$116.00 and two chisels later

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

and I'm going to find out if those Lie Nelson A2 Cryo treated Chisels are worth their salt.

I been looking and looking Now I'm waiting for the delivery guy.

[Casey Gooding]

They are worth every penny

[David Turner]

I love mine!

David Turner
Plymouth, MI.

[Jamie Cowan]

Those chisels should be fantastic. Someday...

[Mike Henderson]

They're good but they're not magic. Don't expect miracles.

But they are good chisels and I use them as my primary set.

Mike

[I have one Blue Spruce chisel. It's about the same as the LNs in edge retention. It's shaped a bit different which could be an advantage in doing dovetails. Overall, a good chisel, also.]

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

They're good but they're not magic. Don't expect miracles.

Well that's a buzzkill. I was hoping for miracles.
Ya know do my DTs and maybe cure the DTs too.

[Scott Stafford]

The only downside to Lie-Nielsen chisels is that they're habit forming. First bevel chisels, then mortise chisels, then a few bevel chisels with paring handles, then maybe a fishtail chisel.... or two......

Scott in Montana

[John Keeton]

Scott, a similar thing happens with the Blue Spruce. After buying the first four, I noticed that when I would close up my cabinet at the end of my shop session, I would hear a faint crying sound. Finally figured out that my BS chisels were lonely. Ended up having to buy a fishtail and two skews just to keep them company;)

[Jamie Cowan]

I dind't mean to imply that they were magic, it's just that Lie-Nielsen makes a great tool. I bought their DT saw a couple months ago, as an upgrade from a straight handled Crown Tools DT saw, and having a better quality tool has made a world of difference. The Crown's blade often requires attention before setting to work, and the L-N came home good to go, and hasn't let up since. While a good woodworker can get results from just about anything, I've found that a better saw makes the learning easier. As for chisels, aside from a few random sizes from various makers, I just have a 6 piece set of the Marples bench chisels from when they were still made in Sheffield. They work great, but need a touch up fairly often. Granted, I'm early on in learning, and better to beat up these, which I bought for about fifty bucks than to beat up something I spent a lot on. That said, I think it's great that Cliff was able to get a couple of quality U.S. made chisels.

[Rod Sheridan]

Scott, a similar thing happens with the Blue Spruce. After buying the first four, I noticed that when I would close up my cabinet at the end of my shop session, I would hear a faint crying sound. Finally figured out that my BS chisels were lonely. Ended up having to buy a fishtail and two skews just to keep them company;)


I've had the same problem with Lee Valley planes.......Rod.

[Rusty Elam]

I just got a couple of them myself, trying to upgrade from my blue ones a couple at a time( you have to buy 2 to get the free shipping at Craftsman studio).
One thing that I am curious about is the 35 degree recommended angle, because all the stuff I see on handcut dovetails say 25 degrees or less for chopping to avoid the wedge effect.
I have noticed on T Chisels video that he seems to chop with a Irwin(marples) and clean up with the LNs. Do any of you guys do this?

[Danny Thompson]

The LN 1/2" has been my favorite tool for some time now . . . balanced, sharp, and sweet!

(Although the LN Scrub Plane and LV Bevel-Up Jointer are catching up fast!)

Cliff, you won't regret it! Let us know when you have them in hand.

[Scott Stafford]

I see dangerous trends or flaws in my personality through this group therapy. I started with Marples chisels and then bought Two Cherries chisels for those special projects. Then I bought Ashley Iles as my special set over my Two Cherries... now the Lie-Nielsens. Hello, my name is Scott and I am an addict.

Rod will understand the spread of my disease... first was the R80RT... then the K100rs... then the R75-90... then that special R90S. Worst of all, I never get rid of the old ones.

When I die there will be battles fought over my hoards.

Scott in Montana

[Rod Sheridan]

Scott, Those darn old bikes seem to collect in my garage as well, an R90-6, and R60-7, an 850 Commando, a 1930 James..........Rod.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Just opened the box.

Had to play with 'em a bit.

A tad smaller than I expected. I had a longer chisel in my minds eye.

Nice edge. Good cut quality. Tried end grain cuts on pine ( notorious for ugly end grain work) and some tiger wood and maple. Real nice work they do.

There's a problem tho'

I set them next to two matched pieces of wood and they didn't make any DTs. I waited nearly half an hour and nothing happened.

[Richard Dooling]

Well you know how people say that when you get really good at something you "can do it in your sleep?" May be they're just waiting till you go to bed.:rolleyes:

.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

So I'm working on the project I bought these chisels to help me do.
My steel capped Stanley's weren't long enough. And there I am whacking my shiny new chisels with something other than the claw hammer I use on my Steel Capped Stanley chisels and it comes to me.
"I need a mallet." All I had was a chunk of off cut elm with one end smaller than the other.

So I meandered out to my brush heap in the back yard up against the woods where I tossed some thick apple branches a year or so back.
I whip out my itty bitty Echo Chain saw I use for limbing trees back when I used to tree climb and lopped off me a sizeable chunk of apple 'bout as thick as my thigh.

It was purdy. The bark was still on it but it was purdy just the same.

I cut the ends sort of, mostly, kind of, square-ish to each other, found the centers by eyeball jammed in a drive center and a live center on the other and proceeded to make myself that mallet. I wanted a square end mallet but didn't want to invest the time.

I used to look at those adorable round mallets that people have and snicker: "Yah round, that's goanna work" and chuckled.
Well, by golly it's a pisser of a mallet~!! I was wrong round is good.

So after whacking my shiny new chisels on this box project I messing with, it occurred to me if I wanted my shiny new apple mallet to last longer than the week I better seal the thing so the moisture in it doesn't come out all at once like. The wood was wet still.

So it's taken a good shellacking and is hanging to dry.
I hope the shellac does the job. I figured it was the best way to go better 'n BLO 'cause of the fact that shellac dissolves in Alcohol and Alcohol mixes on the molecular level with water and water was what I wanted to slow down. So being alcholol based the shellac would get in deeper into the wood.
I have no clue if this is going to work out like that in practice but, it's better 'n letting it split. It's a purdy mallet and damn if it don't work just fine - being round 'n all.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Scott, Those darn old bikes seem to collect in my garage as well, an R90-6, and R60-7, an 850 Commando, a 1930 James..........Rod.

When ya get yerself a '57 Vincent you do give me a call please.118327