Making A Socket Chisel Handle

I have been working on a series of blogs for Fine Woodworking Magazine about making/modifying tool handles to help with my chronic hand pain. Last month I made a tang chisel handle, now I am working on a socket chisel.

The style of chisel I am talking about is like the Stanley 720/750 series chisels.

Note that the end of the blade forms a socket and the handle fits inside. They have a swell near the front, probably to register your grip. I personally prefer the tang chisels we talked about last time, but this style is the most popular in America, so it seemed right to work on one. My goal is to make a slightly oversized version that has a swell for the palm, instead of the more cylinder shape of the Stanley. I have an old gouge that needs a handle that I got from my friend Roger. It was in his grandfather’s tool chest, who was a sawmill operator in eastern Oregon. I believe that this used to be a chisel, but was reforged and modified to be a gouge. Very cool and rustic but hopefully useful once I get it fixed up.

Here are both handles for the project, spinning on the lathe. Today’s handle is the closest one to you.

After cutting it off, I realized that I forget about the leather washers that that go on the butt end. I should have left a 3/8” diameter stem, which the leather rings are stacked around. Instead, I drilled a hole and glued in a peg to hold the washers.