<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 3/15/2007 8:01:11 PM Pacific Standard Time, rnossaman@cox.net writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>"Long" always worked best for me. A long bladed 1" paring <BR>chisel is my choice for hand notching.</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Different strokes, so to speak.... I've tried several lengths, including a very long Sorby lathe tool. I think that was suggested by Willis Snyder. I sort of liked the leverage control I had with the "push" hand on the long chisel, but I have gone back to the short Japanese chisel, kept really sharp. It just fits my body best.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">I like two things about it. First, I use two different strokes: After the side notches have been made (often roughed in with a saw, then finished with a different chisel w/a curved profile), I put the notching chisel just ahead of the holes, and bump it with the heel of my hand to shear a straight sloped wasting stroke, which removes much of the wood. Then I bisect the holes, push straight down to start the cut, and do the scoop. I like to be able to do the bump and the scoop with the same chisel, and I like having both hands close together like a golf grip, and close to the bridge. Just my take.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style">Bob Davis</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style"></FONT> </DIV><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at <A title="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000339" href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000339" target="_blank"><B>AOL.com</B></A>. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>