Make cheap chisels AMAZING with this traditional handle.

[@k.levirusco3834]

“Everything is a hammer unless it’s a screwdriver, then it’s a chisel.” -some shade tree mechanic

[@kiandevin4855]

you all prolly dont care at all but does any of you know a method to log back into an instagram account?? I stupidly forgot the account password. I love any tips you can give me!

[@LittleGreyWolfForge]

@@kiandevin4855why on this video?

[@LittleGreyWolfForge]

😂😂

[@techheck3358]

@@LittleGreyWolfForge its a scam, 1 account posts that question, a second account answers it by giving someones username, a third account sings its praises of how good that person was. a victim reaches out to said person, gives them money, they run off with it. youtube's spam filter caught the last 2 messages, but not the first one, probably

[@LittleGreyWolfForge]

@@techheck3358 oh i get it

[@PeteLewisWoodwork]

Your 'ring on the bit' to keep things level is an old trick that I was taught many years ago, it still works well but is not appreciated when I use it at work. I'm always told that those kind of tricks are outdated. I don't think - or rather - I know they are not outdated! Good to see you're keeping it alive.

[@briantaylor9266]

06:30 "a little less than a third of the stock thickness" For anyone that's interested, I did the ciphering and the guzzintas, and that translates to 0.293 times the stock thickness. So if your stock is 1.0625" (26.99mm) then your scribe lines should be at 0.311" (7.91mm) from the edge of the stock.

[@pedrosolis7497]

I appreciate you doing double the the work to show us how to make these without a lathe and as usual all the information/explanations/jokes/resources you provide in you videos.

[@nxtniklas]

For the polishing with strips of sandpaper: back it with duct tape and it will be less likely to rip!

[@ian-duh]

🤯 holy crap, great tip

[@johnbesharian9965]

@@ian-duh, "Well 'Duh'!"

[@wernerviehhauser94]

A tip so obvious that nobody thought of it ;-)

[@Blasthoff]

Better than "duct tape" is "strapping tape" which is pliable but almost indestructible. It won't tear and will stay stuck without the "sticky" bleeding. It has just enough body to give a great feel while conforming to almost any shape! After applying to sandpaper you can also cut very narrow strips that will hold up if you need them!!

[@andrewpeacock5751]

Tried this and couldn't get the duct tape back to stay glued to my glass.

[@dmike1379]

I'm ready for the 1 year follow up on these chisels.

[@TaiWanWaf]

I’m ready for the four year follow up

[@christopherbarnes6976]

Thank you so much for the no lathe version!

[@haroldneely9253]

I have watched many wood working series over the years. I’ve bought dvd’s, magazines and books but have never seen the wedding ring trick 👍

[@wibblywobblyidiotvision]

The ring trick for drilling is golden. Thanks.

[@japavao97]

This is wild I just bought these chisels 2 weeks ago as my first chisels. So glad to know they're not hot trash

[@howardgreen9718]

Rex mate your unbridled enthusiasm for woodworking is what keeps me coming back

[@grahamb007]

I've been using these chisels for a year and have been very happy. Bought them when I first started hand tool woodworking. Only complaint is the handles getting smashed to bits. That's why that ring is there btw haha

[@karlnewman2829]

When you started talking about woods to use, and you said you were in Ohio, I immediately thought of Osage. Then you listed Osage... I make a lot of replacement handles out of it. It's resilience, weight, and color please me greatly.

[@nightcatarts]

That came out lovely. A quick tip for when you need a (potentially harder) wood for handles is to look for rolling pins. Many are made from birch & even the really low cost ones hold up very well to abuse. It's harder to work a round to an even octagon though, so best for the lathe.

[@rayzedbywolves60]

Brilliant as always. Half way through I was thinking there's no way you can make that handle without a lathe... loved the wedding ring trick too.

[@RexKrueger]

I cribbed that trick from James Wright. It works.

[@thomashverring9484]

@@RexKrueger Oh, we know ;^)

[@footplate0]

I use over sized washers as I don't have a wedding ring

[@2kadrenojunkie]

@@footplate0 make one

[@edyuen5363]

Your comment a couple of minutes in had me visualising you being pinned by your clothing to your door by a handful of skillfully thrown chisels.... :D :D :D You're always fun to watch, just enough self deprecating humour to lighten up the mood, yet so informative for us neophytes. :) Thank you!!!

[@jhernandez7144]

Screw drivers are where I first saw that London pattern. Thanks for the video

[@claytor920]

The tape as a depth stop on your backsaw is a great silent tip.

[@jerbear7952]

That wedding ring trick alone was worth the ticket.

[@kelvinsparks4651]

The London pattern got its name (obviously lol) from the busy London cabinet maker's who didn't have time to replace fancy handles, they just knocked out a quick parallel octagon and back to work. Yours turned out very nice though, well done. Another video ideal for you is replacing some awful plastic handles with wooden ones. My son gave me a set of marples, the blades are excellent but the horrible plastic and metal end caps are awful to use and I don't want to ruin them until I know they can be replaced successfully. Thanks for the video.

[@criswilson1140]

Really love the london pattern. I keep 5" long blanks laying around and carve them into handles when I'm bored or just hiding in the shop.

[@petergregory5286]

Hi Rex, Those chisels are as good as you hope. I bought a set 3 year’s ago at a local Aldi here in the UK and they are now my go to bevelled chisels, taking over from a set of Stanley’s I’d had since 1976. They were originally bought for my youngest son but after trying them out for a short period he got the Stanley’s. Which he is well pleased with! Regards, keep safe.

[@raheslop]

I got a set of the Narex unhandled chisels that @StumpyNubs reviewed in April 2023 and fitted them with homemade London pattern handles, couldn’t be more pleased with them

[@nohotliquids]

So, I got something for Rex to test with the cheap handles. I think the weird ring on the end is to stop the wood from splitting further than the ring. I remember my granddad's chisels had the same design, the end of the wood was smashed to heck, but no further than the ring. He wasn't a craftsman, and would use anything to beat on the end of a chisel, first hammer he grabbed, other tools, rocks. Also, once the end was all frayed, the ring is wedged in place. I'm sure it has a failure point, and energy loss once it is all frayed. But maybe it allows for cheaper handles for abusive work, out of any wood.

[@stufarnham]

I have that very set of chisels and cleaned up the blades similarly to the way you did. The chisels sharpened up nicely and hold an edge pretty well. But I can certify that the handles suck. Two are already broken after only moderate mallet work, and the others are pretty battered on the ends. So I was encouraged to find this video, until I saw the lathe. Don’t have one, don’t intend to get one. “But Rex ...” I said to myself, when you channeled my thought and solved my problem. Now my quandary is whether I wait while I finish my new workbench or add yet another project to the 3 or 4 I already have going. Thanks for making my day, Rex! With the sole caveat about the handles I won’t hesitate to recommend these to the budget minded woodworker. Rob Cosman is probably having heart palpitations... Stu

[@richardthompson3791]

Hey Rex great video on chisel handles.I got off my lazy butt and made about 1/2 a dozen London pattern handles by hand. Resurrecting a few old chisels.Not hard for me as I have been professionally doing wood Work all my life.Even though I did not learn much a beginner would.Your not just a fine woodworker but an even better teacher.Unlike a professional who has dead lines your layed back aproach Is great for folk to enjoy the fun to be had wood working Keep up the great work.Thank you Richie from Australia

[@emm_arr]

I got an ebay bargain chisel with that general handle. An old, long Sorby that was in good shape. A total joy to use. Thanks, Rex. More good stuff.

[@rcr76]

I just got several old long handled sorbys from my dads neighbor they were his dads .am a joiner in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿and my marplesthat I have had since a apprentice in 92 are now a bit too short for some jobs but the sorbys are excellent much better steel and real nice to use an look after old tools

[@tmac2744]

I don't even DO woodworking and I keep watching these videos!

[@giorgiochiappini1931]

Truly love your content and by no mean I'm blaming you for anything, thanks for the unvaluable work you do! Just a thought for us all: 4 chisels for 18 bucks can only mean a deep exploit of labour. Let's just think about it whenever we choose to buy somenthing.

[@r1n8k]

I agree. A very important thing to keep in mind when it comes to any product we buy. There is no truly ethical consumption under capitalism, but we can all choose the lesser of those evils. Obviously not all inexpensive items are made by modern-day slaves, but if you can't find out who owns the products and where they're manufactured, then maybe it's not worth the risk.

[@giorgiochiappini1931]

A great addition to my point, for sure needed.@@r1n8k

[@mikek47]

Thanks for the video. I’ve owned Craftsman screwdrivers for more than 50 years and never recognized the design of the handle.

[@michaelnorris4629]

Hello Rex I bought some Norex chisels with out handles. Using ash and your handle drawing I made a nice set of chisels,,, thanks to you. Mike

[@christopherharrison6724]

Love the London handle, your hand finished 1 was tops in my eyes.

[@toonybrain]

I didn’t know you turned, so I didn’t know you wrote a book about it. I look forward to picking up a copy, because I know it will be no-nonsense and informative. 👍🏼

[@douglasperry1226]

After I seen this months ago made London pattern handles for my Chisels that are antique 🤘🏼

[@davidt1621]

Harbor Freight has a six piece set for ten bucks from a quarter inch to one-and-a-half inch, and they have hardwood handles with chrome and vanadium blades that are beveled at 25 degrees. Over 800 positive reviews, and they are already very sharp straight from the package.

[@souprmage]

I got some handle-less chisels for X-mas, decided to go with this handle. I mean I love my Stanley screwdrivers, have had them for decades. They turned out great. I had some spalted Maple from a limb off a tree in my yard, and they look great. They may not hold up for ever, but I know how to make more now. :)

[@markusklasson871]

Tips on relatively simple craftsmanship. A very popular wood craft in Sweden and the other Nordic countries is "svepask". Many in Sweden have had to make a wooden handicraft at school. Have not seen anyone else do it except youtubers from Scandinavia and the Nordics.

[@loganplatvoet2394]

Honestly, I thought the hand carved one looked a bit better!

[@lipoff]

Those are really beautiful handles.

[@chrisnorton2837]

Agreed.

[@jamesmcbriarty2079]

Boiled Linseed Oil can also be used as a finish for the handles.

[@faarsight]

Woodwork for human is amazing, please continue it! Grebstk is a polish brand, I guarantee it!

[@jonathanthacker3791]

Moments before you pulled out that Craftsmen screwdriver I also thought, "man that looks like a Craftsmen screwdriver handle". Love learning the history of the craft from you.

[@dillbob330]

I bet you Rex would love the Narex chisels. You can purchase them without handles. You have inspired me to make my own handles. I love my lathe projects.

[@stevebulach5198]

I've had some Aldi chisels for many years & they have held up very well, but I didn't realise the complexity of the traditional handle. I think I have a new project coming up. Thank you :)

[@tomnekuda3818]

You are one of the most inventive individuals I've ever seen.

[@jurget]

8:44 I love this approach ❤

[@axel.foley.1984]

Get the Harbor Freight chisel set. Same steel, handle, and you get a 1-1/4 & 1-1/2 for the same price. They work great after a little rock tune up.

[@JimmyStJames]

I bought these exact chisels about 6 months ago. I have been impressed with how durable the steel is. If I could find the same brand in a more sizes, I would buy them withou hesitation. My only complaint is the small handles. Great idea putting a London pattern handle on them Rex! When the new belt for my lathe comes in, I know what I'm doing during Christmas.

[@JohnDotBomb]

Can't promise that my dad's Craftsmen screwdrivers never got used as a chisel... Gonna remember these for knife handles too

[@AaronTWas]

I had been debating how to improve the handles of my Aldi chisels ($6, BTW, and yes the last time I saw them in store was 2 years ago - I heeded Mr. Sellers and snagged a set). Now I know they just need new handles altogether!

[@bluz4ala]

I bought this same set in the Spring off Amazon too. Nice set and followed up with a very nice email from the sell to make sure I liked them and how grateful they were that I purchased them from them.

[@billgiles3261]

Drill the hole for the tang first, then turn the collar part otherwise the thing may not be concentric. Box is a very popular wood for handles in the UK.

[@martinmeasures6631]

You can always tell what dogwood is by the bark

[@Aethelvlad]

the ring at the end provides inward pressure, lowering the chance of splitting.

[@stuartwoodcock9780]

Yep the discourse page is the best. Ive learnt so much.

[@kalleklp7291]

You're somewhat like me..a jack of all trades. :) I saw the first few videos and now this one. What can I say...subscribed. A cheap set of chisels can be upgraded a lot by doing something yourself...yes. :)

[@RaijinHokusai]

I picked these up a couple months ago after watching Paul Sellers reviewing the Aldi chisels. They were the closest ones I could find on amazon. I'm glad I now have a project to make them better! Great vid!

[@martinoamello3017]

Hey Rex, if you want a very hard, resilient wood for handles you might want to give crape myrtle a shot. It grows in just about every yard everywhere south of the Mason Dixon line, but if you want a nice chunk I'll send you a piece.

[@RantingFury]

Harbor Freight sells a set that looks like those in their windsor design line. A six pc from 1/4" to 1-1/2" . The metal hoops seems to keep the end of the handle mushrooming, when you wail on it while cutting mortises.

[@sambob998]

Tip for the sandpaper "polishing", stick some cheap duct tape to the back of the sandpaper to greatly reduce the chance that it'll tear if you use too much pressure.

[@walterashworth1011]

I work at Aldi and also live in Ohio. If we get them back in stock I’ll make them sure to pick you up some.

[@devjock]

Your commitment to budget AND ergonomics for handtools is absolutely legendary.

[@wcouch8]

New to your channel. Sandpaper on glass is brilliant. Future self will be happy with today's self when I prep this today :-)

[@mad-manzippy2814]

Fantastic job there REX very educational and well explained. I never get people who give a thumb down in such educational videos

[@lanceroark6386]

5:50 I bought that set of craftsman screw drivers for my dad back in the 90’s.

[@briantaylor9266]

I bought a set of these chisels, branded Libraton. I turned new handles using ash out of my firewood pile, copper ferrules and a brass ring at the butt end. They are a true bargain.

[@giusepperesponte8077]

That rainbow pencil you were using gave me some serious nostalgia. They would always have those for the book fair at my school

[@packetlevel]

Yes, I got a set of these a couple years ago and like them for general use.

[@nocbwsninja]

Purchased the very same chisels myself a month or so ago and I like them, also my very first chisels.

[@littlegray4537]

Same here ... waiting to see how Rex thinks they hold up.

[@2dividedby3equals666]

I have a 1/4" chisel probably made in the same factory. I don't use it as much as you do but it has served me well for the last couple of years. I'm not in the US and was able to find it very easily, so it's good news for international folks. I've also made plenty of handles in this manner, if you take your time you can get vey nice results. Thanks for sharing and take care!!

[@garyhorton6652]

I very much enjoyed the video. Thanks for the free plan for the handle. I was able to print it right off the order form. Have a Great Day!

[@Bachanus]

Thanks I really appreciate you showing how to make things without lathes or other things. I dont have those yet but i like to learn and create things. You teach really well, thanks

[@jimthesoundman8641]

7:45 EMT Conduit cut with a tubing cutter makes great ferrules. Copper water pipe tubing also does.

[@mantaship]

This feels like a Master Class. I realize Rex would say it's more like Chisels 101, but still it feels like it.

[@BulbBunny]

I have the grebstk chisels I like the flat spot in the middle as it feels comfortable for my small hands

[@MichaelCampbell01]

You're a good human, Rex. Enjoyed this one.

[@doseven]

You may have talked about it before, but if you buy Silicon Carbide sand paper for your metal working it will do a better job and last longer than paper meant for wood. It is typically sold as autobody or car sand paper in the big box stores.

[@stefanhedberg3850]

About the Mora knife, slojd is spelled slöjd in swedish and is a term for handicraft/handiwork.

[@AB-C1]

Brilliant work. Thanks from London England 👍💪😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙏

[@Niinsa62]

Ah, a Mora knife. They are everywhere here in Sweden. Nice to see that they've made it all the way to Ohio! And thank you for showing the non-lathe method!

[@jeadie8131]

This is one of your best and most practical videos yet.

[@mmarrotte101]

You're the man Rex.

[@MrAtalon]

Great video. I love the exploration of how to get a thing cheap enough for someone on a tight budget and doesn't mind doing their own work to get a pretty good tool out of it.

[@bruceschneider4928]

Thanks for this, Rex! My dad gave me a set of Marples chisels about 35 years ago. Now I am interested in using them!

[@deviant_panda845]

15:55 is the best part of this video by far....

[@victorquesada7530]

Having just bought some cheap chisels for my flooring project...this was great timing!

[@negotiableaffections]

Cheers for the plans, Rex. I have a rag-tag collection of old chisels so when I get round to giving them TLC they'll get a set of matching handles thanks to you.

[@s.sradon9782]

I've never seen anyone use sandpaper on glass before and honestly it's genius!

[@borjesvensson8661]

As a Swede i would have used that mora knife for everything he did with chisels, files and sandpaper. But most old chisels here either have a four sided sligthy tapered simple handle or EA Bergs simplifyed london style without the eigth sides.

[@daedulsworkshop]

Might I suggest a good lav mic or some acoustic treatment of your studio? Acoustic treatment may be difficult due to dust, but you could probably make some cool wood skyline diffusers! You'd be amazed how much improved audio makes for a better experience for the viewer. Parker Walbeck with Full Time Filmmaker just did an analysis of three levels of lav mics. Cheapest was $30. Appreciate the free content and hope my free advice is of value to you.

[@buddythompson5284]

Ha! I have a set of premium chisels but I recently bought a set of these to teach myself to sharpen free-hand, figuring I'd just toss them when I was done with them. But like you, I was impressed with them enough to keep them around as "beater" chisels and reserve the premium chisels for fine joinery & pairing. Not likely to go to the effort to carve new handles for them though 😉.

[@TheBottegaChannel]

I'm actually a big fan of octagon shaped handles for tools and prefer to use them whenever possible. Fun story: When I made a wood sword for my nephew two years ago for a holiday gift, I made the hilt/ handle section octagonal with a single sided carving in the center for him to index it properly. His mom and dad asked why I did that and I told them " it helps him register subconsciously where the edge is based on touch. " since my nephew's dad is a marine, he appreciated that.

[@bradhaste3568]

Thank you for the plans and thanks for the metric measurements I’m hopefully going to pick up a few old chisels over the holidays and make new handles if needed Brad from New Zealand

[@jefftapp8991]

Found a set of these today, suspiciously similar, chrome vanadium blades, hardwood handles, useless ring, on sale for $7.50 at that Harbor place!

[@sprucewayne4618]

Yeap, same steel and everything. Had those for years!

[@robertchitty3603]

On the topic of keeping the center bore squared for the chisel, I also generally drill the holes first before carving the handle. This trick also works well if you're making a custom saw handle, cut the slot for the blade before you cut the final shape for the handle. That way if anything's off you can carve accordingly to correct.

[@threeriversforge1997]

PaskMakes has a great video on building a jig to rough out the blanks using the bandsaw. Makes very short work of it, with perfect repeatability.

[@williamlattanziobill2475]

For finishing tool handles I like either Birchwood Casey gunstock oil or minwax antique oil. Both leave a nice protective finish and both are a little “grippy” in hand.

[@CanonWoof]

Just purchased these chisels after watching. I have been casually keeping an eye out for a decent set of vintage chisels to make use of, but for this price and minimal tuning (and from what I can see, fairly good praise!) I really had no excuse. Thank you for the recommendation!

[@jimbo2629]

I bought quality brass ferrules on eBay. I have used copper pipe in the past but it looks naff. I have a set of Robert Sorby boxwood chisels so I re handle with this. I think those flats are to stop the chisel rolling. I like the way you hand planed a perfect octagon👍

[@russstaples6125]

Rex, the 8 sided screwdriver is designed to use a wrench to add force to loosen screws at least according to what I've read.

[@RexKrueger]

Try putting a wrench on a plastic handle and then turning it really hard. I feel like that's not going to work out. Still, I really do appreciate people telling me interesting theories they've read or heard. Thank you.