Tool Talk
Woodworking Forum => Woodworking Forum => Topic started by: Model 12 on June 07, 2022, 01:14:13 AM
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I started in on fixing up these chisels without knowing a thing abut it. But I am a fair carver. Those latter pictures show some saws with handles I carved. They're well suited for helping with this.
I took to watching videos on YouTube. There's this one; "Chop With Chris." Seemed the best to me, so I just focused on that one.
This first picture doesn't even show all of em. And the chisel on the far left with a handle tried part way in for size, was the first I started with. This same one is on the far left again in the two successive pictures.
I also picked up that real long chisel without a handle right off. I carved a handle for it. ( 2nd and 3rd pictures )With near 11 inches of steel, I didn't want a stubby store bought handle. I figured that would be like a 30" barrel 12 Gauge with a pistol grip. So I carved a long handle for it. Like a Slick.
I'm real far from finished with this project and I got other things to do. But I don't feel like waiting till I'm done to ask a couple questions.
1) What's the intended use for this long narrow chisel? I'm sure there's a whole lot of you knowing the answer to that,so please respond. As many as feel like it.
But as advertised, my main concern here is about the first chisel I talked about. The one on the far left of those first three pictures; once the rust come off it it uncovered engraving --- PEXTO MADE IN USA. ( bottom picture )
2) Can any one or more of you all tell me about PEXTO Chisels?
Looks like a pretty good alloy. It must be very old, cause my late father-in-law used it for many years and he'd be 108. I've never used it. Till now, all the years I've had it, there was no handle.
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"PEXTO" was a brand name used by Peck Stow & Wilcox a large hardware wholesaler. All of their products were outsourced from various manufacturers, along the same line as Sears' "Craftsman" brand or Montgomery Ward's "Powr-Kraft" brand.
Peck Stow & Wilcox Co., Southington, CT / "P.S.& W." "Pexto" "Pesco" "Me-Kan-Ik" "Stronghold" / patent 553059 Jan 14 1896 Robert Cosmos Ellrich / http://alloy-artifacts.org/peck-stow-wilcox.html / http://alloy-artifacts.org/peck-stow-wilcox.html#history / https://toolarchives.com/index.php/node/261 / http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=2721 / https://wrenchwiki.com/peck-stow-wilcox/ /
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I can tell you these go for $25 to $50 or more apiece, if that interests you. The originals had a leather cap on the end of the handle.
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Actually P,S,& W was a manufacturer. At first tinsmiths machines, then other items were added. They had a large bit brace line that was/is well respected. The PEXTO mark wasn’t used until later years. From what I’ve seen, they made excellent tools.
Mike
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Mike, any idea approximately what year the stamped the name? Thanks
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that long chisel appears to be a mortise chisel. nice :smiley:
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They were using the Pexto mark in 1920 for sure, as it shown on a catalog of that year. How much before that I don’t know.
Mike
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I finally finished with these. I'm a little better at enjoying using them.
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Nice job! Let's see some of the carving!
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Hello Yadda. Thank you. Not much for carving lately, busy with other matters. Last week I did have an opportunity. I was ripping this big 4-1/2 x 8 square, used timber when I saw the blade start to veer. I stopped and saw the rip fence riding up on a big knot. Thing was rounding out on the side of it. . I "carved" it off with the widest chisel.
But I'm glad you brought up the subject of carving, because I've been thinking about that saw of yours and how carving comes to mind for me. I'm going to shift over to your Post on that Craftsman Electric Saw and talk there./size]
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that long chisel appears to be a mortise chisel.
Mortise chisels were used to pry out the wood in a mortise (as in mortise and tenon). Drive the chisel into the waste wood to make a chip, pry backwards; the chisel needed a thick blade to resist bending/snapping.