LN mortise chisels

[Zach England]

I have always cut mortises with my mortiser, but recently encountered a piece too big to fit under it. I've tried the router mortise thing--no thanks.

I had always figured I could make do cutting mortises with bench chisels when the mortiser wasn't practicable, and for this project that worked, but it is very slow going and I don't care to do it again.

So I need mortise chisels. If I want a set of western (e.g. not Japanese) straight mortise chisels is there any reason to get anything other than Lie-Nielsen? I see there are Ray Iles and a few other offerings in that price point and some vintage chisels that get up there.

Lie-Nielsen is a brand I know and trust, but is there a compelling reason to try something else when buying without first trying them? I'd love to try different ones, but don't think there is anywhere locally I could do that.

[Rick Markham]

Zach, I got to handle them at the recent show they had here in Tampa, I was looking at the bevel edge socket set (wish I would have had the money to take that set home that day) and also wanted to check out the mortise set. Really nice and well balanced, Now I gotta just come up with the cash for both LOL, I'm researching all I can about chisels right now, it's going to be one of my near future purchases so I am interested to see what responses you get to this thread. Boy I tell ya though, if I would have had the money, I would have walked out with the bevel edge socket chisels, the mortise chisels, and about everything else that Lie Nielsen brought with them.

[Joe Cunningham]

Try them if possible. I use the Ray Iles pigsticker and that thing is a brute and takes abuse without complaint. Because of the taper on the blade, it is easy to wriggle out of a deep mortise (it tapers from the back of the blade to the front).

The millwright chisel is another option. I have one I got off fleabay and it works great for really deep mortises, though it can be a little fussy getting out of the mortise compared to the Ray Iles. Check out Bob Smalser's great thread on chisels: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=13734

[troy mcfee]

The only problem I have with my LN mortise chisel is that it makes me want all their bevel edge chisels too. Nicely balanced and the A2 is wonderful, edge holds up great.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I opted for the Ray Iles mortise chisels because I was swayed by the arguments on the site selling the chisels, and Chris Swartz had nice things to say about them as well...

These things are monsters... I have not had them long enough to give them a try...

My guess is that either will have good resale value, but, the LN has better name recognition and will be found and sold on ebay for roughly what you pay to purchase them.

[David Gendron]

+1 on the Ray Iles Pig Sticke!

[Zach England]

There seems to be a dearth of new mortise chisels on the market. Is this true, or am I just not looking in the right places?

[Izzy Camire]

I have Ray Iles and boy they are beefy chisels.

[Tony Shea]

I have a set of Hirsch mortise chisels that I got from Lee Valley and they are monsters. I actually really enjoy their size and feel and edge retention is pretty darn good. But to answer your question about reasoning against buying LN brand chisels, I have to admit that there is no reasoning I can think of. I will say that the LN chisels are supposed to be the same thickness from the back side of the chisel to the front side, which is supposed to help crank chips out while creating a parallel walls. Therefore the only downside I may see with them is that they could possibly get jammed into a tight mortise as there is no wiggle room at all. My Hirschs' actually taper ever so slightly from back to front, some think it's a disadvantage and some think it's an advantage. Even with my Hirschs' I still think I'm going to pick up at least a 1/4" LN mortise to try it out as this is my most popular size mortise.

In short, I wouldn't hesitate a second about getting outfitted with a set of LN mortise chisels. Great reveiws where ever I look.

[David Weaver]

I have both LN and ray iles chisels. I like the RI chisels a lot better for general mortising.

The LN chisels are really tough for their size, but they aren't as nice for general mortising, they're just not big enough.

[Charley Foley]

The only problem you will have with the LN mortise chisels is the same problem I have with them.. They're on back order, and mine have been for 8 weeks. Oh the waiting.....:D

[Derek Cohen]

I have both vinatge oval bolstered mortice chisels as well as a couple of the modern Ray Iles descendants. The vintage versions are perfectly good and a lot cheaper. I think the world of the RI versions, but if you are looking to save money, get a couple of vintage ones off eBay. A 1/4" is a good place to start. Add a 3/8" for larger work.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Zach England]

one more question:

mortice or mortise? Is mortice the British convention and mortise the American?

[Derek Cohen]

one more question:

mortice or mortise? Is mortice the British convention and mortise the American?

That's my understanding. Include Oz with the Brits :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Terry Beadle]

I recommend the Japanese mortise chisel as a high quality chisel at a reasonable price. I don't think one needs a set of 5 mortise chisels . If you work in 4 qtr or 5 qtr stock most of the time, I think a 3/8ths mortise chisel will do. I also have the need to do mortises in 1/2 inch stock and that's small enough so that a standard bench chisel works well. I do have some Craftsman chisels that are thicker than standard bench chisels like my Ray Illse and they do the job in red oak and purple heart but I use the Japanese mortise chisel for 4 qtr or 5 qtr stock.

The price on the Japanese chisel was about $35 at Highland Hardware. Keeps an edge, cuts fast, will take a steel hammer swing, and is a good value IMO.

[Tom Henderson2]

The only problem you will have with the LN mortise chisels is the same problem I have with them.. They're on back order, and mine have been for 8 weeks. Oh the waiting.....:D

Try Craftsman Studio -- www.craftsmanstudio.com I ordered a LN 1/4" mortise chisel from them last week and they shipped about an hour after I placed the order. Craftsman Studio is an excellent vendor.

-Tom H.
Ventura, CA

[Rick Erickson]

+1 on Craftsman Studio - a superb vendor.

[Mike Zilis]

+1 on the LN chisels. I'm waiting on a set of both the mortise and bevel edge chisels. I've been told it will be another week or two...

Mike