Why So Few Strike-Through Chisels?

[Brody Goodwine]

I have began using more hand tools in my hobby and have been considering upgrading my stanley 16-300 strike-through chisels. I'm sure their steel is somewhat inferior, but frankly outside of steel quality I'm having difficulty understanding why more top brands aren't designed as a strike-through (by strike-through I mean a chisel with steel extending through the handle). Help me out!

Strike-Through Pro's
- Can use any mallet/hammer in the shop vs just using a wood mallet
- Chisel is more stable and won't fall out of socket with weather/humidity.
- Will transfer more force if you decide to get aggressive with strikes.

Strike-Through Con's
- Fewer choices on the market (though this isn't a con for the handles, just the market)
- You have to aim better with a regular hammer (though you can still use a big mallet and missing is user error, not a design issue)

I'd like to justify some spendy chisels, but frankly I can't justify much more than just going to the Fatmax ones for the reasons above.

[Derek Cohen]

Well Brody, I guess not everyone wants to wack their chisel with a claw hammer :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Steve Q Brown]

If your chisels are sharp, you don't necessarily need a big, heavy (steel) hammer
High quality steel alloys can take a finer edge and/or hold a sharp edge longer; enough force can be applied through the palm to effectively remove material from the workpiece, or more efficiently through the use of a light mallet.

[Jim Palmer]

Much depends on whether or not the chisels are going to see combined service in workshop and on site, because it's not necessarily practical for someone to carry a mallet on site. With practise, a hammer can serve the same purpose as a mallet (Striking the chisel with the hammer's cheeks provides more control) when chopping for hinges, locks and joints, so .... much depends on the where's, when's and why's surrounding the end-user's options.

[David Keller NC]

There are a couple of other reasons why they're aren't more of the "everlasting" design:

1) They're heavier than wood/plastic tanged chisels

2) They're a lot more expensive to manufacture, because they need to be machined from a solid billet of tool steel. Ideally, they also need to be differentially hardened - the chisel blade itself needs to be hard, the handle part needs to be less hard to avoid fracture from repeated blows. Differential hardening isn't as inexpensive as putting the whole chisel in the oven.

3) The market for high-end chisels is very small, and a lot of the customers for that market don't want bomb-proof chisels, they want traditional designs. The low-end market won't pay the premium for the everlasting design.

Also, keep in mind that no chisel outside of the japanese designs are intended to be struck with a steel hammer. There are a lot of antique Stanely everlasting chisels on the 'bay that have been seriously messed up by repeated striking with a hardened steel hammer.

[Zach Dillinger]

I would imagine that a "strike through" chisel would have terrible balance for cabinetmaking. I can't see a benefit to the design, unless you really, really like using your claw hammer instead of a proper mallet.

[Chris Griggs]

What's a "strike through" chisel. I'm just curious. Can someone post a pic?

[Archie England]

Newer Fat Max Stanley chisels....or the older Everlast

[Sean Hughto]

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2655/3748346794_d48431c014_z.jpg?zz=1

[Sean Hughto]

I would imagine that a "strike through" chisel would have terrible balance for cabinetmaking.

Yes, this.

[Chris Griggs]

Thanks Sean and Archie. I thought people loved the everlasts for cabinet making? Aren't they sorta a bench chisel/butt chisel hybrid, like the AI "american pattern" chisels. I would think they would have most of there weight in the blade and have a very nice balance when chopping. I must be missing something? What makes them "strike through"? Does that mean something specific or is it just the general name of the style? I can see that they would not great to pare with and so not a great all around bench chisel, but why would the balance be so bad?

[Sean Hughto]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/5090019/336905951.jpg

[Chad Bender]

My chisels are sharp enough I often don't even mess with a mallet. Putting my weight behind the chisel is usually enough to take out the material (small bits at a time, to ensure precise cuts).

If I'm chopping dovetails or paring on a line, using the mallet slows me down. I hold a mallet+chisel differently than a chisel by itself. So picking up the mallet, rearranging everything, hitting the chisel, putting the mallet down, rearranging again, etc seems like a big time sink if I've got to do it half a dozen times per tail or pin.

FWIW, I use the fairly inexpensive made-in-the-USA Buck chisels sold by Craftsman Studios. Most are only a few dollars more than those sold in the Big Box stores, but these take and hold a beautiful edge.

[Jim Matthews]

So, is the center pin spun welded into the casting, or threaded?

I can't imagine replacing a broken handle, based on the cut through example...

[Sean Hughto]

I don't know the details of the pin/cap attachment, but it is not removable. A clever person might be able to replace the wood by gluing in piences and then shaping it, but it would be significantly more difficult and time consumign than turnign a new socket chisel handle or remounting a tang and ferrule.

[Jim Koepke]

The "strike though" or Everlasting design has an odd balance, imo, for pairing and such. It is a chisel designed more for the craftsman working in the electrical, plumbing or other building trades.

There is another choice:

253335

The problem with these is they are no longer made.

My one Stanley Everlasting chisel only gets occasional use. My Crescent chisel even less.

One of the thoughts behind the Everlasting design is the handle will not need replacement due to cracking from being struck with a mallet or hammer.

For people installing hinges, plumbing and electrical components, this is a big advantage. The disadvantage of balance doesn't even come into the equation.

One big advantage of socket chisels, and tang chisels for some, is the ease of changing the handle on a moments notice. Only one of my chisels has had a handle slip off. A little rework on the socket handle interface seems to have put an end to this. Also the technique of picking them up has become habitual to prevent any catastrophe if one does slip.

Over a few years of trying different handle styles my favorites have a few things in common. They are very comfortable in my hands.

253336

The ring towards the base is advantageous when pairing to push against. The rounded egg or ball at the top is also comfortable pushing against with the palm. It also is easy on the palm when levering a little side to side.

Most of my bench chisels seldom get struck with heavy blows. There are other chisels with different handles for that kind of work. When they do get a bit of striking, it is easy to place the ring at the base of the handle between my pinky and ring finger for control and this also keeps the rest of my hand below the top even on the shorter handles.

This works fine for me. This design may not work for anyone else, but anyone is welcome to give it a try. One thing that others may consider that has not been done to mine is to flatten one side of the ring to keep the smaller chisels from rolling.

One big disadvantage for the Everlasting style is the inability to change handles if one so desires.

jtk

[Bill Houghton]

I am a big fan of the Stanley No. 60 yellow-plastic-handled chisels for the job site. The older ones have steel caps on the end of the handle. Granted, the cap and the tang on the chisel don't meet; but I've beaten pretty hard on my chisels over the years and have yet to lose a handle.

$1 at estate or garage sales. Good steel that holds its edge quite a while.

[george wilson]

Interesting cutaway chisel,Sean.

[glenn bradley]

Well Brody, I guess not everyone wants to wack their chisel with a claw hammer :)


Yep, that'd be it.

[Richard Shaefer]

I have a few sets of chisels (too many). I will say that a decent set of steel capped chisels comes in handy, and I do havea set, but I would not want to use them every day. I couldn't give a whit about the balance, either. Much of the chisel work in fine cabinet making does not require a mallet, and thet steel caps dig into your palms something fierce over time. It's even worse if you took a metal mallet or hammer to the caps and they become dented or galled. That's why the fancy paring chisels of the day, like the Stanley 720's, had leather heels instead of steel. For what it's worth, I have a broad range of chisels including a set of LN's, a set of Stanley 720's and 750's, and a set of steel heeled Buck Bros. chisels I bought at one of the Borg stores, don't remember which one. The steel in the Buck's is actually pretty good and they're made in the USA. If you want a set a chisels with steel heels, they're well worth the money. Don't fall into the hype that your chisels have to be hand forged in a deep woods cabin by some guy who thinks he's John Galt and only uses exotic wood handles that probably would give you hives if not for the 37 coats of tung oil on them. But that guy's chisels are probably pretty good, too ;)

[Frank Drew]

Thanks for the photo, Sean; I had no idea.

I've got one Stanley Everlasting chisel and I actually consider it a very good looking tool and I don't find it unbalanced or in any way awkward to use, but the steel isn't top quality and doesn't hold an edge very long so I've rarely used it. But as a user of Japanese chisels I don't at all agree with those who feel that a hammer is (necessarily) the wrong tool to use with a chisel. And of course not all hammers are claw hammers.

[Brody Goodwine]

Thanks for the replies. Just FYI i'm not trying to ruffle feathers, just looking at it from an open minded POV and not seeing the logic.

Derek/Glenn, you don't have to use a steel hammer with a strike through. It'll handle mallet/dead blow/anything without damage. You can also be certain your force will be more accurately transmitted without the disconnect of a ferrule, another pro for the strike through.

Steve, I keep mine at 27deg and 6000 grit, so I'm confident my cheap chisels are sharper than most of their bretheren. I agree stronger alloys hold their edge better, that's why i'm here asking why nobody uses these better alloys in what seems to be a better chisel design.

David, weight matters a bit, but frankly a few ounces should be a non issue to any adult, especially one with a mallet in his other hand. I'm sure they would cost more to produce, but lets be fair there are plenty of woodworkers happy to pay top dollar for top tools.

Zach, what is inherently bad for cabinetmaking if a strike through chisel was produced in the same config of your favorite chisels? I'm not trying to talk up my cheap Stanleys, i'm trying to figure out why higher end companies don't adopt the more flexible/stable/durable design.

Archie, thanks! I'll look into those everlasts. Any background on the steel? Other issues?

Jim, I don't really get the "balance" complaints on such a light tool. I'm all ears (eyes), but unless you're hand cutting dovetails all day I just don't see it, particularly since most chisels are fairly tip heavy. I do like your handles since i too rarely use a hammer with mine, though the grippy rubber handles serve the same purpose.

Richard, wouldn't damaged wood from striking dig into your palm all the same? Both seem easily fixed if you're being that rough. LMAO at the deep woods chisel maker comment.

[daniel lane]

David, weight matters a bit, but frankly a few ounces should be a non issue to any adult, especially one with a mallet in his other hand. I'm sure they would cost more to produce, but lets be fair there are plenty of woodworkers happy to pay top dollar for top tools.

Brody,

I can't speak for you (or any others), but if I were to try dovetailing with chisels that weigh 'a few ounces' more, I'd be dead exhausted after one side of a drawer. I use LN socket chisels, and while I love them, there are times I wish for something lighter! [Disclaimer: I suffered a neck injury many moons ago and have a loss of strength and feeling in my arms, so I may be on the 'wimpy' side of the spectrum.]


daniel

[David Keller NC]

David, weight matters a bit, but frankly a few ounces should be a non issue to any adult, especially one with a mallet in his other hand. I'm sure they would cost more to produce, but lets be fair there are plenty of woodworkers happy to pay top dollar for top tools.

Well, one has to consider that there are very few cabinetmakers indeed compared to the general audience for carpenter's/homeowner's tools. It's a very tiny market, and tinier still when one considers that there are a lot of woodworkers that wouldn't even consider paying the cost of a set of L-N, Blue Spruce or L-V chisels. That doesn't mean that there's no market, just that it's really small when a company like Irwin or Stanley considers it and compares it to the market for BORG tools.

As for weight, I was referring more to the toting around a full set in a tool box consideration rather than manipulating a single tool.

And again, it's hard to know how many L-N buyers would rather have a set that resembles the new Stanley SW chisels with their "perma handle" design, but I'm betting it's a small fraction, particularly if the price point is the same or a bit higher for the perma handles.

But - since Stnaley is coming out with just such a design in the next few months (at least rumored to be), we'll see.

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks for the replies. Just FYI i'm not trying to ruffle feathers, just looking at it from an open minded POV and not seeing the logic.

Derek/Glenn, you don't have to use a steel hammer with a strike through. It'll handle mallet/dead blow/anything without damage. You can also be certain your force will be more accurately transmitted without the disconnect of a ferrule, another pro for the strike through.

Steve, I keep mine at 27deg and 6000 grit, so I'm confident my cheap chisels are sharper than most of their bretheren. I agree stronger alloys hold their edge better, that's why i'm here asking why nobody uses these better alloys in what seems to be a better chisel design.

David, weight matters a bit, but frankly a few ounces should be a non issue to any adult, especially one with a mallet in his other hand. I'm sure they would cost more to produce, but lets be fair there are plenty of woodworkers happy to pay top dollar for top tools.

Zach, what is inherently bad for cabinetmaking if a strike through chisel was produced in the same config of your favorite chisels? I'm not trying to talk up my cheap Stanleys, i'm trying to figure out why higher end companies don't adopt the more flexible/stable/durable design.

Archie, thanks! I'll look into those everlasts. Any background on the steel? Other issues?

Jim, I don't really get the "balance" complaints on such a light tool. I'm all ears (eyes), but unless you're hand cutting dovetails all day I just don't see it, particularly since most chisels are fairly tip heavy. I do like your handles since i too rarely use a hammer with mine, though the grippy rubber handles serve the same purpose.

Richard, wouldn't damaged wood from striking dig into your palm all the same? Both seem easily fixed if you're being that rough. LMAO at the deep woods chisel maker comment.

Hi Brody

I had a set of Everlasting Stanleys once upon a time and sold them as I disliked their balance. For rough work I have a few of the yellow handled Stanleys, which do have steel through the handle. I think that these chisels were designed with the on-site carpenter in mind, not the cabinetmaker in a shop.

In its earliest stage of design, the new Veritas chisels were a "strike through" (as you call them). Some of you may recall seeing them at a WIA a couple of years ago. I had a bunch of them on my bench for testing, and I must say that I hated them, and said so. They felt clumsy.

You speak of feedback being a factor of the steel spine. There are many factors that contribute to feedback. Too much heft/mass will reduce feedback (as per the early Veritas design). What you hit the rear of the handle with affects feedback - a steel hammer, hard wooden - and rubber faced mallets all feel different, all transmit energy differently. Some like one style, other prefer another.

Long bladed chisels feel different to short bladed chisels.

The handle composition affects feedback. Hooped vs unhooped. Some woods are hard like steel, others dampen vibration.

A discussion of chisels will elicit as many intellectual and emotional comments as a discussion of BD vs BU planes - which is best, tanged or socketed, laminated/O1/A2/HSS/PM-V11, hooped vs unhooped, long vs short blades, bevelled vs firmer, vintage vs modern, Sheffield vs US vs Japanese steel, best for the shop, best for the worksite, best value for money .....

Oh lordie ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Palmer]

There are a couple of other reasons why they're aren't more of the "everlasting" design:

1) They're heavier than wood/plastic tanged chisels

2) They're a lot more expensive to manufacture, because they need to be machined from a solid billet of tool steel. Ideally, they also need to be differentially hardened - the chisel blade itself needs to be hard, the handle part needs to be less hard to avoid fracture from repeated blows. Differential hardening isn't as inexpensive as putting the whole chisel in the oven.

3) The market for high-end chisels is very small, and a lot of the customers for that market don't want bomb-proof chisels, they want traditional designs. The low-end market won't pay the premium for the everlasting design.

Also, keep in mind that no chisel outside of the japanese designs are intended to be struck with a steel hammer. There are a lot of antique Stanley everlasting chisels on the 'bay that have been seriously messed up by repeated striking with a hardened steel hammer.

The damage you speak of tends to result from unskilled or neglectful use.

You will tend to find many plastic handled chisels are intended for use with hammers (Partly the reason for the existence of plastic handles) and Japanese chisels aren't the only designs available for such use. Bear in mind the fact you don't tend to strike the chisel handle using the hammer face, chisel handles (Including those found on Stanley 5001/5002's, etc.) don't tend to take much damage when struck using a hammer.

A 38+ year old set of plastic handled 5001's I use very regularly for site work (Struck using hammers) bear witness to this fact.

[Brody Goodwine]

Thanks for the reply derek. Many of those debates you mentioned were other smaller issues I'm reading up on, but frankly I'm having a little difficulty getting past this one. When I go back to my pro/con list its just heavily in favor of the strike-through design.

Seems "balance" is a frequent complaint. Can you elaborate beyond "clumsy".

I'm ready to invest in some good chisels, but trying to get a little direction.

It seems laminated japanese steel in a strike-through design (with some awesome rosewood handles) would be the perfect chisel.

[Derek Cohen]

I'm ready to invest in some good chisels, but trying to get a little direction.

Hi Brody

The important question is for what task do you want these chisels? Yes I know you want to chisel with them, but sometimes we want a chisel for a specific purpose, such as dovetailing, mortising, paring, heavy work, detail work ....

When you write "It seems laminated japanese steel in a strike-through design (with some awesome rosewood handles) would be the perfect chisel", it seems to me that you are trying to build the perfect chisel from a composite of features you believe to be best. Have you tried many chisels available? You may discover that the sum is greater than the parts.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Richard Shaefer]

Richard, wouldn't damaged wood from striking dig into your palm all the same? Both seem easily fixed if you're being that rough. LMAO at the deep woods chisel maker comment.

the wood is more forgiving, it tends to mash under the hammer blows while the steel galls. if you get a sharp edge, it's a 10 second adventure to knock it down with sandpaper. Either way, I have a (relatively) light wood mallet I use for the fancy pants chisels. If I'm doing something brutal like chopping a deep mortise or slicking a lap joint in a big timber, then the steel heeled buck's come out and beat on them with a steel mallet without a hint of shame since the whole dang set of Buck's costs less than the boxwood handles on my LN's.

[Zach Dillinger]

Zach, what is inherently bad for cabinetmaking if a strike through chisel was produced in the same config of your favorite chisels? I'm not trying to talk up my cheap Stanleys, i'm trying to figure out why higher end companies don't adopt the more flexible/stable/durable design.



The high end companies don't make them because people who use high end chisels would, I expect, know not to hit them with an inappropriate tool. So the durability isn't important. The weight isn't an issue, but the balance could be. Think of all that heavy steel up in the handle and worse, on the end of the handle. The chisel would have poor balance for precise work. Nothing that you can't work around, of course, but it wouldn't be my choice.

[Charlie Stanford]

Thanks for the replies. Just FYI i'm not trying to ruffle feathers, just looking at it from an open minded POV and not seeing the logic.

Derek/Glenn, you don't have to use a steel hammer with a strike through. It'll handle mallet/dead blow/anything without damage. You can also be certain your force will be more accurately transmitted without the disconnect of a ferrule, another pro for the strike through.

Steve, I keep mine at 27deg and 6000 grit, so I'm confident my cheap chisels are sharper than most of their bretheren. I agree stronger alloys hold their edge better, that's why i'm here asking why nobody uses these better alloys in what seems to be a better chisel design.

David, weight matters a bit, but frankly a few ounces should be a non issue to any adult, especially one with a mallet in his other hand. I'm sure they would cost more to produce, but lets be fair there are plenty of woodworkers happy to pay top dollar for top tools.

Zach, what is inherently bad for cabinetmaking if a strike through chisel was produced in the same config of your favorite chisels? I'm not trying to talk up my cheap Stanleys, i'm trying to figure out why higher end companies don't adopt the more flexible/stable/durable design.

Archie, thanks! I'll look into those everlasts. Any background on the steel? Other issues?

Jim, I don't really get the "balance" complaints on such a light tool. I'm all ears (eyes), but unless you're hand cutting dovetails all day I just don't see it, particularly since most chisels are fairly tip heavy. I do like your handles since i too rarely use a hammer with mine, though the grippy rubber handles serve the same purpose.

Richard, wouldn't damaged wood from striking dig into your palm all the same? Both seem easily fixed if you're being that rough. LMAO at the deep woods chisel maker comment.

Brody, if you like to power your chisels with a hammer then wail away, steel caps or not! Use those bad boys totally up and get some more when you need 'em or rehandle the ones you have. You are a woodworker, you ought to be able to rehandle a chisel in your sleep. Leave furniture to your heirs, not a chest full of pampered if not apparently unused tools being 'preserved' for some future generation. Keep tools in working order which is wholly different in most cases than showroom quality. If they're worth having at the end of your woodworking life, then great, maybe somebody will put them to some use after you.

Otherwise, you want somebody to open your tool chest and say "damn, he used the living, stinking hell out of these things and there's a houseful of furniture (and satisfied customers?) to prove it."

Cheers

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, I don't really get the "balance" complaints on such a light tool. I'm all ears (eyes), but unless you're hand cutting dovetails all day I just don't see it, particularly since most chisels are fairly tip heavy. I do like your handles since i too rarely use a hammer with mine, though the grippy rubber handles serve the same purpose.

Brody,

My last cabinet project had 52 dovetails, so my few hours of shop time was spent cutting dovetails for a few days. Having a chisel that can be positioned without changing my grip while using just one hand and not having to constantly set down and pick up a mallet is less work and quicker.

If a chisel fits your needs, then do not let the opinions of others like me cause doubts. My chisels are an eclectic mix of various makers and styles. Each one of them seems to have a place where they are the one that works best. This also allows for different bevel angles on chisels of the same size.

jtk

[Brody Goodwine]

Charlie, I like your philosophy. If I was a turner I'd probably have utter hate for strike throughs since they can't be rehandled as easily with cooler handles. That said, I do like working with very nice tools while making cabinets/furniture. It just makes the experience of working more fun to me.

Jim, that is a boatload of hand dovetails, congrats! That said I'm still a little fuzzy on why the balance is worse with the extra handle weight. My cheap Stanleys seem to reposition fine, but admitted I haven't done the volume of work you have.

Zach, would a hammer be an inappropriate tool if the chisel was designed to handle it? I understand whailing away with a 3lb sledge wouldn't be nice for the blade, but why not design a chisel that can handle whatever tool you prefer? Like I asked Jim, i'm still unsure why the handle weight would be such a problem.

Derek, I haven't tried a ton of different chisels, but just wanted to learn a bit to help give myself a little direction. There's a lot of options out there.

[John Lanciani]

For me anyways, I hate the sound of steel on steel. I can't imagine pounding out a bunch of dovetails using a steel hammer on the steel strike button on a chisel. It'd make me think my name was John Henry.

Another thought; whenever I go looking for a solution to a percieved problem and I come up empty handed it makes me re-consider whether I really have a problem or not.

[Brian Kincaid]

...you want somebody to open your tool chest and say "damn, he used the living, stinking hell out of these things and there's a houseful of furniture (and satisfied customers?) to prove it."

Charlie, you captured my sentiments exactly. Your quote is signature worthy!
-Brian

[Jim Koepke]

That said I'm still a little fuzzy on why the balance is worse with the extra handle weight. My cheap Stanleys seem to reposition fine, but admitted I haven't done the volume of work you have.

Any added weight may actually be of some benefit for balance, it just can become a bit unwieldy after a while. My paring is mostly done with short chisels. The balance point is usually at about mid socket.

Also, it is a comfort item for me with fine paring. Using steel hooped or capped chisels will abrade one's hands if it has been whacked a bit with a steel faced hammer. Often during the colder months my hands are kept warm with Insulite® gloves. Any burrs on the metal of a chisel would snag and effect control. The more comfortable a chisel is in the hand while paring, the less distraction from the work.

jtk

[Charlie Stanford]

Charlie, you captured my sentiments exactly. Your quote is signature worthy!
-Brian

Glad you liked it.

[Zach Dillinger]

Jim, that is a boatload of hand dovetails, congrats! That said I'm still a little fuzzy on why the balance is worse with the extra handle weight. My cheap Stanleys seem to reposition fine, but admitted I haven't done the volume of work you have.

Zach, would a hammer be an inappropriate tool if the chisel was designed to handle it? I understand whailing away with a 3lb sledge wouldn't be nice for the blade, but why not design a chisel that can handle whatever tool you prefer? Like I asked Jim, i'm still unsure why the handle weight would be such a problem.



My hands would get very tired very quickly if I spent an entire day using a carpenter's chisel in place of a proper cabinetmaker's chisel. I would hate to use a chisel like you describe, as I prefer a more delicate, lighter, better balanced blade. I don't even like socket chisels, I much prefer 19th century tanged firmer chisels. If you haven't tried a proper cabinetmaker's chisel, there is really nothing that we can say to you to make you understand the difference. This is just something you have to feel to understand. And it is possible that you will never feel the difference. Not a bad thing, or incorrect, it just means it doesn't affect your work as much as it would mine.

As for preference of striking tool, I believe you've answered your own question. They don't design chisels like you describe for precision work, i.e. cabinetmaking, because most cabinetmakers simply wouldn't prefer them for their precision work. As I stated before, I don't think many of them would use a hammer to drive a chisel (I certainly wouldn't, even if the handle were steel) so the design is utterly unnecessary for fine work.

In my opinion, this is a solution searching for a problem. I don't believe it to be "superior" for cabinetwork. It may be superior for heavy work such as carpentry, but I'm not a carpenter so I don't care.

But I do appreciate the topic, as it is interesting to see what others prefer.

[Jim Koepke]

But I do appreciate the topic, as it is interesting to see what others prefer.

+ 1 on this.

What works for one may not be what works for another. It is usually interesting to see the reasoning for the choices of others and sometimes that perspective may cause a reassessment of our own choices. If my work involved more rough work outside the shop, then a few more Everlasting chisels might be in order. Currently there are a few chisels in my accumulation that get that kind of work.

jtk

[Dusty Fuller]

"Don't fall into the hype that your chisels have to be hand forged in a deep woods cabin by some guy who thinks he's John Galt and only uses exotic wood handles that probably would give you hives if not for the 37 coats of tung oil on them."

Richard gets my vote for "best literature reference in a chisel handle thread"!!

[Morey St. Denis]

Hi Brody,

Appreciate actively following your topic. I concur with Charlie's opinion; also largely depends what you may have in mind for intended use of your chisels... The "Strike-Through" feature referred to (as you already know) is presently available with the Stanley FatMax Thru-Tang models for a serviceable, active worksite, tool-belt carry. These are short-blade chisels for rough carpentry, but a bit longer than the economy Buck version, and certainly not paring chisels. I've recently been using my wide 2.0 inchers at a worksite where we've relocated and are correctly restoring, an authentic 18th century historic log-barn near Gettysburg. Smacking carefully laid-out 2.5" deep x 5" birdsmouth joints into seasoned red & white oak rafter plates. I thoroughly dress my field chisels with a medium diamond hone followed by a #4000 ceramic whetstone.

While planarity of recent Stanley "made in England" factory grind chisels is not good, with enough prolonged effort against diamond plates, they will eventually conform, and I have no particular complaints about the durability of their steel; seemingly better than the recent Buck Bros... Using a mallet, as opposed to steel-faced hammer, against plated steel end-caps; they do seem to hold up to air-dried oak. I have to wonder if the 220 year seasoning (determined by Dendrochronology) of those heavy Oak timbers makes a difference!.. For contemporary bench use, I'm happy with my set of Marples Sheffield and several Crown Sheffield, all wood-handled paring chisels.

[Morey St. Denis]

UPDATE. The Stanley FatMax Sheffield line of butt chisels for field use, briefly discussed here, has apparently been redesigned or differently sourced. Likely to reduce production cost or to maintain a certain price point, that Thru-Tang feature is now Gone. Product retains the same model designation, Stanley FatMax wood chisel model 16-9XX marked Sheffield, England. The plated steel end cap is now pressed in place by means of a 3/8" dia. x 5/8" central pin into a molded cavity within the polymer handle. There is nearly 3" of clear yellow polymer material between the newly shortened chisel tang and end cap extension. That full Thru-Tang integral to the chisel blade is now gone. This would have reduced their production cost as the handle must no longer be 2-stage injection molded in place surrounding the entire tang length and steel end cap. Product still indicates "Quality Steel" Sheffield, Made in England, as opposed to China or elsewhere... Believe they rightfully ought to have changed the model prefix number to disclose and distinguish from their earlier Thru-Tang FatMax versions.

Perhaps this topic digression is now misplaced, as "Neanders" by definition; may largely be unaware of any attributes of polymer handle materials in combination
with traditional steel bladed hand tools. I will say that I am usually more comfortable carrying polymer handled tools within a tool belt into the field whenever available, as opposed to finer "bench quality" tools due to a possibility of them falling several stories to the ground and their more beat-around (to my mind) character.

[Charlie Stanford]

I have began using more hand tools in my hobby and have been considering upgrading my stanley 16-300 strike-through chisels. I'm sure their steel is somewhat inferior, but frankly outside of steel quality I'm having difficulty understanding why more top brands aren't designed as a strike-through (by strike-through I mean a chisel with steel extending through the handle). Help me out!

Strike-Through Pro's
- Can use any mallet/hammer in the shop vs just using a wood mallet
- Chisel is more stable and won't fall out of socket with weather/humidity.
- Will transfer more force if you decide to get aggressive with strikes.

Strike-Through Con's
- Fewer choices on the market (though this isn't a con for the handles, just the market)
- You have to aim better with a regular hammer (though you can still use a big mallet and missing is user error, not a design issue)

I'd like to justify some spendy chisels, but frankly I can't justify much more than just going to the Fatmax ones for the reasons above.

It appears that most of these folks knocking strike-throughs and talking about hitting them with "big" hammers have never seen a 12oz. claw hammer. The HD closest to my house has 12 oz. hammers in I think three different brands. You can deliver a really crisp blow with strike-throughs and a small steel hammer. Some of the prima donnas posting in this thread do use steel hammers - $200 Japanese hammers.

[Joe Bailey]

Brody, I have just the thing for you ...
http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=66067&cat=1,41504