Harold & Saxon Chisel order has arrived

Today was a good day for my shop, as I was lucky enough to receive my order of chisels from Trent Powrie from Harold and Saxon in Australia. These are simply stated the best chisels being made today, using only the top grade M2 steel fitted with some of the finest wood choices and finish details available.

The fun part of this was that I had asked Trent to make these from something unique that no one else has and the choice was a surprise until they arrived today - I was not disappointed - he done good!

I ordered these chisels when there was still snow on the ground last year and have been monitoring their progress closely as they came together. The chisel set is the full range of bench chisels executed in rippled Australian Blackwood acacia melanoxylon which is stunning in appearance, matched with the gold-plated ferrules these are going to be a pleasure to use.

Harold & Saxon Rippled Blackwood Chisel Set

Every review I have read about these chisels gushes with enthusiasm and my quick tryout in the shop tonight is 100% consistent with that view. These are substantially larger than my Blue Spruce set and will be reserved for those projects where the highest level of precision is demanded.


The second set I ordered from Trent is a set of mortise chisels. I do not own a set of mortise chisels and have been thinking of buying a set for quite a while - I'm glad I waited as these are something else.

Harold & Saxon Desert Rosewood Mortise Chisel Set

These mortise chisels are made from Desert Rosewood alectryon oleifolius which is another nice uniquely Australian hardwood, these are quite heavy and will take quite a bit of bashing from the mallet, I look forward to a project I am starting very soon which will put these to the test.

Back to the shop.

RDW

The Cutting Crew

Just a short post, now that I am back from WIA, after meeting many folks I have only known online for a long time. The show was great, wish there had been a few more hand tool makers, but them's the breaks.

Getting back into the building mode while working on the bathroom reno a bit every day.

Here's a quick project I just finished, it's a Japanese Damascus steel paring knife. I bought a few of these for Christmas presents and made one for myself to work out the kinks, this one is from a piece of Desert ironwood a friend gave me a while ago, finally a project to do justice to this wood.

Damascus steel Desert ironwood Paring Knife

Other side

Last year I made my first knives, some Outback style steak knives for my boys:

Last year's knife making experience - my first go at it.

WIA here I come

I am preparing to head to Woodworking in America (WIA) tomorrow in Cincinnati, which is the Premiere woodworking event on this side of the pond. This will a chance to meet many of the online acquaintances I have built up over the years. This will also include many of the tool builders who have worked with me to build some of the nicest hand tools out there, I might even buy a thing or two...

I have not posted in a while, but this does not mean I have been idle. After finishing the oak table for my son, I built a similar table for my Dad from the same oak that came from near his childhood home - he loved it.

We are also doing a bathroom reno, so as those who have done these types of projects well know, this takes lots of time. I am doing doing most of the work myself, except the plumbing, electrical and tile, which I am subbing out.

Phase 1 - this is the framing for the new wall which will become the new bathroom wall
once the old one is removed. Half the work was re-working the hardwood floor pattern.

The new door (right) and hall closet framing to make room for the bathroom wall move.

Phase 2 - Now that the wall has been moved and the room next door finished, time to start destroying stuff in the old bath  which will be a complete gut, and the wall on the right removed to reveal the new wall behind it.

The before picture before Team Destructo showed up

Lots of dust as the drywall comes down, help from my two sons
 made this light duty and they had a ball destroying stuff

I avoided the heavy lifting!!

Starting to clean up from a dirty day - we removed 650 kilos of
material that got hauled to the dump.You can now see the new wall on the right
which makes the bath 15" wider.

The drywall installed - now the fun part begins with taping and sanding.
The recess for the mirror is roughed in.

This end will be a full walk-in shower with a couple
of niches and a seat - long ways to go.

Couldn't have a project without a woodworking aspect!!
Here's the vanity I made to replace the 20-something one.
Turned out pretty good, it's made from Teak.

Off to Cincinnati... can't wait!