A Plethora of Chisels!

[Maurice Ungaro]

Just sent off a money order to a fellow Creeker for the purchase is a LN 5 chisel set (with leather roll). A few months ago, I took advantage of Highland Hardware's Thanksgiving sale and picked up an 8 chisel set of new Stanley 750s. Of course, I'm an opportunist when it comes to tool purchases (I know.....this leads to hording). So, I was thinking, do I see which set I love the most, and sell off what I don't when it hit me that I should keep both sets and sell off most of the odd mismatched Greenleighs, Pextos, etc., in addition to the Sheffield made set of Marples Blue Chips that I started out with a dozen years ago.

Check the Classified section soon!

[David Weaver]

Ditch the blue chips unless you want to make them house chisels or you have sentimentality for them. The older sheffield blue chips are often nicely ground, but their virtues pretty much stop there compared to any chisel of the vintages you mentioned. They are, though, a decent set of chisels to have if your upper limit is $50 or whatever.

[Maurice Ungaro]

David,
Make no bones about it, the Blue Chips are going! The Barr 2" framing chisel stays.

[David Weaver]

Like you, I have a lot of oddball older chisels. I have trouble selling them, though. I got a set of the blue chips and sold them. At a reasonable price, I'd be much happier with them than a lot of what is passed off now with fat sides. The sheffield versions had nice gradual edges until irwin got a hold of the decision making.

[Jim Koepke]

Before getting rid of anything you might consider grinding some of the spares in to skew chisels or fish tail chisels.

You also may want to consider having sets with different bevel angles. You may also want to grind the sides on a few to make dovetail paring chisels like Derek shows on his site.

Just some thoughts.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

My biggest problem with the Blue Chips is that they are metric.

I built two m&t rocking chairs at Homestead Heritage using blue chip bevel edge chisels.
Check Paul Sellers video about chopping mortises with bevel edge chisels.

Having said that, I use LN bevel edge chisels mixed with Stanley 750"s.
I am keeping my Blue Chips though.

[Jeff Duncan]

Sell hand tools??? I though only dealers did that:confused:

JeffD

[Jim Matthews]

It's a little-known fact that the Vikings lay the fallen warrior in his boat, with his weapons below as ballast.

When the ship was set afire to signal the Valkyries from Valhalla,
all the steel in the hold would form a perfect ingot for the blacksmiths of Nidavallir.

The steel smelted in this manner, seared by the soul of the warrior made for the keenest edge.
I'm openly suspicious of modern chisel makers that dare turn Yugos and toasters into tools.
The old ways are best.

[Bill Houghton]

It's a little-known fact that the Vikings lay the fallen warrior in his boat, with his weapons below as ballast.

When the ship was set afire to signal the Valkyries from Valhalla,
all the steel in the hold would form a perfect ingot for the blacksmiths of Nidavallir.

The steel smelted in this manner, seared by the soul of the warrior made for the keenest edge.
I'm openly suspicious of modern chisel makers that dare turn Yugos and toasters into tools.
The old ways are best.

Even if the Yugo's become scrap because it caught on fire?

[Zach Dillinger]

It's a little-known fact that the Vikings lay the fallen warrior in his boat, with his weapons below as ballast.

When the ship was set afire to signal the Valkyries from Valhalla,
all the steel in the hold would form a perfect ingot for the blacksmiths of Nidavallir.

The steel smelted in this manner, seared by the soul of the warrior made for the keenest edge.
I'm openly suspicious of modern chisel makers that dare turn Yugos and toasters into tools.
The old ways are best.

It is also said that the Viking blacksmiths used the powdered bones of their ancestors and animals such as bears to provide additional carbon to the steel used in the manufacture of their best swords. A whole lot more interesting than just using charcoal, for sure.

[Mike Cogswell]

Before getting rid of anything you might consider grinding some of the spares in to skew chisels or fish tail chisels.

You also may want to consider having sets with different bevel angles. You may also want to grind the sides on a few to make dovetail paring chisels like Derek shows on his site.

Just some thoughts.

jtk

Good thoughts. I ground a couple of my old "junk" chisels into fishtails and a dovetail.

Of course, disposing of old tools is against my religion.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

you've got eight of the Stanleys - that's 3 more than the set of LN; so you should keep those. I'll take those LN's off your hands so you don't have to deal with 'em. :P

[Mike Cogswell]

My biggest problem with the Blue Chips is that they are metric.



I just set my marking gauge to the chisel when marking mortises. I'd have to measure most of my chisels in order to know for sure which are metric and which are imperial.

[Maurice Ungaro]

you've got eight of the Stanleys - that's 3 more than the set of LN; so you should keep those. I'll take those LN's off your hands so you don't have to deal with 'em. :P
That's what the great thing about Creekers is: They are always willing to help out & pull more than their fair share (of your stash, that is!).

[Maurice Ungaro]

Before getting rid of anything you might consider grinding some of the spares in to skew chisels or fish tail chisels.

You also may want to consider having sets with different bevel angles. You may also want to grind the sides on a few to make dovetail paring chisels like Derek shows on his site.

Just some thoughts.


jtk

Jim, the fishtails are a nice project idea! I'll add it to my list!!

[Jack Curtis]

Sounds like you've got things well under control, Maurice; but I don't see "plethora" yet, you'll need to buy a lot more and a lot more variety of types before reaching that stage. Sorry. :)

[Steve Q Brown]

So, I was thinking, do I see which set I love the most, and sell off what I don't when it hit me that I should keep both sets and sell off most of the odd mismatched Greenleighs, Pextos, etc., in addition to the Sheffield made set of Marples Blue Chips that I started out with a dozen years ago.
Sell what you don't use on a weekly basis to someone who will, for a reasonable price :P.


Like you, I have a lot of oddball older chisels. I have trouble selling them, though... [for the price I think they're worth]
*cough, cough*

[David Weaver]

Sell what you don't use on a weekly basis to someone who will, for a reasonable price :P.


*cough, cough*

OH! ..no no....what I meant was more along the lines of I have trouble parting with them. Even putting them up for sale at all. They're all different enough that I like having them, but it seems like 95% of them are 1/2, 3/4 or 1", sizes I really don't need more of.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Sounds like you've got things well under control, Maurice; but I don't see "plethora" yet, you'll need to buy a lot more and a lot more variety of types before reaching that stage. Sorry. :)

Jack, I didn't even mention the non matched sets laying about!

[phil harold]

dovetail paring chisels like Derek shows on his site.

derek who?
address please
thanks

[Jim Koepke]

derek who?
address please
thanks

Derek Cohen

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/Soyouwanttomakeadovetailchisel.html

Is the post on dovetail chisel making.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/

For the home page with a lot more.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

OH! ..no no....what I meant was more along the lines of I have trouble parting with them. Even putting them up for sale at all. They're all different enough that I like having them

Same here, most of the time the chisel is of more use to me than the money someone would pay for it.

One time I sold a Stanley 1" 750. It got me all of $15. If the chisel was still here it would have likely been fixed up and used occasionally even though there are a few other 1" chisels in the shop.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

One time I sold a Stanley 1" 750. It got me all of $15. If the chisel was still here it would have likely been fixed up and used occasionally even though there are a few other 1" chisels in the shop.

jtk

I have a LN 1" bevel edge chisel in a chisel roll, but I keep one of my 1" 750's on my bench at all times. There is something about the feel and balance of them that I really like. I'm talking about the old 750's, not the new one's.

[Todd Burch]

I guess I'm a hoarder. Preparing to move, I just packed a 16 x 13 x 13 box full to the brim of chisels, and then found more. :o

[Maurice Ungaro]

Hi, my name is Maurice, and I have a tool problem!

[Steve Bates]

Hi Maurice!

My name is Steve, send me your tools, it's no problem! ;-)

[Jack Curtis]

Oh, yeah, boxes of chisels and yet I continue to buy more, albeit only 1 or 6 at a time. Here's my latest, 24mm kiku-jirushi dragon:

[Maurice Ungaro]

You know.... Chisels are really like clamps: one can never have enough!

[john davey]

Don't worry Todd. They make bigger boxes for these special problems. DAMHIKT. :).

[Todd Burch]

Yep. Although, I found my wife's wine bottle used cork stash while packing the other day, so the chisels are getting a bigger box and her corks will get this box. ;)