

I bought two of the grizzly japanese chisels after reading that article and I wish I had bought a whole set. I honed the back and sharpend them with no seconadry bevel. I have never sharpened them again and used them to chop countless dovetails and they will still shave hair off my arm. They excell at chopping, not so great for paring because of their shape, but well worth the money. My only complaint was having to mushroom the handle which is really my fault because I did a poor job.

clint, so, how'd ya do it? (post #148321, reply #4 of 7)

by Eef in reply to clinton66 [original] on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 12:06

clint,

so, how'd ya do it? the mushrooming, i mean...

eef

I followed the instructions (post #148321, reply #5 of 7)

by clinton66 in reply to Eef [original] on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 12:30

I followed the instructions on this link http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=NEXT&StoreCode=toolstore&nextpage=/extra/setting_hoop_guide.html

The hoops are still loose and one will come off if i really pull on it. Like I said it was my first attempt and I think the instructions are good, my execution was poor. The chisels still work extremely well so I'm not worried.

Great link! Thanks (post #148321, reply #6 of 7)

by GoYouSalukis in reply to clinton66 [original] on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 07:41

Great link! Thanks

In my view, a loose hoop (post #148321, reply #7 of 7)

by RalphBarker in reply to GoYouSalukis [original] on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 09:56

In my view, a loose hoop suggests that the wood used for the handle wasn't dried sufficiently before the handle was formed and the hoop added. If the hoop is loose, it can't actually do its job of preventing the end from splitting.

I'd suggest removing the hoop, adding a loop of veneer around the end of the handle, and then tapping the hoop "home" again using a drive-pin punch with the chisel held in a vice. Soaking the very tip of the protruding handle will help soften the wood fibers a bit, making the edges easier to mushroom. I use a metal hammer to mushroom, and strike just the edge of the handle end with a glancing blow, working around the circumfrence.