# turning handles for Irwin chisels



## Jon1094 (May 12, 2012)

So I spent days trying to find out how to properly make handles for my ugly Irwin chisels. I finally decided to go it alone and make them without instruction. If anyone is having the same problem here is how I did it.

First start by removing the old plastic nasty handles. The best way is to hold the blade in a vise. I used a leather belt to guard the blade. Take a pair of vise grips and pull the handle off. You need to twist it a bit but it will pop right off.

Then form the block to roughly the size you want your handle to be and drill a hole in one side. For the Irwin chisels drill a 3/8 inch hole the correct depth. To get the correct depth you have to remove the old ugly blue plastic handles first.









I then turned it down to a cylinder in several stages.








The mark is for the base of the handle.










Use calipers to make sure that the side that the chisel tang fits into measures exactly the same as the flare on top of the tang so that it fits flush. When the shape is close I sanded to to 400 grit. Then I sprayed the handle with water and let it set for several hours to raise the grain. After that I lightly sanded with 400 again and started with my Micromesh pads.

Micromesh pads are great. They start at 1500 which is equivalent to 600 grit sandpaper. I sanded with pads to 12,000 micromesh to achieve a nice polish. After sanding to 12,000 i applied four coats of General Finishes clear woodturners finish. I let each coat dry for 30 minutes before applying the second one.



















Then carefully cut the stock off of the lathe.










This is the tang of the Irwin chisel. Notice the slight flare on the tang? The sides of this tang need to be sanded down just a hair to make sure that the tang is 3/8" and not beyond. Remember that 3/8" hole you drilled? If you don't sand the sides of the tang it will split the thin wood at the top of the new handle.










This is bad…sand.









This is much better.









Once the tang is sanded use some sort of epoxy to cover the tang. Use your hands to push the tang in a ways. The epoxy will squeeze out. Clean the epoxy off so it doesn't get on the wood. Then put the chisel blade into soft wood and, covering the base of the handle with a cloth, give it a swing or two with a mallet to seat the tang. It helps if you wipe off the excess epoxy away from the wood and toward the metal. You can clean the metal later easily.




































If you have any questions or comments please feel free to message me.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Much improved.

I basically copied the handles on my Marples for an old Stanley chisel except for a weird little hat I put on top (the chisel is junk, I don't use it).
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/77509


----------



## murch (Mar 20, 2011)

Very nice looking chisels now.


----------



## DouginVa (Mar 5, 2012)

Looks nice….def better than those blue plastic handles.


----------



## affyx (Jan 1, 2008)

great project! I hate those blue handles


----------



## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Let us know when you start missing that blue plastic. Great job.


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I agree these handles look great and you did a beautiful job of replacing the handles,but the new handles will not stand up to the forces the original handles do plus the original handles are shaped so they won't roll off the bench like these will. I'm not saying this to put down your fine work but to let others know what there doing when the remove those ugly blue handles. I disagree about Marple chisels are junk,I have used mine for more than 20 years and they hold and edge an cut just as well as the fancy looking chisels that cost $250 with pretty handles do. It all boils down to sharp is sharp fancy handles or not.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Jim, I was referring to the Stanley chisel being junk, not my Marples.


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Sorry Rick us old guys get those brain cloud attacks sometime )


----------



## MNgary (Oct 13, 2011)

Fantabulous explanation and pictorial guide!


----------



## RonInOhio (Jul 23, 2010)

Nice !!!

I think the natural next step for you is to fabricate your own chisels out of steel. They have plans 
for that in Fine Woodworking magazine.

Great job on those handles.


----------



## JLango (Sep 21, 2008)

Thats a great idea!! I also have an old set of 4 stanelys and hate the red/clear handles. This mite be in the works. Thanks for sharing!!!


----------



## Kreegan (Jul 10, 2012)

I must be in the minority in that I like the blue plastic handles on the Irwin blue chips. I have beaten the crap outta mibe with nary a dent or ding. They've also been dropped a lot. Oh well, different strokes I guess.


----------



## affyx (Jan 1, 2008)

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/video/turner-or-woodworker-both

watch the video - it's Popular Woodworking, so of course it's a tease to sell you another DVD, but nice tip on double drilling for the irwin/marples handles.


----------



## Underdog (Oct 29, 2012)

Nice! I love the way that Walnut turns and looks when finished. Doesn't agree with my sinuses though…

Now if I could just figure out how to turn handles for my carving tools and chisels where the handle needs to be tapered to fit inside the taper in the tool shank itself. I can't imagine how that stays in…


----------



## affyx (Jan 1, 2008)

Underdog, there's a video for that one too!


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Man that John Neeman video is beautiful


----------



## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Those are awesome. I need to make handles for my lathe chisels. I have a touch of arthritis in my right hand and the smaller handles are hard to hold. I need a fat handle.


----------



## Underdog (Oct 29, 2012)

Thanks Mr. Franklin. Looking at that vid now…


----------

