best type of timber for making chisel handles

[schnewj]

I have four chisels which need new handles & I can't By replacements for them,
I am going to turn them Up But need advise on what is the best type of wood to use?

You don't specify what type of chisel handle you're looking for as replacements! Are the chisels socket end or do the tangs go into the handle?

There are several sources of good to excellent quality replacement handles. A quick search on-line should take you to Lee-Valley, Woodcraft and several other sources. However, they can be pricey.

Since you indicated that you have the ability to turn your own, that would be the cheapest solution. You can even add ferrules if you want. Copper or brass pipe cut to size and fitted to the ends work very well. As for the type of wood, look for a very dense hardwood the does not have a straight grain. In Europe they use Horn Beam, which is a very hard and dense wood in the box wood family. Basically, any hard dense wood will suffice.

Again, you don't specify what type(s) of chisels you are trying to restore. If they are bench chisels, then you have a vast choice of woods on the Janka scale that will suffice. Here is a good resource of woods and their properties and general uses Wood Properties by Species – WoodBin.

If you are looking for handles for a striking type, like a mortising chisel or a larger slick chisel, then look to the traditional type woods.

Hope this helps.

Bill