I'm a knife maker. Do I make chisels?

N.N

N.N

Well-Known Member
backstory....So I've got a guy that (finally after almost a month late) just paid for his knife, I agreed for to what I thought was a partial trade. He shows up with no cash and trade value for the entire price. Ok, at least I'm being compensated, finally. The file knife he wanted I really didn't want to do, but he said it was going to be a gift and it was pretty easy. Ever I took the order and when delivered, he's brought me several pieces of scrap steel of unknown origin and type trying to get me to "turn them into knives."

Now to his most recent request, and what he actually wants, with more to come, and probably more of him trying to sell me his scrap steel and "great wood for a knife" that he plucked out of some house and has no idea what it is. Honestly he does have some good wood, but I'm really not interested except on an as needed basis. I don't need anymore exotic wood added to my exotic wood box.

Here I am trying to determine if this is something I even want to attempt. I don't do this to make chisels. While it's possible and it kinda fits into the genre, it doesn't really interest me.

Anyway... He wants a set of chisels, no handle (because he'll do it himself). I can't find pictures of these chisels like he's showed me and described. If you imagine, they look like a bell-like shaped chisel head on a stick. Meaning the body is thinner than the head and the head juts out to either side with an angled chisel edge.

Does anybody know of these or what they are called? What kind of steel would you use for a wood chisel like this? If you've ever made a custom chisel, please let me know. It really wouldn't be that hard I don't think. I just need as much info as possible to determine If I really want to work with this guy on this with all I've already gone through and if it's worth it or not. Thanks!
 
Just my personal opinion.....I think most of use have been down a similar road. My advice is.....Either make the whole thing....or don't make it at all. I say this because there was a time (way back when I first started and didn't know any better) I made finished blades for a few people who wanted to put their own guards and handles on the knives. I was at least wise enough to NOT stamp those blades with my name, but in the majority of cases, the individual(s) turn out what I considers a really crappy looking finished knife......and even though my name wasn't on the blade(s), the individuals would tell people... "it's an Ed Caffrey knife." Which made me look terrible, because the associated me with a badly put together/finished knife. After I realized what was happening.....I completly stopped anything other then finished knives leaving my shop.

Next, on the issue of folks wanting to "trade".....if it's something I really want or need, then I consider trades, BUT!.... I NEVER trade for "steel" or "handle materials".....that's just asking to take it in the shorts! Non-Knifemakers, who know a knifemaker often think that any scrap of steel they find laying around will "make a great knife!" and think they have a "treasure". Same with handle materials....when someone comes to me saying something like "I have a deer antler.....and would like you to make me a knife, and use it for the handle." I generally don't even try to explain, but simply tell them I don't do that. The reason being, they usually show up with something that is impossible to make a handle from....and they think it's worth twice what the knife might cost.

On the aspect of making wood chisels.....they are tougher then you might think. If you've not done many, consider the fact that it will often require several "experiments" to nail the correct heat treat for a given style. That means unless your versed in making chisels, you're going to make serveral, before you get it "right". OK, let me explain that a bit differently....IF you want a quality product, that the individual isn't going to complain about, and that's not gone come back to you bit you in the butt, you're gone have to experiment....which takes time, effort, and materials. Is the trade worth it to you?

O.K., having said all that, it's gona boil down to what YOU want to do, and how you wish to be viewed.....do you want to be a "knifemaker"? A "trader"? A "Tinkerer'? It's whatever you're comfortable with, and what direction you want to take your knifemaking. Speaking strictly for myself, I have found that the hardest thing to achieve, and the easiest thing to loose in this business is your reputation.....so I guard mine very closely. I away consider how something will affect my reputation BEFORE I do it, and if there are any "red flags" I simply don't.
 
I only make complete knives.
I only buy steel from reputable suppliers.
I Don't make a first of a new tool for a customer.

Trades? if its something I really want, or know I can sell.
 
Let's see where this stands. You don't know if the steel that he wants to trade is any good. You don't want the wood that he has and you really don't want to take the order. Is there anything that I'm missing, other than you don't want to offend him. What you need to do is tell him that you don't waste your time with mystery metal. You don't want anymore wood and you don't make chisels. Especially for people who are late in paying for previous jobs and then just brings more steel to trade that you don't want.

Doug
 
The trade was worth it and something I wanted (not wood or steel), just not necessarily for the entire payment. Perhaps I didn't make that clear to him. And would be a good contact to have for certain things in the future. He is a wood worker and has some nice wood to offer, I just don't need it except on a knife by knife basis and not that much. He just doesn't know any better about the steel I think. And his reason for being late is acceptable.

It's not as much the details as is is the "it's always something" syndrome. You know what I mean? Think about the movie "The Cable Guy".

I've just got to decide If I want to venture off the beaten path a little and deal with it. It could be worth it in the long run for several different reasons I'm not going to get into here. I really appreciate some of the advise so far and I might just do this for him on a "I don't think it's going to work like you want it because I'm not a chisel maker, but if they work for you in your wood making then great. If not, I'm not guaranteeing any of this work"

So, on to wood chisels. Anyone done them before? I'm kinda thinking 1095 tempered at a lower temp to keep it harder. Perhaps o1 would be better and harder. But even D2 would be better I know, just never heat treated D2. What do you guys think?
 
go online and look at good quality low volume wood chisels. most you will find are made of O1 or A2. dont know how you would to do the bell end. I have been looking at making one that is full tang with 4 or 5 pins. i also found some that use a round tapered tang that fits into the handle. here is a how to page i found. http://www.woodcentral.com/woodwork...bj/tool-construction-chisels-and-lathe-tools/
would be an interesting thing to make, but as others have said, i would not want to sell the "test mule."
 
There is a lot of engineering to an entire set of chisels. You will have a lot of time involved in research and machining and testing. Then this fellow will return a thousand times for you to tweak them gratis. I know I sound negative here. I'm a machine shop owner not a knife maker but you are describing a nightmare customer.(ask me how I know....) I would run from that guy. If you don't, get everything on paper....he already bested you once.
 
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