# IS THIS A WOOD TURNING CHISEL?



## Bob Collins (Apr 25, 2008)

This chisel plus many more were found in a work shed of a deceased where he wood turned 30 years ago.
Once the rust was cleaned off it looks like a reverse gouge (maybe spoon gouge), the flutes have never been sharpened in fact the is no sharp cutting edges at all. Possibly it has never been sharpened.
Sanded back the handle and I think it is Hickory which points to possibly a USA produced chisel.

Q.1 Does any one know if it could be a wood turning chisel.
Q.2 How to sharpen it, do I round off the front like a gouge and carry to edge up and onto the flutes.
Q.3 or do I hang it on the wall as a conversation piece.

There are 3 different sizes of this shaped chisel with same handles. There are several of each size plus many other chisels I have not seen before and cannot find on the Internet. The old fellow did wood turning before he passed on. A long story on how I came in possession of these and shall bore you all at some other time.





































Thanks for any info.


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## gator9t9 (Apr 4, 2008)

Looks like one of the tools I sharpened…

Gator9t9


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## peteg (Sep 2, 2010)

I think Q.3 is the go Bob  looks like an old hand forged steel "tool" 
Bet you get a variety of suggestions with this one mate
cheers
Pete


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## BobWemm (Feb 15, 2013)

Bob, I think they might be the 1st stage of something he was going to finish off but never got around toit.


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Bob


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## MLWilson (Jun 28, 2015)

If it can take an edge, Bob, it's a turning tool. I once saw a video wherein a guy took a black pipe, cut it just so, and sharpened it into a very passable gouge. A very BIG gouge, which he used to turn a very sizeable bowl, held to the axle of his jacked-up mini van, via a home made chuck. His son was in teh driver's seat, controlling the speed. It's snowing in the video. I think it was in Alaska. 
We're created in God's image. I believe that means, at least in part, the we're imbued with a creative and innovative bent.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Th first I thought it might be a small roughing gouge but it is sharpened backwards for that. Maybe if you turn it over it could be used for a round grooving tool. The high end and then the lowered area behind it has me puzzled with it cleared out for something like it might be a key to something.

Bob might be right..it might be an unfinished tool!

Jim


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## CampyRon (Nov 29, 2012)

Interesting piece. Not sure what it is. There are many strange shapes of cutters from other countries. Have you tried to cut with it.


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## Bob Collins (Apr 25, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. The 6 sided shaft on all the chisels look factory made, I am trying the trace the history on the deceased male and see what his trade was. Ron, no sharp edges and definitely wont cut as is, I don't think it has ever been sharpened. As Jim said it looks like a roughing gouge but sloping backwards. Later on will try
grinding some cutting edges on one of the chisels but it not one of my better skills.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

If there are several each in different sizes, perhaps he was considering trying to market them and these were his prototypes.


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## Cliff (Sep 6, 2013)

Bob. I was wondering if it could be a special purpose roughing gouge. The possibility of it never having been sharpened, could indicate that after the handle was fitted the intention was to then shape the cutting edge to the desired shape.

regards,

Cliff.


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## Bob Collins (Apr 25, 2008)

I'm with you Cliff, it must be 50 year or more old (he died 30 years ago) and definitely intended as a gouge even though the supposed cutting edge is reversed. Will see what I come up with once I start grinding a cutting edge.
Cheers Bob.


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## Luthierman (Jun 4, 2015)

> If it can take an edge, Bob, it s a turning tool. I once saw a video wherein a guy took a black pipe, cut it just so, and sharpened it into a very passable gouge. A very BIG gouge, which he used to turn a very sizeable bowl, held to the axle of his jacked-up mini van, via a home made chuck. His son was in teh driver s seat, controlling the speed. It s snowing in the video. I think it was in Alaska.
> We re created in God s image. I believe that means, at least in part, the we re imbued with a creative and innovative bent.
> 
> - Mark Wilson


Reminds me of the Red Green show.


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## Cliff (Sep 6, 2013)

I will be most interested to see what develops Bob.

Cliff.


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## gator9t9 (Apr 4, 2008)

I think the key to this puzzle is …where it was found….

A woodturners shop…...
the tool has markings of a spindle roughing gouge at the end of its life…
and was being fabricated jnto who knows what?

that is my guess!!!!

MLyle


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Maybe he turned it over..and cut coves..using these as scrapers, rather than a gouge….maybe the "channel" goes down, instead of up…..


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