There is a "new" manufactor of high end forged chisels from the north.

[Mel Fulks]

Easy to be critical ...but who among us will turn down a set at a yard sale for $3.00 ? Unused in original box. I'm patient enough to wait couple years for a big discount !

[Brian Holcombe]

The cost doesn't offend me, there are plenty of makers out there asking similar prices of their work. Obviously I don't expect anything handmade to be similarly priced to anything machine made, it doesn't make sense that it would unless you expect the makers are working at minimum wage (they aren't!).

These certainly are not for me, but there are a few Japanese makers who sell at similar, or higher prices and of course they also usually have a 6mo-multi year wait for their work so they have a number of orders to go along with those prices.

I've met quite a number of craftsmen in the field, they often either give preference to antique/vintage tools that they restore, often of very high quality, or newly handmade tools that are high quality.

[Stanley Covington]

I don't want to be the guy who defends their prices or anything els for that matter but regarding the price I'm sure you can find other chisel makers in the world that is able to sell their products at a similar price. I think that one of the main reasons for the high price is due to the really high wages that is paid in the Scandinavian countries, largely due to the high taxes.

Thanks for the insight. Glad to know the chisels are helping to support the governments of Scandanavia.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I know what goes into making a high-quality socket chisel, and how to maintain and use them.

Regardless of the country of origin, at the price point listed, they should be wonderfully made, high-performance, beautiful tools. But instead of making a dream chisel, the manufacturer has carefully chosen to replace proven high-quality construction with inferior construction just because it sounds better. He has chosen to replace time-proven design details with user-unfriendly movie-prop gizmos. Instead of putting in the effort to produce an attractively finished product, the metal looks like it was made by an amateur and tossed into a tank of cat urine for a year to corrode (cat urine does amazing things to steel, BTW).

In my opinion, their appearance does not justify the price. I strongly suspect the performance will be lacking, compared to conventional design and construction. And I find it difficult to imagine that the quality will be in line with the price.

But I have said from my first post that I believe this product will sell amazingly well because there are plenty of people around the world that buy things based solely on appearance and perceived value but without really understanding. These are the grown men that collect lunchboxes, Starwars goods, and stand in line to buy video games. They have a different perception of value than a simple ex-carpenter like me. I lack their imagination. More power to them.

To those who like these chisels, have the disposable income, and don't need to actually use them to feed their wife and babies, I say order 20 sets right now. But I would hope that this forum is filled with people that take tools and woodworking more seriously. Alas, I'm probably wrong.

Stan

[Warren Mickley]

ross chisel 4.jpgAttachment 365025

Here is an 18th century style chisel made by Peter Ross, who used to work at Williamsburg. I have seen a blacksmith at Williamsburg make a chisel like this in maybe under 30 minutes. The steel and the bolster are forge welded on.

According to the Seaton chest inventory a journeyman woodworker could buy about nine chisels for a day's wages. And the merchant who sold the chisels to Seaton, Christopher Gabriel, became rich from the trade, so there was plenty of profit. I don't buy the notion that the cost of Northmen chisels is attributable to high labor costs.

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

Lasse: As of Jan. 1/17, ALL Rosewoods, three Bubinga species and others were added to CITES. That is what I take from what I have been able to read. - Dave B

Thats new to me. Thanks for the info

[Kees Heiden]

But I would hope that this forum is filled with people that take tools and woodworking more seriously. Alas, I'm probably wrong.

Stan

Why do you think so? What did we do to earn such a low opinion?

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

Jesus I regret that I posted this thread!

[Hasin Haroon]

Are there really droves of uninformed woodworkers who are willing to buy a $1200 set of chisels at the drop of a hat based on a marketing description? Somehow I doubt that...or I've been hanging out in less affluent circles!

[Stewie Simpson]

I was planning on eventually getting one LN plane. I'm well stocked for Veritas BU/BD & Custom planes and don't expect the LN would give me anything these planes don't but I wanted one just for the heck of it. I wanted a 4 1/2, but the bronze aesthetic was pushing me towards the 4, so I was hoping they'd offer a bronze 4 1/2. At that price I no longer want a bronze 4 1/2, lol.

Hasin; there are plenty of forum members out there who don't mind spending big money on premium brand tools.

[Hasin Haroon]

Guilty as charged Stewie. In my defence the Lie Nielsen bench planes are proven to perform well, and are fairly priced for what they offer...unlike these chisels.

[Rob Luter]

Some gorgeous stuff. I especially like the framing slicks and the axes. Well out of my price range however.

[Joel Thomas Runyan]

But I have said from my first post that I believe this product will sell amazingly well because there are plenty of people around the world that buy things based solely on appearance and perceived value but without really understanding. These are the grown men that collect lunchboxes, Starwars goods, and stand in line to buy video games. They have a different perception of value than a simple ex-carpenter like me. I lack their imagination. More power to them.

Buying a hundred chisels for $2 a pop is the same as buying one for $200 when you don't need, maintain, or use them to build anything. It's stupid. But there's a market for both. Haven't yet figured out why the first group gets applause and envy around here, while the second group gets turned into a punching bag. And if you thought a forum was the place to find serious woodworkers...

[Stewie Simpson]

Jesus I regret that I posted this thread!

I agree with you Lasse. It was a terrible mistake to have started this thread. This forum has done a thorough job of undermining Northmens reputation. Had these been expensive Japanese Chisels, the discussion would have been totally different.

[Roger Nair]

Lasse, you posed a fair question and you should not feel bad on account of others behavior. I do not recall anyone answering with direct experience of having the tools in hand and put to work, which is a more true way to evaluate tools. For those interested in small shop forged socket bench chisels of a comparable size and about 60% less cost, I would be confident in suggesting Barrtools for either a chisel set or single item purchase. I have used Barr framing chisels since 1990. Barr Quarton runs a production shop, that specializes in tools for working timber framers, log builders, chairmakers and woodworkers.

[John Sanford]

I want chisels to work, not to admire. I don't understand the concept.

it's not a hard concept to understand, certainly not if you woodwork for profit. Some, likely many, of your customers want X to keep books off the floor. You could simply slap something, well engineered mind you, together out of particle board/mdf and paint it. Such a solution will WORK, mind you.

But your customer wants more than simply something that "works." They want something that looks good, that is admirable. They want a craftsman's touch. The chisel is simply a different medium than that which is made WITH the chisel.