I was at a local large craft store. They had a set of woodcarving tools,
about a dozen in various shapes of blades. They are a simple 1/2" dowel
with a piece of sharpened metal inserted into one end. Are these intended
to be used with the pressure of the hand and palm pressing against them, or
with some small hammer/mallet/hardwood rod to carve the wood. They look
like the blade would go right into the wood if you hammered much, and there
is no ring around the end of the wood where the blade inserts. I also have
some that have a chisel shaped handle, have the ring around the handle where
the metal inserts, and I believe are for using on a lathe. Is that correct?

Steve

Steve B wrote:
I was at a local large craft store. They had a set of woodcarving tools,
about a dozen in various shapes of blades. They are a simple 1/2" dowel
with a piece of sharpened metal inserted into one end. Are these intended
to be used with the pressure of the hand and palm pressing against them, or
with some small hammer/mallet/hardwood rod to carve the wood. They look
like the blade would go right into the wood if you hammered much, and there
is no ring around the end of the wood where the blade inserts.

Good chisel have the ring ("ferrule"). I think one feature that would
distinguish that they are for a lathe is their size. My carving chisels
are 8 to 10 inches long, and I don't think my bench chisels are much
longer. I think a (regular) chisels for turning would tend to be a few
inches longer, at least. The difference in mass is significant.

My guess is that the craft store chisels would work okay on soft clay,
wax or Balsa wood (if they are the 10 for $10 variety that I have seen)
or with a short lifespan in other applications (but not turning on a
lathe).

Bill


I also have
some that have a chisel shaped handle, have the ring around the handle where
the metal inserts, and I believe are for using on a lathe. Is that correct?

Steve

Bill wrote:
Steve B wrote:
I was at a local large craft store. They had a set of woodcarving tools,
about a dozen in various shapes of blades. They are a simple 1/2" dowel
with a piece of sharpened metal inserted into one end. Are these
intended
to be used with the pressure of the hand and palm pressing against
them, or
with some small hammer/mallet/hardwood rod to carve the wood. They look
like the blade would go right into the wood if you hammered much, and
there
is no ring around the end of the wood where the blade inserts.

Good chisel have the ring ("ferrule").

Long ago, from what I understand, chisels didn't come with a handle. The
craftman was expected to made his own handles. That wouldn't be all
that difficult, but it reveals how times have changed. The cost of labor
has gone up compared to materials, for instance. I'm reminded of the
flyer I received today from Rockler concerning a small $300 collection
of plastic tools from Kreg:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...1&site=ROCKLER

I haven't tried them yet, but I'm sure they are a great value to
everyone who uses them! The are regularly $419, and will help sell a
lot of $16 glue bottles on the next shelf (seriously, they may!)

Yes, I do get frustrated when I walk through a retail store (like Koel's
yesterday) and see "sale prices" that make me feel like they think I'm
an idiot. But like Leon noted, the markup has little to do with the
actual value to the customer. Thus, it makes sense that the retailer
would put all of the value (that the tools possess) that they can into
their pockets. Although I'm not sure it's good for the customer-relailer
relationship in the long run. But this relationship seems be to be
viewed in a short-sighted manner these days.

On a similar note, more and more states are trying to draw more taxes
from state lotteries. Surely the price of a ticket is a small price to
pay for such a shortcut to wealth! : ) On the other hand, Hungary
made a law this week making slot machines in pubs illegal. Interesting
article he

http://www.boston.com/news/world/eur...ekL/story.html





I think one feature that would
distinguish that they are for a lathe is their size. My carving chisels
are 8 to 10 inches long, and I don't think my bench chisels are much
longer. I think a (regular) chisels for turning would tend to be a few
inches longer, at least. The difference in mass is significant.

My guess is that the craft store chisels would work okay on soft clay,
wax or Balsa wood (if they are the 10 for $10 variety that I have seen)
or with a short lifespan in other applications (but not turning on a
lathe).

Bill


I also have
some that have a chisel shaped handle, have the ring around the handle
where
the metal inserts, and I believe are for using on a lathe. Is that
correct?

Steve

Bill wrote:


Yes, I do get frustrated when I walk through a retail store (like
Koel's yesterday) and see "sale prices" that make me feel like they
think I'm an idiot. But like Leon noted, the markup has little to do
with the actual value to the customer. Thus, it makes sense that the
retailer would put all of the value (that the tools possess) that
they can into their pockets. Although I'm not sure it's good for the
customer-relailer relationship in the long run. But this relationship
seems be to be viewed in a short-sighted manner these days.


It's not just these days Bill. The notion of the nobel retailer is a
romantic notion in the minds of those who pine for things of yesteryear. In
fact, years ago retailers were not looked upon kindly at all. They were not
trusted, and many if not most people viewed them as greedy. I don't thinks
there's much that's any different today than there has ever been. There's
always been the noteworthy place that believed in giving genuinely good
deals, and there still are today. Today, just like in years past, you just
have to find them because they are a unique thing in their industry.


On a similar note, more and more states are trying to draw more taxes
from state lotteries. Surely the price of a ticket is a small price to
pay for such a shortcut to wealth! : ) On the other hand, Hungary
made a law this week making slot machines in pubs illegal. Interesting
article he


Good for them! I'll bet that shortened the lines at the cash register in
the local quick-stops. There's few things that I hate more than getting
stuck behind lottery ticket buyers at the cash register...

--

-Mike-

Mike Marlow wrote:
I don't thinks
there's much that's any different today than there has ever been. There's
always been the noteworthy place that believed in giving genuinely good
deals, and there still are today. Today, just like in years past, you just
have to find them because they are a unique thing in their industry.

I cashed-in on my "good deals" at an auction this weekend. The 7
Henckel's woodcarving tools for $20 was only so-so, but 3 new leather
attache-type bags for $10 (for all 3) was very nice. I had been looking
for one to replace the worn one I have, and they were not less than
$100. My wife wanted the other 2 bags. The auctioneer said, "Put
whatever you want on the table". Of course, it took 5 hours to get to
that part of the auction.

It was the first time I had been there, and there was a lumber store
right next door! So I came home with a piece of wood I have been
shopping for too. It was a 1/2" thick 5 1/2" wide, 8' piece of poplar,
for $14.50. I don't want to calculate the price per board-ft. ; ) Would
it be priced on the basis of 4 board-ft since it was dimensioned to 1/2"
thick? I don't like to think that I paid that much for 2 board feet of
poplar! : )

I plan to use the board to build a "keyboard stand"--a SketchUp picture
Of which I posted on my web site last spring, I think. [We debated the
best way to make a groove for pencils. I don't recall if handcarving
tools were mentioned then, but they are an available alternative for the
task now.]

Cheers,
Bill

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:29:19 -0400, Bill wrote:

Mike Marlow wrote:
I don't thinks
there's much that's any different today than there has ever been. There's
always been the noteworthy place that believed in giving genuinely good
deals, and there still are today. Today, just like in years past, you just
have to find them because they are a unique thing in their industry.

I cashed-in on my "good deals" at an auction this weekend. The 7
Henckel's woodcarving tools for $20 was only so-so, but 3 new leather
attache-type bags for $10 (for all 3) was very nice. I had been looking
for one to replace the worn one I have, and they were not less than
$100. My wife wanted the other 2 bags. The auctioneer said, "Put
whatever you want on the table". Of course, it took 5 hours to get to
that part of the auction.

You suck, Bill. (nice buys)


It was the first time I had been there, and there was a lumber store
right next door! So I came home with a piece of wood I have been
shopping for too. It was a 1/2" thick 5 1/2" wide, 8' piece of poplar,
for $14.50. I don't want to calculate the price per board-ft. ; ) Would
it be priced on the basis of 4 board-ft since it was dimensioned to 1/2"
thick? I don't like to think that I paid that much for 2 board feet of
poplar! : )

OK, then I won't say it. Why didn't you use some of your stash of
baltic birch ply for that project? You DO have a stash, oui?



I plan to use the board to build a "keyboard stand"--a SketchUp picture
Of which I posted on my web site last spring, I think. [We debated the
best way to make a groove for pencils. I don't recall if handcarving
tools were mentioned then, but they are an available alternative for the
task now.]

I hope that board hasn't been sitting around for too long. Poplar is
like balsa when it's fresh, but aged, it's more like oak. Amazing.
It's like doug fir in the sense that it petrifies when really dry.

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin