Mortice chisel purchass

[Hugo]

I picked up this mortice chisel and small cleaver at my local boot market this morning, I have wanted a chisel like this for some time, well pleased is an understatement, as to the cleaver I already have four of them so this one will join them for a while.
I like the way the chisel tapers down from the cutting edge so as not to get stuck when working in depth.
What do you think! good purchases, I think well worth getting out of bed early for.

 

[Biker]

I've got an exact same mortice chisel as that Hugo, strong as houses! Nice one.

It's always nice when you got to a boot fair and find just the thing you're looking for, but that flush of joy is soon gone when you realise the search is now over and you have to find something else to seek out. It's the same with me on ebay. Anyway pleased you got what you were after. Is that how they were before the clean up or afterwards?

 

[Hugo]

Thanks Biker, cleaned up the chisel steel and both handles had a light sand and some linseed oil, job done.
Looking for a wider blade chisel the same type, always something to look out for mate.

 

[demographic]

I don't often see proper mortice chisels secondhand, good find.
I see loads of registered mortice chisels, firmer and bevel edged chisels but the ones with the very deep blade are quite rare.
What make is it?

One thing that tickles me is the test that I read about for a "Bushcraft knife" which involves battering it deep into wood then prising it out. Hell, that's a fair old test for a mortice chisel that's been specifically designed for the job. Even then you don't batter it in too deep before prising the waste out

 

[Hugo]

No makers name unfortunately but it cost an arm and a leg at £1.

 

[didicoy]

I have 3 of them old mortice chisels. I bought them 20 odd years ago from a "bygone" farm shop. I have used them over the years when wood turning, but never for what they were designed for. Good find. I am also a prolific carbooter & must admit to never seeing any since for sale.

 

[demographic]

No makers name unfortunately but it cost an arm and a leg at £1.

Yeah, I got an Atkinson Brothers chisel for a quid today, and an Estwing hammer for another quid. I only bought it for the washers on the grip so I could repair another one but looking at it its not that bad its self, well apart from some washers (always the few plastic ones) being missing. The leather ones are a lot longer lasting.
Its never ending.

 

[Biker]

An Estwing hammer for £1 is a fantastic bargain, but like you said those leather handled ones really were a let down when the plastic washers broke in the stacked leather handle. I bought one years ago as a spare with the same problem, I ground off the end plate restacked the leather washers and had the butt end plate welded back on. Worked fine except for an irritating ringing sound when I used it to hammer anything. Finally gave it to a mate over here who needed a hammer, he was over the moon about it too.

 

[demographic]

An Estwing hammer for £1 is a fantastic bargain, but like you said those leather handled ones really were a let down when the plastic washers broke in the stacked leather handle. I bought one years ago as a spare with the same problem, I ground off the end plate restacked the leather washers and had the butt end plate welded back on. Worked fine except for an irritating ringing sound when I used it to hammer anything. Finally gave it to a mate over here who needed a hammer, he was over the moon about it too.

You might not believe this but the one I'm restoring is my first Estwing (20 ounce) and the main reason I'm repairing it is because that one has the ringing, the one I bought to replace it when those crappy few placky washers died doesn't sing when its used.
For some reason I like that "singing" noise. Plus I've had that hammer ages and I'd like to keep using my first one.
Then there's the old one with the different style of head and very curved claws I bought for four or so quid, that's got a rattly handle as well, again its the plastic washers that are gone and the leather washers are fine.

I also have a 24 ounce ripclawed 16" long framing hammer which I use for shuttering and timber framing.
Oh and as that went missing for a while (someone at work borrowed it when they went to another site for a few weeks, not realising it was mine despite the fact my name is engraved into the shaft) I got a 25 ounce framing hammer as well.
I seem to have a fair surplus of Estwings.
3 number 20 ounce curved class, leather washer type.
1 number 20 ounce old style with the different head and very curved claws leather washer type.
1 number 24 ounce ripclawed framing type.
1 number 25 ounce ripclawed framing type.

Not to mention the fact that I can't go into my local secondhand tools place without picking up a chisel for a quid.
I've got masses of them, registered mortice chisels, paring chisels, skew chisels, many long gone manufacturers names and logos on them and quite a few Robert Sorbys which are still made and command quite a price.
Not one single proper mortice chisel like that above though. And I have been looking.
Not fussed enough to bother with Ebay though.

Realistically I just think I have a problem.