looked at the pfeil butt chisels today

[Chris Haas]

and i wasnt impressed. the steel you cant say anything bad about, but the handles in my opinion were sub-par. they felt like they were sanded only to about 120grit and there was even a nub left on the top from what looked like were it was on a lathe. that doesnt make too much sense because they were octogon not round but still, i felt the fit and finish was pretty rough.

my father has the crown but chisels, and i love them, but wanted something different, i may end up with the crowns afterall.

[george wilson]

Chris,I don't care for their bench chisel handles,either. I'm putting boxwood handles on mine,as I get them made. Those are UGLY handles,but the steel is great. Really,it customizes them for you,anyway.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Chisel handles are easy to customize: if you have a wood lathe simply aim the blade into the spindle bore and support the handle end with a live center. If the blade is too large to fit in the spindle bore, you have to fabricate a block to clamp around the blade and then jig onto the lathe.

Then turn the handles to what feels good to you! If you are really ambitious, take off the old handles and turn entirely new ones. If you feel incapable of turning a handle, Lee Valley sells London Pattern handles for tang chisels. There ain't a thing wrong with taking any tool--old or new and customizing it to where it becomes a user for you.

T.Z.

[Chris Haas]

i do turn, and i have made my own chisel handles before, i guess my point was that i just couldnt believe that was the product they wanted to sell, i mean, its a $25 chisel, not some cheapo deal.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Chris,

Why don't you take a look at Narex for dirt cheap bench chisels? Set of four at Highland Hardware is roughly $22.00. I've got many, many vintage and modern chisels, including AI, LN, vintage Stanley, Sorby, Witherby and so on. My youngest daughter, with help from her mother, bought me a set of Narex for Christmas and I've got to say they would be a deal at two or three times the price. Ugly handles, but I've already fixed that!

Tony Z.

[george wilson]

Narex makes a lot of other high end machinist's tools. I have a Narex universal boring head that lists for about $2500.00. That's not a cheap head. Yet,their wood chisels seem to be a bargain. The Fine Woodworking writeup on chisels showed that the Narex's looked exactly like another European brand,but I can't recall the name. Perhaps they make both chisels,or get another chisel rebadged Narex. They seem to be a good buy,at least.