# I.D. this TREE and this TOOL



## Ted J (Jul 20, 2010)

I need to ID this tree and this chisel.

I also have a wood gloat to tell, but first things first.

Is this a cypress tree?






... and what kind of chisel is this?


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## Brmorgan (Jul 20, 2010)

I'm sure the log is some member of the cypress family. The bark looks a lot like a large example of an Eastern White Cedar, though their native range doesn't extend much west of the Mississippi as a general rule. If it was a yard tree, then anything's possible. It could also be an Eastern Red Cedar (technically a Juniper), though the bark looks slightly less like those. However their range does extend well into Texas, so it would be more logical. If you can get a picture of the wood grain inside, I could probably tell you which.

As for the chisel, looks like you've got a *timberframer's corner chisel* there. Mostly used for cleaning up the shoulders of tenons and for making square mortise sockets from a round drilled/augered hole. Where did you get it? Good ones aren't cheap.

There's a guy out west of here who makes such things. I've seen some first-hand at a couple trade shows here in town and they're really top-notch stuff, though with prices to match. A chisel like yours is just south of $500.


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## TraditionalTool (Jul 20, 2010)

Brmorgan said:


> A chisel like yours is just south of $500.


Don't think so...but what do I know...I'd say it's worth about $50.


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## Ted J (Jul 20, 2010)

Brmorgan said:


> I'm sure the log is some member of the cypress family. The bark looks a lot like a large example of an Eastern White Cedar, though their native range doesn't extend much west of the Mississippi as a general rule. If it was a yard tree, then anything's possible. It could also be an Eastern Red Cedar (technically a Juniper), though the bark looks slightly less like those. However their range does extend well into Texas, so it would be more logical. If you can get a picture of the wood grain inside, I could probably tell you which.



Hey Brad,
I was figuring it was some sort of cedar but not too sure.
Here's a few more pics. I haven't taken the log off the trailer to put it on the mill yet to give you some grain shots. It's around 24" across the base, tapers to about 12", and is about 24 feet long.

Ted


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## Ted J (Jul 20, 2010)

TraditionalTool said:


> Don't think so...but what do I know...I'd say it's worth about $50.



Alan & Brad,
A far as the chisel is concerned I got it off of ebay for $25 +10 shipping.
It measures 1 inch across each flat, and the iron is 10 inches long.





NOW... do you notice something odd about the chisel?

Take a look at the bevel....






Did ya notice....?
Why would it be beveled on the back side? If there were different types of corner chisels, I guess I would call it an outside corner chisel, for lack of a better name. 

Ted


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## mtngun (Jul 20, 2010)

Ya, the bevel doesn't make sense, never seen one ground like that. Either the previous owner had a very special purpose for that chisel, or else he didn't know any better.

Bailey's sells a corner chisel for $30. Probably an import, but they seem well made. corner chisel

It's been a few decades since I've lived in cypress country. I remember them as having lots of knobs around the stump -- I think they are called "knees." Usually quite a bit of flare at the stump, too.





How's that trailer working out for you ?


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## Brmorgan (Jul 20, 2010)

Ted J said:


> Alan & Brad,
> A far as the chisel is concerned I got it off of ebay for $25 +10 shipping.
> It measures 1 inch across each flat, and the iron is 10 inches long.



It's DEFINITELY worth that much.




> NOW... do you notice something odd about the chisel?
> 
> Take a look at the bevel....
> 
> ...



I did notice that and thought it a bit odd; the only logical thing I've come up with is that it was actually used on a lathe as a V gouge. If that were the case, it must have been a pretty stout lad that was using it; that short of a handle doesn't give you very much to control a gouge of that size. Also, the person who ground it down last really knew what they were doing (or it's never been re-ground). Those things are not terribly easy to sharpen by hand and keep the ridge of the V perfectly centered and crisp like that.


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## Brmorgan (Jul 20, 2010)

TraditionalTool said:


> Don't think so...but what do I know...I'd say it's worth about $50.



Well, I have no idea what this specific one is worth; I was just saying that the fella I linked to wants $495 for one of his hand-forged ones. Either way those old socket chisels are pretty nice.


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## Ted J (Jul 20, 2010)

Brmorgan said:


> Well, I have no idea what this specific one is worth; I was just saying that the fella I linked to wants $495 for one of his hand-forged ones. Either way those old socket chisels are pretty nice.



I've been to that website before and was in awe at the tools he makes, and at the price he charges! I just can't justify the price for the tool at this point in time.


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## Brmorgan (Jul 20, 2010)

Ted J said:


> I've been to that website before and was in awe at the tools he makes, and at the price he charges! I just can't justify the price for the tool at this point in time.



Me either. But, he's in the right market - we have two major log home builders (one of which has three big separate operations) and two or three timber frame builders locally just in town here, and many more throughout the BC interior.


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## Ted J (Jul 21, 2010)

mtngun said:


> Ya, the bevel doesn't make sense, never seen one ground like that. Either the previous owner had a very special purpose for that chisel, or else he didn't know any better.
> 
> Bailey's sells a corner chisel for $30. Probably an import, but they seem well made. corner chisel
> 
> ...



The trailer works great. We backed it up to the log, wrapped a chain, lowered the hoist hook and lifted it up, took the tractor and pushed it up into the trailer. I'm planning to add two recievers on either side of the trailer for a winch to pull the logs up into the trailer. All I have left to do is weld the recievers on. But yea, it works better than I expected.

There was a 48 inch oak trunk lying out there that we tried to get to and we snapped the winch cable trying to pull a log off the top of the pile and the tractor couldn't get enough traction to pull it. After it dries out were going back to give it another go if the temps don't get up to 100* like it did on Saturday.

Later,
Ted


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## Mike Van (Jul 21, 2010)

Don't try that chisel on a lathe, all the socket type handles are meant to be hit with a mallet. The sharp V edge on the back won't work well on a tool rest, lathe gouges are round on the backs. The handle that one has looks as though it's never been hit, or used for that matter. An outside angle? Where you'd find one that can't be sawn, I don't know. Maybe it was made that way by mistake, or a joke?


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## Ted J (Jul 21, 2010)

Mike Van said:


> Don't try that chisel on a lathe, all the socket type handles are meant to be hit with a mallet. The sharp V edge on the back won't work well on a tool rest, lathe gouges are round on the backs. The handle that one has looks as though it's never been hit, or used for that matter. An outside angle? Where you'd find one that can't be sawn, I don't know. Maybe it was made that way by mistake, or a joke?



Mike,
I'm not that brave to give it a go on the lathe...:monkey:
I got it on ebay, and at the time i didn't notice the backwards bevel. Looking at it seems like it was never ground at all, just touched up. If it was done nowadays I could see it getting past a QC check. I'll hold onto it for a while and leave it as is until I really need it...

Later,
Ted


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## the westspartan (Jul 21, 2010)

It's a V- Gouge for wood carving. It is meant to be hit with a mallet or pushed by hand. It is for carving out scoops of wood that have an angled bottom. They are nice for carving the detailed textures of hair or foliage in wood sculptures.

My vote on the wood is bald cypress. They usually only flair out with knees like that if they are growing in water or marshes. On dry land the trunk is much more straight.


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## Ted J (Jul 21, 2010)

the westspartan said:


> It's a V- Gouge for wood carving. It is meant to be hit with a mallet or pushed by hand. It is for carving out scoops of wood that have an angled bottom. They are nice for carving the detailed textures of hair or foliage in wood sculptures.
> 
> My vote on the wood is bald cypress. They usually only flair out with knees like that if they are growing in water or marshes. On dry land the trunk is much more straight.



That makes better sense on the chisel after looking at a few online, thanks.

I think I also agree it's a bald cypress.
It has been down a while and as you can see the section that's separated (where I stuck the drink bottle), it extends for about the full length. I'll peel this part off, plane the inside edge, and try to get some small turning blanks or narrow flat stock out of it.

Thank again for all the replies.
Ted


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## jimdad07 (Jul 22, 2010)

The chisel you have there is a larger version of one of my carving chisel that I use for making vanes. The tree looks an awful lot like red cedar to me.


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## Ted J (Oct 17, 2010)

Well, I finally got around to milling that Cedar(?) or Cypress(?) tree up into some 4/4 thick x 13 inch wide boards x 10'-3" long, from part of the main trunk.


























On the fifth board I hit a knot and the blade dipped down and back up, just in case you happen to notice it on the right side of the stickered stack. The blade was a fresh blade, so maybe my speed was a little fast, not sure though!

Ted


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## Ted J (Oct 17, 2010)

I also cut an 18 inch section off of the cant for some turning projects











Ted


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## Hillbilly3995 (Oct 18, 2010)

the westspartan said:


> It's a V- Gouge for wood carving. It is meant to be hit with a mallet or pushed by hand. It is for carving out scoops of wood that have an angled bottom. They are nice for carving the detailed textures of hair or foliage in wood sculptures.
> 
> My vote on the wood is bald cypress. They usually only flair out with knees like that if they are growing in water or marshes. On dry land the trunk is much more straight.



:agree2:


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## jimdad07 (Oct 18, 2010)

Looks great Ted.


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## imagineero (Oct 19, 2010)

the westspartan said:


> It's a V- Gouge for wood carving. It is meant to be hit with a mallet or pushed by hand. It is for carving out scoops of wood that have an angled bottom. They are nice for carving the detailed textures of hair or foliage in wood sculptures.



+1

I'd guess part of a hand carvers set? You see smaller versions of these all the time (much smaller) that people use on caulk/rubber blocks for printing. A pretty specialised tool to be sure, take care if you regrind it. Don't go putting it on your bench grinder etc, use a low speed water cooled grinder with precision jigs like a tormek. If you can't justify the cost then pay someone else to do it, I charge about $7 to regrind something like this. You'll totally destroy the temper on the metal if you do it on a grinder, and end up with an edge that will neither be sharp nor true.

Can't say on the log, looks like a bugger to mill up the skinny end with all those knots though! 

Shaun


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## Ted J (Oct 19, 2010)

imagineero said:


> +1
> 
> I'd guess part of a hand carvers set? You see smaller versions of these all the time (much smaller) that people use on caulk/rubber blocks for printing. A pretty specialised tool to be sure, take care if you regrind it. Don't go putting it on your bench grinder etc, use a low speed water cooled grinder with precision jigs like a tormek. If you can't justify the cost then pay someone else to do it, I charge about $7 to regrind something like this. You'll totally destroy the temper on the metal if you do it on a grinder, and end up with an edge that will neither be sharp nor true.
> 
> ...




I'm going to leave the gouge as is, never know when I might need one.
I trimmed the narrowed end of the log and ill mill it up later for turning blanks.
Ted


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