Do you know anything about mortise axes Jack?

[mr dazzler]

Or anyone else on the forum?
I remember you posted a picture of your excelent twybill some time ago Jack. But I wonder if you have any experience with the bigger mortice axes or bisaigues?
I think it could be a good way for me to chop big mortises for frames, but finding information is difficult to say the least.
Cheers, Jonathan

 

[Bardster]

Or anyone else on the forum?
I remember you posted a picture of your excelent twybill some time ago Jack. But I wonder if you have any experience with the bigger mortice axes or bisaigues?
I think it could be a good way for me to chop big mortises for frames, but finding information is difficult to say the least.
Cheers, Jonathan

Just checked my dictionary of woodworking tools and it has no reference for anything larger than that used by hurdle makers. Foro mortice axe it references twybill. If you are in the south it may be worth a look at the Bentley Wood Fair next week - if it exists someone will have it there

 

[george]

Gransfors Bruks make them - two types.

You can get them through Dick tools http://www.dick.biz/

I've never tried one but they obviously do the trick or they wouldn't have bothered inventing them several hundred years ago! Looks like they would take a lot of skill to get accurate with though.

What are you building Jonathan?

George

George

 

[OldJimbo]

Mortise axes come up regularly on ebay under collectibles - tools - woodworking - axes. They come in all sizes from almost hatchet sized to huge for bridge/barn timbers. Obviously they demand lots of skill - most of us remember our first mortises made with chisels in woodwork class!

 

[stotRE]

I'm a timberframer and i have seen a mortice axe used in boat building but never in timberframing.

If your after building a barn/house your better off with a 1 1/2" framing chisel and a 3 pound mallet.
Hog out the mortice with an auger and then use your chisel.
If you can find a reasonably priced slick they are great for cleaning the sides of the mortice.

for deep mortices the axe would leave you with a knuckle rash you wouldn't believe

 

[Jared]

Just stumbled across http://www.wealddown.co.uk/gransfors-bruks-axes.htm

 

[mr dazzler]

I've never tried one but they obviously do the trick or they wouldn't have bothered inventing them several hundred years ago! Looks like they would take a lot of skill to get accurate with though.

Precisely what I thought. The swedish, german, etc carpenters who used them cant all have been wrong. An axe can be a good slicing tool but most folks think of it as exclusively a chopping tool. I know about chisels and slicks and all that, I was just curious as to why mortise axes fell out of favour, and how they were used originally. I reckon they used pilot holes first the same as when carpenters are chiselling there mortises.
I will build a house with a post and beam frame, probaly scribe rule rather than square rule style

Thanks for your replies

 

[demographic]

I'm a timberframer and i have seen a mortice axe used in boat building but never in timberframing.

If your after building a barn/house your better off with a 1 1/2" framing chisel and a 3 pound mallet.
Hog out the mortice with an auger and then use your chisel.
If you can find a reasonably priced slick they are great for cleaning the sides of the mortice.

for deep mortices the axe would leave you with a knuckle rash you wouldn't believe

Not done that much in the way of framing myself but I work as a joiner and thats how I would do it with handtools.

More versatile than a mortice axe I would have thought, don't fancy being on pricework using a mortice axe.
Registered mortice chisels are pretty tough as well as they are stronger than normal bevel edged chisels but still wider than a reglar mortice chisel.

At the moment I am looking at buying some all steel chisels for when I am doing rough work.

 

[stotRE]

Them all steel chisels are great! buy a set!!!

I have used a 1 1/4" and a 1 1/2" and they are quite nice to use.

The chisels i use at work are a Henry Taylor 1 1/2" socket framing chisel and a 2" robert sorby framing chisel.(tang).

 

[mr dazzler]

How de ye find the taylor and sorbie chisels Stot?
Will the tanged sorby take the punishment when your chopping deep, or do you use it more for paring and trimming? Steve Chapeell doesnt rate those taylor sockets, how do you find them. Will they take and keep a good edge
Thanks for your comments,
Cheers, Mr D

 

[stotRE]

Hail Mr D

I find that both types can take a beating

The socket chisel is quite popular in the US and Canada were as us brits seem to favour the tang.

To be honest i don't get too anal about it because they are tools after all that are there to earn you a living.
They both keep a keen edge and i use nothing more than a DMT stone to keep them in tiptop condition.(i don't use a waterstone because it would only get broken on site).

I feel that the henry taylor socket chisel absorbs the mallet strikes better than the robert sorby which reduces fatique and saves my hand.
The robert sorby is longer which is good when cleaning out the bottom of a mortice as you have extra leverage.

Six and two three's really

 

[mr dazzler]

The tang thang! Just tradition I expect. Mind I have one or two very nice socketed sorby bevel edge chisels (about 60 years old I think and beautifully made)
Know what you mean about waterstones, I love them, but they too fragile. I carry a bog standard norton for out and about jobs. Ironic that the jap stones are softest but there chisel steels are the hardest.
Cheers Mr D