Shop modified registered chisel

Dan Gonzales

Member
Messages
511
Location
Whittier, CA, USA
I am working on some high beds for my daughters (post when completed) that required some 3/8" mortise work. I thought I had a 3/8" chisel, turns out I don't. I tried to find an older bench chisel to match my "vintage" Stanleys, but none readily available on the web at this time. So I went to Lowe's to get a Stanley FatMax since they're cheap, forged and Sheffield steel. As I had the 3/8" one in my hand inspiration struck. I bought the 5/8" one instead for $10.

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I took it home and blocked it in my drill press vise with shims below and on one side. I chucked up a mounted point on the drill press that I normally use on a die grinder.

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After putting on my safety shield, dust mask and close fitting work gloves I spent the next hour taking tiny grinds off the edges of the chisel. The temperature never got high enough to worry about losing the temper.

I kept grinding keeping parallel to the factory edge of the bevel. When I got to .410" I took some measurements with a trusty micrometer and adjusted for .010" out of parallel. I worked both sides down to .374" and ended up only .002" off. I worked the rest off on a granite block with sharpening paper.

Here's the end product.

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I have always balked at buying mortise chisels or registered chisels because I don't often need them. But now I might grind some more in 1/4", 5/16" and 9/16 as these are the mortises I tend to use with my mortising machine.

An inexpensive solution to a small problem I had.

Cheers.
 
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The registered chisel has straight sides (like a mortise chisel) instead of beveled/chamfered sides (like a bench chisel). Compare the sides of the chisel in the first pic with the one in the fourth pic. ;)
 
As Vaughn said a registered chisel has flat sides instead of a bevel edge. As you chop out a mortise the sides of the chisel register against the side of the mortise to keep it square.

Here is the $40 version from Sorby.

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The more robust sash chisel helps you chop out deeper mortises again taking advantage of the flat sides, in this case very large in comparison to the blade width. Sometimes referred to as pig stickers.

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Holding the Stanley FatMax I noticed two things that made me consider working it down into my home ground registered chisel. How thick it was compared to a typical "quality" bench chisel and the steel tang running all the way thought the handle. Also for $50 I could have a set of chisels for mortising. I know it isn't the same quality steel as the $40 versions, but they will work just fine for my needs.

Hope this makes sense.
 
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i knew the difference between a mortise chisel and the bench just didnt see that happening in your method but now i can after i look at it in a different light. thanks dan
 
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