# Mortise chisel restore (Vintage French bedanes)



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*New handles from fire wood*

*Mortise chisel restore*
Vintage French bedanes










I was lucky to get these old French mortise chisels at a fair price (app. 25 dollar for all including the convex spokeshave) on E-bay.
Or I was lucky to get this junk metal on E-bay some might say… Others again might just call me stupid!









This is what I decided to give new life.









In France they call mortise chisels for Bedanes.
The chisels are Klingenthal (Klingen=blades, thal= valley), was originally located in Alsace. 
The factory was founded by the French king king Louis XV to make swords for the French army, but since then the French cut of the head of the king, so they produced swords for Napoleons great army instead.
This was the reason why I fell in love with these chisels.









The handles were well used, so I could not see any reason to keep them,
But I looked at the shapes and studied books to see what they wood have looked like.
And the fact was that the French and the English actually agreed on something! The shape of the mortise chisel handles.









I visited mi Friend Michael, and in his fire wood I found a good piece of beech.









Then it was just to cut some good hand size pieces.









And find a proper size for each tang.









Here the puzzle.









I cut them roughly in the shape.









Some handles came of really easy, others needed love.









Carefully I used a chisel and a mallet to break it apart.









Now time to clean up the tang, this is really a heavy mother blogger…









Shoulders were filed down to level.









Drill a hole in the handle in a small size and all the way down to the length of the tang.









Step up one size and drill only half way.









At the end I used a long countersink to drill with but it could just have been a larger drill that was slightly smaller than the widest part of the tang.









Now clean up with a long thin drill.
To make the sides coned.









I used my knife maker tool to clean out.
It's a jigsaw blade that I grind in shape and gave a handle.









Fitting the tang in the handle, the hole must be a little too small.









Fasten in the vice.









And BANG!!!









Now draw an ellipse on the end of the chisel.









I used a spokeshave to do the rough shaping but stopped before I touched the metal shoulders.









Like so.
(And yes there is a dry out crack in the wood so I actually needed to shape more…).









Next part was done like this, holding the iron and spinning the machine, it was quite easy.









And a final touch on the top.

Links:
My homemade rehandled dovetail chisel set:
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/45520
My reviw of the Ashley Iles Mk 2 Bevel Edged Cabinetmakers Chisels:
http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/2106

That's it for the first part second and last part will be about sharpening, flattening, finish and more, I hope this can inspire some to give new life to old tools.

(Yes I post too much these days, but since I'm in my bed due to a nerve in my back that hurfts like …. I was thinking it's time for some old unfinished posts and blogs).

*Best thoughts*,
MaFe


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## Sodabowski (Aug 23, 2010)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Master Vintage Tool Restorer strikes again!


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## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Mafe, your restores are always a pleasure to follow. Nice work on the handles. What kind of clamps are those silver and green ones you are using? Looks like a ratcheting bar clamp?


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


i shall have to learn
i have old assorted ones too
and have the same back pain as you

so i will do sometime maybe
or (good dream) you come and help
or (best dream) i bring them
and learn from you
and help

and drink espreso
and we laugh

there is a third way
we both get well
and pass each other
on our way to visit
and work together
and laugh

then finally do get together (somewhere)
and laugh (priceless)


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Beauty..
Love the restoreing of history, sort of swords to ploughshares eh !


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## saddletramp (Mar 6, 2011)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Another great tutorial Mads, sorry to hear that you are not feeling well.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Hiiiaiiioooo,
Bob, thank you, yes Patron and I are suffering these days. I was just in the workshop because my sister needed to cut a steel rod, and I could almost not even go there… So to look at those wonderful tools and close the door…
Glen, I will be ready for a war in the workshop now.
David, I would love to come and help you one day, I need to win that lottery ticket and stop buying tools… And you are always welcome here for a espresso, and even my home is small I can make you a bed so stay as you want. But I would love to see that view from your house one day, I can just bring the espresso machine!
Eric, the clamps are Festool, it's a MFT3 table 



 and yes it rocks. I'm happy that you enjoy my restore blogs.
Thomas, it seems I got a new title agan 'Master Vintage Tool Restorer' smile.
Best thoughts and thank you guys,
Mads


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


I'm sorry to hear of your troublesome back. Apparently, these are compliants that you're quite familiar with and that makes me sad. These chisels, however, to not have the same saddening effect! There is little to improve upon with a simple picksticking handle that greets the hand in just that way.


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## jiri (Dec 18, 2007)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Congratulations. Good job.


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


OK Mafe and Dave, now you went and dun it….my back is having sympathy pains for both of you. Hope it is over by the time my new saw gets here.

You know that you have the nicest set of old tools on the block. And now I know how to make matching handles for my stuff with out a lathe. Thanks.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Hi,
Rand, yes it's some really comfortable handles, and not too hard to make (probaly why this is the traditional way iy was done lol). Glad I could inspire you. But do not get inspiret on the back thing please! This is not fun.
Jiri, I smile thank you.
Bertha, yes I cross my fingers that it is not a prolapse but it sure feels a lot like it… But yes it was what made me sick in the first place only in the neck then so I am quite familiar with the pain… (One of the reasons why I spend plenty of time in the workshop). But as it is now, I can only stand a lay, to sit is impossible, and if I lift more than a kilo I scram of pain, so this one is not suitable for the workshop…
I think of Saint Jude.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Those chisels are worth their weight in gold Mads. They look extremely sturdy, plus they have a priceless historical value. I can't wait to see the followup on this blog. I am very glad these venerable tools are falling into your hands where they will be lovingly restored and cared for.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

mafe said:


> *New handles from fire wood*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


deffently an improvement 
I´m of to the next toturial about them

Dennis


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*

*Mortise chisel restore*
Vintage French bedanes

This is the number two of two in the blog, so if you did not read the first blog then press here.









So last time we stopped here where we finished the shaping of the handles.









Tome for a good soak of linseed oil.









Soaking.
(That does look really interesting yes?).









First three ready, next three waiting to go.
Woodsman look what is there on the left…









I went rough on the edge, to shape the metal too.
(This was one of these pictures that had no home…).









One of the handles broke when I beat it in, this is why you should spend a little time on the hole, don't think it can be 'just' beaten in.









So off we go!
(Another lesson learned).









Cutting a new piece.









Rough.









Shape.









This time I used a draw knife for the rough shaping, I do love this tool.
Remember to hold it in an angel when shaving then you can make wonderful shaves, and it will not cut in, as if you go just 90 degrees to the wood.









Then the spokeshave.









Getting there.










Some old and rusty steel,
at the price of a single meal.
A price of fire wood I save,
into this life I gave.
A pig sticker set is born!
and I will smoke on the corn.
Then beat it as a man,
this wonderful bedane.









Ok I am better at working wood…
Here soaking in linseed oil.









Finish.
You can see how I do this on the scraper shave blog post 6 here .









Here we are.









Then an antique wax from Paris.









And we are there almost!
Notice the one that got a handle from another piece of firewood got his own charm.









My beloved water grinder.









Bedane set up for sharpeneing.









And some for stabilization.









New shaped bevels.









Sweet steel.









A diamond stone can be used for shaping.









Now I need to be violent with some of the backs since they did not pay as much attention to this in the old days as we do now.









Getting there.









Flattening.









Honing.









That's it!!!
A wonderful set of bedanes / mortise chisels / pig stickers are reborn.
As you can see I also gave a big firmer chisel a matching handle just more square (for cleaning up of large mortises).









And here they are in the set, together with my restored gauges (another blog another day).

Links:
My homemade re handled dovetail chisel set:
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/45520
My review of the Ashley Iles Mk 2 Bevel Edged Cabinetmakers Chisels:
http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/2106

This was last part of the blog, I hope this blog can inspire some to give new life to old tools.

(Yes I post too much these days, but since I'm in my bed due to a nerve in my back that hurts like …. I was thinking it's time for some old unfinished posts and blogs).

*Best thoughts*,
MaFe


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


You are going to have a HUGE collection

These are nice, they are great for green oak

Jamie


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Jamie I am simple so I want one one of each…
Big smile for you, thank you,
Mads


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Great finish to another wonderful job.
It's truely amazing what can be found hiding under some rust and battered wood isn't it !


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


mads
this is repeated a second time
under itself
there are 
2 the same
need to erase one (edit)

i am happy for you
these are wonderful
new life

watch out pigs !


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Hi Glen, yes it really is amazing what a few hours of dedication can do. I am sure these will be my only set of bedanes in this life time, but now I have a wonderful set and for the price of 10 dollar or so if you take away the spokeshave that came with the set. Here is what WK CC writes about mortise chisels.

David, I got it, thank you. These blogs seem to grow by them self…
Yes I will be hunting pigs now.
Big smile, get well.

Best thoughts,
Mads


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## LeeJ (Jul 4, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Hi Mads;

Nice job on a great set of chisels. Very nice handles.

Lee


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


No wonder the internet is slow today, Mafe is posting pictures again  and did I see a little bit of poetry creeping in there Mads? Seems I've started something.

Nice set of chisels my friend. Hope you feel better soon.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Hi Mads. Nice work on the chisels. You need to get a wood lathe . You would be right at home making custom turning tools with good steel like that. Great job, my friend!!.....................Jim

ps. I'll bet you could build a fine wood lathe, too!!!!!!!


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Jim, look at this: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/36312 it is my Record lathe and I also have a little unimat 3 for small metal items so I manage, even I would love some cnc for metal… I use my wood lathe mostely for making handles and stuff like that, eben these were freehanded since I wanted them to be personal and different for each chisel. And when you learn us to make bracelets I will try this also…
I have plans of making a little footpowered lathe just for fun.
Andy, yes the little rime was meant for you. Microsoft just called me and asked me if I will continue posting on LJ, because then they need to put a cable directy into my brain not to get overloaded. I promised them to take it easy, no one wants to be in my brain.
Lee, big smile here.
Thank you for the kind words,
Mads


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Beautiful. Why is that every time I disappear for a few days, you go wild and start posting a whole series of stuff? 

Nice work, as always, and very entertaining.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Hi ho,
Swirt, I do that on purpose, I keep a eye on you and when you least expect it kapauuu. ;-)
Hope you are fine my friend, and that you enjoyed beeing out.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Mads, as always, great blog on some really fine work

Thanks once again


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


thank´s for a very fine toturial Mads 
they look very good I now that first hand 
and they does feel great to have in the hand 
the best part of it is the historic behind them 
thank´s for that too Mads

take care
Dennis


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


I thoroughly enjoyed your post on these mortise chisels Mads. I can see what a great design the metal part is with the collar being flat where the handle end grain meets it. This will provide a really stable platform for some serious banging, which mortise work requires. Your handles look absolutely wonderful and also should be able to withstand quite a beating.

In case you are interested, I posted a tutorial some time back about how to correctly chop a mortise quickly and accurately. Unfortunately I don't have any mortise chisels so I used a bench chisel for the demo. However, the principal is the same. here is the link: http://lumberjocks.com/stefang/blog/11534


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Flatten, sharpen, finish and more.*
> 
> *Mortise chisel restore*
> Vintage French bedanes
> ...


Dennis, yes you have hold them, so I'm happy for your confirmation.
Mike, thank you for the link I will jump right over there and look.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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