From:
Don Dougan <dondougan@xxxxxxxx>
Date:
Fri, 15 Sep 2000 09:55:21 -0400
Subject:
ultimate tools advice
Dear David;
Quoted text begins.re: "Is there a difference in quality and durability? Or is it due to
the USA and Italian manufacturing and workmanship???"
End of quote.
They are both good tools -- though the Italian tools are generally
somewhat less than the comparable American tool because American labor
is more expensive than Italian labor. Another current reason for the
difference is that the Italian lira is giving a very good exchange rate
for the dollar right now -- highest it has been in years! On the other
hand, Trow & Holden offers the shortstroke version, the Italian companies
do not (unless they are new on the market in the last year or so). Trow
& Holden's service department has always treated me right, but then I've
had very few problems with either my American tools or my Italian ones.
One more word of advice on buying a new hammer -- the Italian ones I have
bought new do seem to need a few hours of breaking-in time before they
run really smoothly where the Trow & Holden hammers I have purchased new
are smooth-as-silk from the first stroke. As far as durability, several
of my hammers were bought used, and I know a couple of them were
purchased new in the late 1920's - one of these is a Trow & Holden, but
they all are still working great.
Quoted text begins.re: "soapstone sculptures . . . recommendation on what size hammer
would be most suitable for roughing out purposes (1/2" or 3/4" piston,
shortstroke?)."
End of quote.
The use of a pneumatic hammer on soapstone is bordering on overkill, but
if you are going to be using it for marble & granite later I'd go with
the 3/4". The shortstroke allows more control than the regular
longstroke, but is not as fast removing waste. I use a 3/4" (American
and Italian-made longstroke) for hard stone and roughing-out, a 5/8"
(American-made longstroke) for roughing-out softer stones such as
Indiana limestone, and a 1/2" (Trow & Holden shortstroke) for detail work
near the end of power tool carving. I have a couple 1/2" (American-made
longstroke) hammers that my students use for roughing-out small or soft
stone, but I never use them on my own work. I always use hand tools to
finish the final details in carving -- they allow me so much greater
control than power tools at the end-stage of the work where detail really
counts.
Quoted text begins.re: "3/4" claw, and 3/4" flat chisel along with a pointer currently.
Does it make sense to purchase the equivalent carbide tools specifically
made for these hammers?"
End of quote.
Unless you are carving hard marble or granite carbide-tipped tools are
simply not worth it. I use high-carbon tool steel tools unless I am
carving granite. The carbide tips are relatively brittle, and so must be
ground and sharpened at a relatively blunt cutting angle. High carbon
chisels will get dull faster, but the control allowed by the relatively
steep angle afforded by the toughness of the steel tip is worth extra
trouble in sharpening. On soapstone you would be giving up control for
no reason -- carbon steel will stay sharp for so long on such soft
material that you might go years before the tool needed sharpening. But
granite is a different story. It is just as hard as your regular
high-carbon steel tool, so carbide-tipped tools are a must.
Good luck! Don Dougan
PS - if you want to see some of my work visit: http://www.dondougan.homestead.com/indexdd.html
- References
- message 00551: ultimate tools advice - David Wang (14 Sep 2000)
- Previous by Thread: message 00554: ultimate tools advice - GeorgeJulieJessie Graham (16 Sep 2000)
- Next by Thread: message 00531: Carving Sandstone water fountains - Troy (02 Sep 2000)
- Previous by Date: message 00552: ultimate tools advice - Erik Stainsby (15 Sep 2000)
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