New chisels?

[steven c newman]

On a shopping trip through the local Menards store, I noticed some new chisels from Stanley. Called Bailey Chisels, a set comes complete with a leather roll. At about $200, out the door. I was wondering IF anybody else has seen these new toys?

[Matt Radtke]

I haven't seen them yet, but my understanding is that we, the woodworkers of the world, should wait for the "SW" line. The Bailey line is a super-nice contractor chisel, the SW is a woodworker's socket chisel set.

For $200, I'd either wait for the SW line or buy LNs. Schwarz mentioned them a while ago: http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/First+Fuzzy+Shots+Of+The+New+Stanley+Chisels.aspx

[Rick Markham]

Wow, from the looks at their website Stanley isn't pulling any punches on the price of their planes and new shoulder plane.

I couldn't find much on the chisels, but they look interesting, not sure I like the edge, doesn't look very beveled, but it is a crappy picture. It looks like their plane blades are all advertised as A2 steel now, so i would assume (and we all know where that gets us) that their chisels will be too. I for one am interested to see how these turn out, though I don't think I will be sorry I got the LN's :D

[David Weaver]

I haven't seen them in person, but the pictures on Chris's site make them look a little less than desirable if they're going to be any serious cash.

I wonder which "bailey" chisels these "bailey" chisels are patterned after. If they were going to just be throwing names in the wrong places to just try to throw ___ against the wall with an old trade name to see if it sticks, why didn't they just call them infill planes, too?

Anyway, whether or not they're worth more than vintage chisels cost will be determined by whether or not they can grind them right. So far, the grinds look coarse with fat bevels on the side, and for $200, I'd expect a lot better.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Maybe we should postpone judgment until someone posting here buys some, sharpens them with whatever method they like, and tries them. The Stanley chisels I have use good steel but the handles are a bit short. I'd like to try the Sweetheart 750 revamp, but there's not a lot of info available yet, not even from reviewers.

[george wilson]

The Sweetheart chisels look like typical German made chisels,especially the handles. Narex's would be a lot cheaper,if so. Sa for the shoulder plane,they should pay their designer WAY LESS.

[Jonathan McCullough]

The "Sweetheart" chisels are the 750 revamps and made with Sheffield steel. They're socket chisels and look a lot like Lie-Nielsen's current production. The "Bailey" line does on the other hand look like the Narex/MHG style handle with ferrules and hoops. Someone mentioned the Bailey types are available in Germany on ebay already and have been for some time.

[Mike Brady]

The Baileys at our local Menards are $79.99 for five chisels in a roll. My understanding is that the SW's will be $200.00 for eight chisels in a roll and those are due in September. Did you check the price at the store?

I was not impressed with what I saw for $80. You could do better from Lee Valley. The Stanleys are Ok chisels, with the leather roll, for whatever they mark them down to in a few months. The $200 versions will be even tougher for them to sell. Menards is not the place for mid-market merchandise. Stanley needs to crack the hobbyist markets to be successfull competitors with what is out there already.

[Tony Shea]

The new Stanley shoulder plane does look useable and maybe the A2 steel blade is better than what they've been doing with their other planes. But for the price they want for that ugly thing I am just not sure why someone would not get a LN or LV shoulder plane.