Expensive chisel set but beautiful. Let's see what the others have to say.
Expensive chisel set but beautiful. Let's see what the others have to say.
Six chisels for $1290 +shipping, that is ~$215+ per chisel.
For my work, that is enough information to know the purchase price is going to be tough to recapture.
Unless there is a heavy import tax you would likely do better with Veritas PM-V11 chisels.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
I can't see where they bring much to the table....Blue steel? Much rather have #1 White Paper from a master craftsman for much less money. Maybe it's the box, nice looking box but not sure it is worth $600 USD or there about. I wish them luck.
ken
Can't see myself every wanting to purchase these chisels, and I'm a sucker for new and fine tools. IMO if you can afford them, the Veritas PM-V11 chisels Jim mentioned are the best chisels you can purchase - the handles are beautifully crafted, the steel is top notch and goes forever without needing sharpening, not to mention backed by Veritas customer service. Fine Japanese chisels in white steel seem to perform just as well from what I hear (don't have any myself). If you want fine chisels at a much lower price, the Ashley Ile's bench chisels are excellent value, the O1 steel sharpens fast and takes a keen edge.
The only chisels I would splurge for beyond the PMV11 cost would be the Blue spruce chisels, and I'm ashamed to admit it's because of their beauty and innovation in some of their other tools. In reality however, I think I would get a set of fine Japanese chisels instead, as I'm not a fan of A2 steel.
My point is, I don't see the point of these tools - their steel is nothing special, they aren't particularly beautiful, and they don't have the same pedigree as other chisels half (and even less) the price. Most fine toolmakers are small enough that their products are bespoke enough for me without needing to get a craftsman in the northern forests make me tools out of their cabins, which seems to be what niche these tools are supposed to fit...and that coming from someone from Edmonton, AB, the northernmost metropolis in North America.
Last edited by Hasin Haroon; 07-29-2017 at 6:08 PM.
Lasse,
Sure....While not quite the same it is like the preference for O1 vs. A2. I do not normally work abrasive woods and #1 White Steel will take a sharper edge vs. Blue steel much like O1 vs. A2. Longer edge life means little, my preference is to work with very sharp tools and sharpen often instead of working with almost sharp for longer.
ken
It is pitiful. Traditional bench chisels were tang chisels; socket chisels were carpenter's tools. These are too heavy for serious work. The 12mm chisel is 220 grams. My current 1/2 inch chisel is 63 grams.
If they want a "revival of medieval traditions" and to "preserve history" they might do some homework, not just fantasize. If they want to attract serious craftsmen, offer the chisels one at a time. And without handles. We don't want to pay extra for somebody's idea of a souped up handle.
Here is a chisel from 1596:
chisel zembla 1596.jpeg
I agree. If you look through the rest of your "woodworking" products you'll notice that they're of types more suited to carpentry (timber framing etc) than to fine work. I think these guys just don't understand the market they're trying to address with their bench chisels. A swing and a mind-bogglingly expensive miss.
Not to mention they are ridiculously ugly. Looks like they have been buried in a northern peat bog for 500 years. Agree on the crazy swing and miss!
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 !
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.
Last edited by Brian Holcombe; 07-31-2017 at 1:25 PM.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.