chisels and metal ring on handle

Cynthia,

What metal ring? Where is it on the chisel?

Is it the ring of metal or the cap on the end of the handle to keep it from splitting when hit with a mallet?

Is it the ring of metal where the chisel steel disappears into the handle, the ferrule? The ferrule keeps the chisel handle from splitting when force is applied to the chisel proper.

Enjoy,

JimB
 
If the metal ring is at the far end of the handle it's known as a "hoop". If it's on the end closest to the metal part of the chisel, it's known as a "ferrule". I don't like hoops and don't think they're necessary (except maybe on Japanese chisels - and even then I don't like them). The hoop is there so that when you beat the hell out of your chisel, the hoop keeps the wood handle from splitting. But you don't normally beat a chisel that much. Old mortise chisels, known as pigstickers, do not have a hoop on them and they are beat pretty hard. If you hit your chisel with a wooden mallet you won't beat up the end of your chisel handle very much - or it will take you a long time to mushroom them badly.

The reason I don't like hoops is because when I use the chisel in push mode, the hoop and the rough end of the handle are not comfortable in my hand. I have a set of Japanese chisels and I rehandled them with western type handles. (Japanese chisels are traditionally hit with a metal hammer so the end of the chisel handle gets mushroomed pretty badly - I hit mine with a wooden mallet.)

Also, it's very easy to make chisel handles so if you do bung up the end of your chisel handle it's easy to make a new handle.

If you're referring to the ferrule, that is necessary and does not cause any problems with the handling of the chisel.

Mike
 
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