Author Topic: Lens Shaped Chisels (Read 7053 times)

Curtis · « **on:** February 13, 2012, 09:57:37 AM »

There have been a couple of discussions about gouges and inletting lately and the subject of lens shaped chisels has come up a couple of times. It is sometimes difficult for people who are unfamiliar with lens shaped chisels to visualize what they are capable of, and to realize one does not need a workshop full of specialty tools to begin their first gun. I just inlet these escutcheons last week and thought the photos may help folks to visualize the process of using a lens shaped chisel. I have made several of different sizes for different tasks.

A small set of chisels for fine inletting can be made from a variety of things, and made relatively quickly. I made the chisel in the photographs in about five minutes from a small phillips screwdriver. It is capable of stabbing in fairly tight radiused inlets, and can be made with nothing more that a decent piece of steel and a whetstone. Please try to ignore the ugly wedge holes, I have a few years of practice before I can make them look like Taylor's!

Curtis

FALout · « **Reply #1 on:** February 13, 2012, 01:58:00 PM »

I must have missed the posts you are talking about, I've never heard the term "lens shaped" chisels. I've been using micro-chisels for years with the caricature carving I've been doing, just use them on stocks when I need them.

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2012, 02:10:36 PM »

Me too Curtis, What is a lens shaped chisel?

MAC57 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2012, 02:57:29 PM »

I missed it to. Tell us more, and a few pictures.

Ephraim · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2012, 04:31:09 PM »

New to me also never have seen such a critter.
Ephraim

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2012, 04:43:59 PM »

Thanks for posting this, Curtis. Great tool.

Dphariss · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2012, 06:40:34 PM »

The rounded gouge/chisel is discussed by Gusler in his carving video. Its not exactly as Curtis has here but I think the concept is the same.
Which reminds me, I need to remember who I loaned mine too.

Dan

J. Talbert · « **Reply #7 on:** February 14, 2012, 12:57:38 AM »

For those unfamiliar, the "Lens Shape" refers to the cross section of the body or shaft of the tool. It would look something like this () , only with a little sharper edges. With this shape there are no sharp corners to leave steps as you walk the tool along the outline of the design.

I hope this is understandable as I have not yet mastered the process of adding drawings or diagrams to my posts here.
I mentioned this tool in one of my earlier posts, but I didn't refer to it there as "lens shaped," even though this is the tool I was talking about.

Jeff

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2012, 01:00:53 AM »

This is a tool that Gary Brumfield uses quite extensively in outlining carving. It's simple, cheap and used appropriately produces good results. I believe Gary may have a carving tutorial on his website where this tool is discussed.

While the Gusler video addresses the benefits of a nosed gouge in relation to stabbing in carving, they are slightly different than the tool shown in that they do not have the lense shape. The nosed gouge is created by shaping / sharpening standard gouges.

Jerry V Lape · « **Reply #9 on:** February 14, 2012, 02:01:11 AM »

Sorry but I am still lost - can't make out the shape of the chisel and where the cutting edge is from the photos. Please show a better larger phot of the chisels form.

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #10 on:** February 14, 2012, 02:17:46 AM »

This is from flintknapping but you can see the lens shaped piece being cut out...... I think this is what the cross section of the chisel looks like and it has a curved cutting edge that can be rocked from side to side ....and ease around a radius

Here are good pictures and a good explanation: http://www.flintriflesmith.com/ToolsandTechniques/shopmadechisels.htm

FALout · « **Reply #11 on:** February 14, 2012, 03:38:58 AM »

As I posted before, I had never heard of the terminology, but think that I understand now. It's been a few years since I saw the mentioned video and if I remember correctly, it wasn't the shaft of the tool, but as already stated it was basically just rounding off the outside edges of the gouge to allow stabbing in on a continous curve. I have even done this to a few gouges myself, but if it's a size you like using, make sure you have another of the same size that you leave unaltered, sometimes you want the corners.

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #12 on:** February 14, 2012, 04:40:13 AM »

That's a good point Falout. There always seems to be a trade-off. In terms of the nosed gouge, it is more versitale and can be used in a manner to fit a wider range of curves, but the corners are nice to have in some cases. For example, when one carving element buts up against another.

flintriflesmith · « **Reply #13 on:** February 14, 2012, 05:40:23 AM »

Wallace and I both call them "stamping chisels" and have used them for years for stamping in carving, making the slot for wire inlay, and outlining inletting.

If you go to this page on my web site and scroll down a bit you will find closeups of one that is only about 1/16" wide which allows it to go around really tight curves. I made this one out of 0-1 about 35 years ago. (I started using music wire when I started making them in quantity for students in my acrving classes.) Make another one out of 1/8 music wire and you can do slightly longer radius curves more quickly.

http://www.flintriflesmith.com/ToolsandTechniques/shopmadechisels.htm

If you want to see pictures of carving and wire inlay being stamped in with this tool go to this web page and watch the powerPoint program on carving. The link to the PPT is at the bottom of this page. The line looks a little "notchy" but since no wood has actually been removed it springs back to a uniform curve when you raise the grain.

http://www.flintriflesmith.com/ToolsandTechniques/tools_and_techniques.htm

Gary

Curtis · « **Reply #14 on:** February 14, 2012, 04:25:58 PM »

Sorry guys, I have been away from the computer for a day or so. I could have sworn I recently saw the topic here! Must be getting senile.....

Maybe it was another board.....

I did find one related topic, probably a better example than mine, go halfway down:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=19231.0

And in the middle of this post is info from Rich Pierce about a "butter knife" shaped chisel wich can be used in a similar fasion.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4109.0

Sorry again about the confusion, but it did bring up some good discussion.

The posts by Dr Boone and FlintRiflesmith are about the shape of chisel I was reffering to. The rounded point and lens shape grind on the tool allow for some precise curved inletting. I have made these in a few different sizes, the one shown being quite small.

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