# New flea market Chisels



## ntrusty (Feb 21, 2012)

Well if you read my last post the Bailey plane thing didnt work out for me like i would have hoped. I did however pick these up at a flea market in Hot Springs. I had heard of the makers marks ( D P Barton is the 1st one )on them but got them because I needed some around the sizes of these that have a chance of staying decently sharp. I currently just have some Harbor Freight cheapos.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

Ntrusty,

I've got a few old Buck Bros. chisels kicking around the shop. The steel seems pretty nice. I also have some of their lathe tools. The lathe tolls sharpen up easily but also get dull quickly.

Bret


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## ntrusty (Feb 21, 2012)

Lola Ranch said:


> Ntrusty,
> 
> I've got a few old Buck Bros. chisels kicking around the shop. The steel seems pretty nice. I also have some of their lathe tools. The lathe tolls sharpen up easily but also get dull quickly.
> 
> Bret


cool, these where in a box of mostly buck bros lathe tools as well. I passed on those, do the chisels hold a good edge?


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

ntrusty said:


> cool, these where in a box of mostly buck bros lathe tools as well. I passed on those, do the chisels hold a good edge?


I honestly don't know. The chisels were given to me and are real "beaters". They have socket handles but even so someone beat the wooden handle so hard the wood still is split up. I've done a little quick grinding on a couple of them but I've never even honed one.

It's a project that I have not gotten to yet.

Bret


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

There are a few "regular" flea markets, with sellers that are a type of dealers, and those that have cleaned out a garage. Their tables are very different. Some are just laid out on old dirty towels or pillow cases, while others have cardboard or wood crate boxes with tools just thrown in.

I've made some great finds sifting through what looks like junk. If you know what to look for your score could be pretty good. Some of the old Stanley's and Buck Brothers are good finds. I can't complain. As for the old Buck's, they are as good as many of the "preferred" chisels being sold as new. Dressing them up and maintaining them suits my purposes. I don't wait for them to be re-beveled. It's easier to hone and strop when they get a bit dull than creating a whole new edge. 

One of my better finds have been with BB's crank neck paring chisels. They are a dream to use for the ease of the working angle. 




















 







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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

A couple of nice sockets and a good looking paring chisel. Awesome! Those Buck Bros have a nice reputation, and they certainly go high enough on ebay. They look nice.


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## ntrusty (Feb 21, 2012)

cabinetman said:


> There are a few "regular" flea markets, with sellers that are a type of dealers, and those that have cleaned out a garage. Their tables are very different. Some are just laid out on old dirty towels or pillow cases, while others have cardboard or wood crate boxes with tools just thrown in.
> 
> I've made some great finds sifting through what looks like junk. If you know what to look for your score could be pretty good. Some of the old Stanley's and Buck Brothers are good finds. I can't complain. As for the old Buck's, they are as good as many of the "preferred" chisels being sold as new. Dressing them up and maintaining them suits my purposes. I don't wait for them to be re-beveled. It's easier to hone and strop when they get a bit dull than creating a whole new edge.
> 
> ...


 
The other BB tools in the box looked like those in your pic. They were lathe gouges of various sizes mostly though. I wasnt sure about them, I had never seen the offset design before. I also couldnt really afford to buy any more than I did. Thanks for the info, I will def pick more of them up in the future if I see them for a decent price. Have you heard about the D.R. Barton brand any? The most ive been able to find puts that chisel at being made between 1832 - 1880. Seems he was associated with the Buck Bros for a short time as well.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

ntrusty said:


> cool, these where in a box of mostly buck bros lathe tools as well. I passed on those, do the chisels hold a good edge?


ntrusty,

An update on those BB chisels I have. I have two very long mortising chisels. The steel measures 11" from tip to lip of socket plus the wood handle for a total of about 15". I also have a very long inside bevel gouge that has a steel length 13-1/2" plus the wood.

I spent some time cleaning and sharpening them today. I was very pleased with the sharpness I was able to achieve without too much effort. I used the smaller of the two chisels today to pare off a little walnut on some tenon shoulders. I went through that end grain like butter. I hollow ground them and a fairly low angle and then honed a secondary bevel about 1/32" wide. These are sweet old tools. I like the heft all that steel gives them.

Who ever had these tools before me really abused the handles, pounded on them mercilessly and they are split up. I will make new handles for them someday. 

I was given these tools by my ex-wife's step Grandfather about 30 years ago. I imagine they are pretty old.

Bret


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## ntrusty (Feb 21, 2012)

Lola Ranch said:


> ntrusty,
> 
> An update on those BB chisels I have. I have two very long mortising chisels. The steel measures 11" from tip to lip of socket plus the wood handle for a total of about 15". I also have a very long inside bevel gouge that has a steel length 13-1/2" plus the wood.
> 
> ...


Thats great, I'm glad to hear that they are working well. I havent had a chance to touch mine yet. I've been working on a workbench in my garage, and my goal is to have it done before I have a child, in about a month. My next project is a run of cedar box's so getting my chisels in order is coming up pretty quick on the to do list. Thanks for the info.


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