Paring chisels

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There are numerous types of chisels many dedicated and designed for a special function. 

Amongst them a relatively unknown one is the Paring chisel. As it name implies it is designed to pare which is to remove very small amounts of material in a very controlled manner. Another disappearing tool but are still available from only a couple of sources such as Sorby in England who still makes them with the utmost care and quality. That are not cheap and are available in 1/2”, 1”, and 1-1/2”. The 1” version is the most useful. It is essentially a precision instrument.What allows it to do that is the long thin blade which is somewhat flexible. It is mainly that flexibility coupled with an absolute razor sharp edge that allows such controlled  material removal.  It is always pushed and never struck. The long blade allows also for very controlled directional pushing. 

Long thin flexible blade

 

Razor sharp edge . Back ground absolutely flat and polished to a mirror finish

 

Cuts are first made oversized with saw

 

 

Paring chisel is then used to take it down to finish line. In this case with beveled shoulders on end grain no other tool would be able to be used correctly or efficiently. Chisel leaves a glass smooth surface essential for a good glue bond.

 

Blade is bent slightly in use by applying pressure with thumb while resting on index finger as chisel is pushed. Slight pressure with other hand at handle aids and controls flex. Sides of chisel are also used as a reference straight edge for surfaces being pared. 

 

Alcohol is used on end  grain to soften it prior to paring with chisel. It will dry quickly with no effect on wood whatsoever 

 

 

thinner than paper translucent end grain shavings produced by paring chisel. 

 

The end result .A perfectly fitting clean precise surface unattainable with any other tool.

[JimSraj 338]

Absolutely beautiful work!  How long does it take you to make that tenon and the angled shoulders?

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2 hours ago, JimSraj said:

Absolutely beautiful work!  How long does it take you to make that tenon and the angled shoulders?

Thank you. It depends on how well it goes but it could be a couple of hours sometimes. It’s a tedious process since the process is all made with hand tools . Starts with cutting the actual tenon slightly oversized then fitting it tightly to mortise . Once in the mortise about two thirds of way the shoulders shape can now be scribed . Since they are different one being steeper than the other more material has to be taken from the flatter one otherwise that one will reach its destination before the steeper one. Once they are 99% of the way there a piece of carbon paper is used to determine the final paring. During all of this one of course has to pound it in and out many times also being careful not to crack anything. Most of the time spent is with the beveled shoulders. 
 

 The beveled shoulders start with the fact that the natural edge of the slab was already there. Rather than ripping the whole slab straight and creating a flat straight edge one merely planes another bevel on the high side of slab creating the “V”. This way the whole slab is utilized. Although much more difficult and labor intense the end result is superior to square straight shoulders. 
 

 

 

[oliver2-44 8,871]

Thanks for sharing such amazing knowledge and skill.

Softening hardwood with alcohol is an interesting trick I can use.

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5 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

Thanks for sharing such amazing knowledge and skill.

Softening hardwood with alcohol is an interesting trick I can use.

Thank you. When working end grain of particularly hardwoods such as when trimming a miter with a block plane softening it prior helps greatly. Mineral spirits also work however alcohol evaporates quicker and penetrates deeper. It also has the benefit in an oily wood such as teak of neutralizing the oiliness so glue will adhere better. 
  Someone very influential in my life always got a kick of watching people’s expressions as he would lick the end of a mitered casing prior to adjusting it with a block plane. Sometimes someone just to bust him would point out that there was still a tiny gap. He would just say “listen I just ran out of spit”. I miss those old guys . They were lifetimes of knowledge and experience.