endless chisel debate

[William Grauer]

Most people here suggest the LN or AI , or new Veritas chisels. But I don't think I've head anyone mention the Robert Sorby Excelsior line of bench chisels. For a set of general duty bench bench chisels, to be used in oak, walnut do any Sorby users want to offer their remarks. Satisfied or otherwise. Also is there a octagonal handled chisel that anyone really likes available now.

[Hilton Ralphs]

I don't think I've head anyone mention the Robert Sorby Excelsior line of bench chisels. For a set of general duty bench bench chisels, to be used in oak, walnut do any Sorby users want to offer their remarks.
The Excelsior line appears to be a turning chisel so probably not suitable for general bench use.


Also is there a octagonal handled chisel that anyone really likes available now.
If you can find yourself some decent old chisels, you think about dumping the handles and installing some nice new Octagonal (http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=30020&cat=1,41504)handles from Lee Valley.

271237

[James Conrad]

I think he is referring to their bevel edge chisels: http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/sorby_bench.htm where the Excelsior is described as a firming chisel. Can't help other than that, never tried them as I prefer socket chisels.

[David Weaver]

I've never had anything overwhelming from any of the turning tool makers when it comes to regular tool steel chisels, but they are priced like good chisels. I would avoid them until several other people have posted glowing reviews about recent makes. I think they know where they make their money and they're not going to invest in the time it takes to make the quality of bench chisels that LN and LV make, that's just my opinion.

The AI chisels I had (the octagonal handled ones) didn't hold an edge like LN and LV but they were decent chisels that you could certainly live with if you're not working nasty stuff. The only issue is that they are pretty big chisels, and if you get them, you want to be the kind of person who can work precise holding the chisel handle instead of the blades. I'd rate the edge holding on the ones I had as mediocre, but that's really not a huge deal on chisels if the rest of the chisel itself is desirable. Chisels are quick and easy to sharpen.

[Jim Koepke]

Have you looked at these?

http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/C!00730.htm

I do not have any experience with them, but I do like my old Buck Bros chisels and if some extra cash was burning a hole in my pocket a set of these might just end up coming my way.

There are also other sets available on the site.

jtk

[Bob Jones]

I have the current AI chisels and I like them just fine. But I got my hands on a 1/4 LN chisel recently and I'm really thinking of buying a couple. The LNs are much lighter and easier to hold by the blade, as previously mentioned.
Mu advise is to not over analyze it. Whatever you buy will feel natural soon enough with use.

[Ray Bohn]

If you can't get the opportunity to try a variety of chisels before you buy, I suggest that you buy from someone that wants you to be happy with your purchase and will allow you to return them if they are not right for you.

[Hilton Ralphs]

I think he is referring to their bevel edge chisels: http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/sorby_bench.htm .

I checked with the UK site where they are the turning range. Quite why companies choose to confuse customers is beyond me.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm a fan of the softer steels used in some of the second-tier brands.

They get sharp enough, quickly with the hand honing method I use.
These new steels are VERY tough, and don't sharpen (or dull) so quickly in my use.

I've got a go-to set of Ridgeway/Marples bench chisels that do most everything I need.
If you can find the "Faithfull" brand out of China, they're apparently the same steel - with a bright red square plastic handle.

[Hilton Ralphs]

If you can find the "Faithfull" brand out of China, they're apparently the same steel - with a bright red square plastic handle.

I'm pretty sure these are sold on Mud Island.

[george wilson]

We had some Sorby turning tools in the toolmaker's shop,which were purchased before I arrived in the museum in 1970. They must have been from the 60's. These Sorbys were so soft,I could file them easily. I had to re harden them to get them hard enough to use. My set of Marples from 1965 are just fine. I still use them all the time. Why are those vintage Sorbys so soft?

I see the specs on Sorby hardnesses listed in "the best things". Personally,I'd have to be given one to test before I'd believe the specs. That's my opinion,based on actual use of that brand.

[Steven Lee, NC]

I'll add to the debate :) I like the Ashley Isles butt chisels. Never really liked the long handled chisels for anything. I also use the worksharp for sharpening and have one wheel with the 4000 grit on both sides so touching up is so easy. At the time if I had the cash and they were available I'd probably have gotten the new LV PM butt chisels but I see no need to upgrade at all at this time. http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/ashley_iles_butt.htm

[Curt Putnam]

In general, the Sorby's do not have the best of reputations for steel quality and edge holding. There are so many other makers out there, all of whom have stellar reputations, that I would go with whatever best fits your hand and wallet.

[Jim Koepke]

My Sorby lathe chisels also seem to need more trips to the stones. Thankfully I only have the three among my lathe tools.


I see the specs on Sorby hardnesses listed in "the best things". Personally,I'd have to be given one to test before I'd believe the specs.

Me thinks there specs are a bit different than ours. They use the Rock-well hardness test. That is the tool is set at the bottom of a well and a rock is dropped until it is determined from how high the rock must drop to leave a mark.

Can't remember if it is in inches or feet.

jtk

[Ryan Baker]

I have several Sorby bench chisels (not the Excelsior line) and they are all very soft. They are usable, and easy to sharpen, but they dull very fast. The Sorby turning tools, in my experience, are significantly harder (but still soft compared to other brands). The Irwin blue-chip chisels are much more durable than the Sorbys. There are so many good chisels on the market for similar prices, I would avoid the Sorbys. As for the handles, I really dislike octagon handles, but whatever you prefer. There are several venodrs selling the handles (such as the link above), but octagonal handles are pretty easy to make too.

[Ryan Baker]

They use the Rock-well hardness test. That is the tool is set at the bottom of a well and a rock is dropped until it is determined from how high the rock must drop to leave a mark.


LOL.

Surely that must be measured in stone-furlongs...

[Chad Bender]

I'll vouch for this Buck Bros set. I bought it a few years ago, and they have been my go-to bench chisels. I think they hold an edge quite well and I'm able to get them very sharp on my Norton waterstones. Just a couple of nights ago I was paring end grain of both cherry and hard maple. I've also chopped many mortises with them.

I did manage to chip a chunk out of the end of the 1/4" one, doing something I shouldn't have (I suspect it involved twisting to clean out a mortise). Other than that, no problems.


Have you looked at these?

http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/C!00730.htm

I do not have any experience with them, but I do like my old Buck Bros chisels and if some extra cash was burning a hole in my pocket a set of these might just end up coming my way.

There are also other sets available on the site.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

They use the Rock-well hardness test. That is the tool is set at the bottom of a well and a rock is dropped until it is determined from how high the rock must drop to leave a mark.jtk

So that's where the phrase "That'll leave a mark." originated.
Learned me sumpin new Ta-deh.

[Chris Hachet]

I'm a fan of the softer steels used in some of the second-tier brands.

They get sharp enough, quickly with the hand honing method I use.
These new steels are VERY tough, and don't sharpen (or dull) so quickly in my use.

I've got a go-to set of Ridgeway/Marples bench chisels that do most everything I need.
If you can find the "Faithfull" brand out of China, they're apparently the same steel - with a bright red square plastic handle.I have an Irwin-Marples (blue handled) set of chisels for just that reason-they sharpen up really well in a short period of time and hold a decent edge. My LN chisels do take a good bit longer to get nice and sharp. And I keep Buck bros chisels and other cheap chisels on hand for rough work...like you said, they sharpen up very quickly and I don't worry a whole lot if I use one to open a paint can or scrape paint when I am restoring a piece of furniture.

[Chris Hachet]

I have several Sorby bench chisels (not the Excelsior line) and they are all very soft. They are usable, and easy to sharpen, but they dull very fast. The Sorby turning tools, in my experience, are significantly harder (but still soft compared to other brands). The Irwin blue-chip chisels are much more durable than the Sorbys. There are so many good chisels on the market for similar prices, I would avoid the Sorbys. As for the handles, I really dislike octagon handles, but whatever you prefer. There are several venodrs selling the handles (such as the link above), but octagonal handles are pretty easy to make too.This would be my experience as well with the Irwin-and they are dead cheap compared to LV or LN....not that I don't cherish my LN chisels but....

[Edward Mitton]

I just recently bought a 6 piece set of Woodriver bench chisels from Woodcraft, mainly because they were on sale and I needed to get a good set to work with. Not top of the line, but so far these have worked very well for what I need them. They took quite a bit of time to flatten the backs, but once accomplished, they honed up very well. I still haven't grown back the hair on a section of my right arm from testing them out.
I still pick up random vintage chisels at yard sales and such just because I like em'.
I also have a near complete set of the Home Depot Buck Brothers cheapies. These are kept in my outdoors/rough carpentry tool box, and actually are very useful for such purposes, mainly because I'm not afraid to whack the daylights out of them! I have recently been using the 2 inch version to cut 'Lincoln logs' out of 4" landscape timbers I'm using for a garden box.

[Chris Hachet]

I just recently bought a 6 piece set of Woodriver bench chisels from Woodcraft, mainly because they were on sale and I needed to get a good set to work with. Not top of the line, but so far these have worked very well for what I need them. They took quite a bit of time to flatten the backs, but once accomplished, they honed up very well. I still haven't grown back the hair on a section of my right arm from testing them out.
I still pick up random vintage chisels at yard sales and such just because I like em'.
I also have a near complete set of the Home Depot Buck Brothers cheapies. These are kept in my outdoors/rough carpentry tool box, and actually are very useful for such purposes, mainly because I'm not afraid to whack the daylights out of them! I have recently been using the 2 inch version to cut 'Lincoln logs' out of 4" landscape timbers I'm using for a garden box.As I said earlier, having cheap chisels for rough work seems to work out real darned well. Used one of mine to strip paint from a door....worked perfectly.