1.My first chisel just arrived, a 2" Witherby. It doesn't have a handle though. I've seen some pics with handles with leather on the end and others without. When I have a handle made, what should it have on the end?
2. Are there any special tricks to chisel sharpening. The one I just got is dull, but in very nice condition otherwise. I'm well versed in keeping my chef's knives sharp with a sharpeing steel. How do I get the edge back on the Chisel? Successively finer stones? I also have a buffer for when I buff stainless for my classic cars. Is there any problem with buffing the top and sides of this chisel? There was light surface rust at one time, but no significant pitting. How can I best preserve my chisel - gun oil?
3. For my first project I would like to make Saw horses for timber framing. Are there any recommended dimensions? I'm assume I'll cut my first mortice and tennons to assemble them. I have some 8X8 and 8X10 pine barn beam pieces to work with.
Thanks,
Brad_bb

Brad, all my chisels that I use for timber framing have metal rings on the handles to keep them from splitting or mushrooming. I use a 3" dia random orbit air sander with 400 grit paper to clean up rusty tools. Go slow and don't get the chisel too hot or you could ruin the temper. Too hot to hold bare handed in my rule of "thumb". Tom

The chisel at the bottom is an old Witherby 1 1/2" w/ original handle & metal ring.

Look in the tool section for my "Veritas MKII..." post to see what I and some of the others here are using to sharpen tools. I second Toms suggestion of being able to hold the tool with your bare hands at all times. The temper temperatures are actually much higher, but if you can hold it, you are definately safe. You are only going to create that much heat with powered sharpening systems, which I personally try to avoid. I also recommend "The complete guide to sharpening" by Leonard Lee of Lee Valley Tools.

The sawhorses sound like a great idea for a first project. Most of the horses I have used have been about three feet wide and a little above knee hieght. You want to work on your timber from above, and if you are using power tools you want them to be at a comfortable and safe hieght.

Rather than a traditional sawhorse, you might consider a trestle. Traditional horses are an inverted "V", where as the trestle is an inverted "T". This will make the joints intersect at 90 degrees. If you make them out of the barn beams, you probably aren't going to want to move them much.

Dave

Brad:
I have a pdf drawing of a timber frame saw horse. I can email it to you tomorrow....
You can modify it to suit your needs or timbers...

About sharpening the chisel read up on it, and make sure you flatten the back first then work on the bevel after you have it entirely cleaned.
Once clean and dry, keep it dry and it won't rust....
No need for a lot of oil, very very little if any....

Jim Rogers

I make my horses knee high 4 to 7 feet long. I make uniform leg pairs connected by a plwood web, the beams have a angled housing to receive the legs, the legs tighten under load and hold firm. The horses break down in seconds and can be stored and transported in compact stacks. No pegs or wedges, just leg pairs and beams.

I have used knock down horses similar to what Roger Nair described. I know many timber framers who use this style of horse. I don't like plywood so I have a slightly different design but the concept is basicly the same. Tom

Hi all:

Now here is a subject right up my alley,

Saw horses.

Back about 25 years ago I was in charge of a large timberframing project that needed authentic and historic saw horses for the timberframing group to work with. I began my research in our research library using old books and manuals and I had access to old photos and drawings of timberframers working on timbers, these were sometimes just drawings but pretty good ones.

One photo showed workmen working in a yard on hewing, adzing and mortising timbers. The horses that they were using seemed to me to be ideal and whoever did the sketching put in enough details that a reproduction seemed very possible.

From this photo sketch I came up with plans to produce one to be used as a copy for more if it seemed to be what we wanted,

It turned out to be sturdy, and userfriendly and it also had a shelf built into it that was spanned between its legs. It was pictured in the sketch as a place that was used as a tool rest. the height also seemed to be just right for heavy timber work.

We used these saw horses for the next 20 years and as far as I am concerned the design would be hard to improve upon. They are not easy to construct they are mortised and tenoned , shouldered and pinned using if I remember right 3" square tops, and 2" square legs with spanners between the legs and pinned in place. On the spanners lays the shelf that has to be put in place as it is assembled.

right now I have no pictures to post but I promise to in a few weeks time, just bear with me, or email me and I will email pictures when they become available.
NH

I also have a couple of pair of timber trestles. The larger pair is made from 6x6. I put them on wheels, for moving things around the shop.

The smaller set is 4x4 & 4x6.

Very interesting. I like the upsidedown "T" design. I also like the idea of a way to move timbers around. I don't think you actually work on timber while on the caster horses, do you? I would think the reapeated blows would take a toll on a casters eventually plus you work would move on you. I have timbers stored in another building about 50 yards from my workshop. I could build similiar timber movers with pneumatic wheels to move better over the bumps/cracks in the concrete. Thanks fellas, and any more picture you post are useful and nice to look at.

Actually I do work on them. Usually the first step in cutting thmbers is chain morticing, after that is done there is enough saw dust on the floor to keep the heavily loaded trestles from rolling around too much. The casters seem to be holding up to the repeated blows better than my wrists and elbows. :p