re: Wood Chisels - Buying, Restoring, Sharpening and Using

Dave, I wonder if something like Briwax ChairRX would help?  It supposedly swells the wood fibers to tighten joints.  Maybe that would make them shrink less during dry periods?  I used it once on a table and it seems to work for the short time that I had it, though I do not have the table anymore so I cannot give you a long term assessment.