Woodworking Tool Basics

An all around gunsmith must have on hand a good number of proper tools including chisels, files, and assorted hand tools. In this category of tool the value of each one is based on the ability of the user. They say a poor workman blames his tools and this is true to a large extent. However, there are a number of poor quality tools available and while price isn’t always the sole indicator of quality, cheap tools are cheap tools. With the better class of tool the quality remains after the price is forgotten.

Gunsmiths and other craftsmen also like to have a warranty but the very nature of our craft will often void a warranty. We like to modify our tools and change the edge and surface in order to have a something better suited to the task at hand. I have done quite a bit of wood working. While it wasn’t all on gunstocks, most of it has been. A stock may modified to have a bet- Now it just needs to be polished. ter fit, to look better, or to be more accurate. We rout out areas, we fix dents and cuts.

Modifications Considering tool modifications, how about a ten degree angle on most edges? This will provide a versatile angle for most of the work to be done. Less than ten degrees is ideal for some chores while an angle of as much as twenty degrees may be needed for harder surfaces. Some wood is very hard and requires more effort to cut. Something that doesn’t demand much effort is cutting and sharpening the tool. A grinding wheel should be allowed to do all of the work.

Lightly touch the surface of the chisel to the grinding wheel and let the powered wheel do the work. This also applies to cutting special purpose screwdrivers. While Brownells offers excellent quality tools for the task I have modified screwdrivers to remove revolver bolt stops and the like. Over time, these modifications will create an assortment of tools for every occasion. It is important to remove impressions and hollows in the grind with a dose of oil followed by a smoothing stone.

The edge should be sharp and never place the cutting edge of the tool against the grinding! The edge will catch and it may become airborne. The inevitable hollows in grinding should be smoothed out.

Take care not to roll over the radius of the tool. Done right, the end result is a true custom job that suits your hands and leverage. Use jeweler’s rouge to finish. I learned this process many years ago from a combination of reading Bob Brownell’s books and from practical experience and demonstration. The end result is a very nice edge that is truly sharp and which keeps your work looking nice. Here is a tip that takes a little time but results in far less work over the long term.

Never work the tool until it is dull. Once you have done your custom work and come up with a keen edge (keen is a good description as it means more than sharp) keep it that way. When working wood, stop what you are doing every so often and wipe the wood from the tool. If needed, apply polish to the edge and dress it up. This will keep the edge clean and sharp and you will be able to keep working with a fine edge.

Don’t wait until the tool is dull as this will make it likely that the edge will not be perfect and there will be some roll over that must be polished out. This sounds like some work but the fact is it is just a learning curve. It is a process in your education. Once learned, life will be easier and you will be a better craftsman. I am going to repeat advice I was given and read in the early 1970s. Buy first quality. Have a handful of very good tools. Better this than a dozen poor quality tools.

The cost is similar but you will be able to get a lot more done, do a better job, and encounter less aggravation with good quality tools. I like keeping the tools hanging if they have a hole drilled in the handle. Having just a few for wood cutting in a corner makes them easy to find and putting them back in the same place every time means much to your piece of mind. As for oilstones (whetstones), the "oil" in the name is there for a reason. I keep mine soaking in oil at all times when not in use.

I am not certain this is necessary but it has worked for me for many years and seems right. It does seem the stones soak a bit of oil up and this helps when we oil parts to be stoned. I’ll close with some of the most important things concerning tools. The bevel should be longer than that used for most types of wood working. Gunsmiths work with gunstocks and for the most part these are heavier and thicker wood than most wood carvers like to work with. Tools must be sharp.

The sharper the tool to begin with, the longer it will maintain its edge. When the tool becomes less sharp and more effort is needed to gouge the wood, the time has come to buff and clean the tool. Keep the tool sharp as you work. Remove the wire edge or it will dig into the wood. Keep the corners of the tool rounded so that they do not dig in as you work. The test is performed on apiece of hard treated wood that is harder than most of the stocks you work with.

This provides a better test and is a learning process as to the bevel you need. AG