chisel brand/model

[Justin Rapp]

Hi all

With the upcoming NJ woodworking show, if I can find a good price, I am strongly thinking of upgrading my chisel set and also added a few mortise chisels. The set I have been using
With that said, they work ok for what I have used them for but looking for an upgrade. I know there are Veritas, Lie Nielsen and other high end sets but for the amount I use them, it is hard to justify the cost.

Any thoughts/recommendations on other brands in the mid-range price point like Hirsch or Narex?

Thanks

Justin

[Jim Becker]

Don't assume you'll have many choices at that shoe, Justin...

I have a few of the Narex mortising chisels and two angled chisels under that name, too. They are nice for the money. My butt chisels are Woodcraft's house brand and honestly, they are surprisingly good. Are they as good as my Ashley Isles bench chisels? Probably not. But I use them a lot because they "fit" into places. Hirsch, Two Cherries, etc., Veritas, etc., are all enjoyable tools to own. I'll also point out that a lot of folks enjoy using older, quality chisels. What counts is the "business end"...if it's properly sharpened and decent metal, they will do the job.

[Scott Winners]

What Jim said. Also how many chisels is a "complete set" for the work you do? I can do almost anything -inside the work I usually do- with either a one inch or with a half inch. I sometimes want a quarter inch, but I have no reason to get a full set by the eighths.

[Pete Staehling]

I'll also point out that a lot of folks enjoy using older, quality chisels. What counts is the "business end"...if it's properly sharpened and decent metal, they will do the job.
Well said. I'd add that even the "decent metal" can be a bit negotiable depending on how decent it is and how willing you are to work at keeping it sharp. Constant sharpening can get old, but even lousy metal cuts pretty well for a little while after sharpening. We all have different sweet spots for price/quality. For me, I figure the Wood River set I have coming should be a nice set. Time will tell I guess.

[Justin Rapp]

What Jim said. Also how many chisels is a "complete set" for the work you do? I can do almost anything -inside the work I usually do- with either a one inch or with a half inch. I sometimes want a quarter inch, but I have no reason to get a full set by the eighths.

For me, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1" for a bench chisel set and 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 for mortise chisel is my 'full set'

[Derek Cohen]

Hi all

With the upcoming NJ woodworking show, if I can find a good price, I am strongly thinking of upgrading my chisel set and also added a few mortise chisels. The set I have been using
With that said, they work ok for what I have used them for but looking for an upgrade. I know there are Veritas, Lie Nielsen and other high end sets but for the amount I use them, it is hard to justify the cost.

Any thoughts/recommendations on other brands in the mid-range price point like Hirsch or Narex?

Thanks

Justin

Hi Justin

I assume you are looking for bench chisels, which are all-rounders. The question is, still, what type of work do you want to do with them? Predominantly chopping out or paring waste? Dovetailing? These two areas require different styles of chisel.

For chopping, preferred is a stouter blade, also one which you can wack the handle without fear of doing it damage. A "firmer" style chisel in indicated here. This translates into a bench chisel with wider lands at the side, in other words, thicker sides. Narex, the newer generation Stanleys, and similar are indicated. Japanese chisels are great, but pricier. Stay away from Hirsch or Two Cherries unless they are the unpolished variety. The polished ones come with dubbed edges, which then take hours to remove.

For dovetails, which requires the side of the chisel getting into angles (as opposed to squared side walls), a thinner chisel with narrow lands is preferred. You can chop with a chisel like this as well, but then you also need to get better (tougher) steel. You are paying more for these chisels: LN, Veritas, Blue Spruce. Ashley Isles are the best value here, being cheapest and also narrow in lands. For delicate work, the Blue Spruce are great; while the Veritas PM-V11 have the best steel and make excellent all rounders (chopping and dovetailing).

In sizes, I use 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" for Tails when dovetailing. 1/2", 3/4" and 1" when making Pins/Sockets.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Becker]

I figure the Wood River set I have coming should be a nice set. Time will tell I guess.

Like I mentioned, I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I like their little butt chisels. They handles are nice and match my bench chisels in color (admittedly a petty thing, but important when one is, um...a little anal) and didn't need much "out of the box" to do the final sharpening or to keep them acceptably sharp for what I use them for. I'm not a hand-tool user, per se, but I use hand-tools for when they make sense.

[Justin Rapp]

Hi Justin

I assume you are looking for bench chisels, which are all-rounders. The question is, still, what type of work do you want to do with them? Predominantly chopping out or paring waste? Dovetailing? These two areas require different styles of chisel.

For chopping, preferred is a stouter blade, also one which you can wack the handle without fear of doing it damage. A "firmer" style chisel in indicated here. This translates into a bench chisel with wider lands at the side, in other words, thicker sides. Narex, the newer generation Stanleys, and similar are indicated. Japanese chisels are great, but pricier. Stay away from Hirsch or Two Cherries unless they are the unpolished variety. The polished ones come with dubbed edges, which then take hours to remove.

For dovetails, which requires the side of the chisel getting into angles (as opposed to squared side walls), a thinner chisel with narrow lands is preferred. You can chop with a chisel like this as well, but then you also need to get better (tougher) steel. You are paying more for these chisels: LN, Veritas, Blue Spruce. Ashley Isles are the best value here, being cheapest and also narrow in lands. For delicate work, the Blue Spruce are great; while the Veritas PM-V11 have the best steel and make excellent all rounders (chopping and dovetailing).

In sizes, I use 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" for Tails when dovetailing. 1/2", 3/4" and 1" when making Pins/Sockets.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Derek,
Thanks for the response. For me, it is 'all arounders', sometimes used to remove a little bit of waste on a tenon, squaring up a mortise, or cleaning up some other type of joinery. I have yet to do dove-tails, but also looking at a dovetail router jig. My time in the workshop is limited so I tend to be more of a machine woodworker. However, I do want a dedicated set of mortise bits 'just because'.

This set from WoodRiver is kind of exactly what I am looking for, except it has some extra sizes, but it is not available until July 2020. https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-6-piece-bench-chisel-set?via=573621f469702d06760016cd%2C5763289c69702d3 1fb000992

BTW - Perth / Western Australia is on my bucket list for travel!!!!! Lucky you live in such a beautiful place.

Justin

[Mike Kees]

I have two different sets at my shop. Old Marples like 30 years old. And a set of 6 of the Narex,both are and have been great users for me. The marples are thicker and probably stronger for it . Both brands hold an edge for a reasonable amount of time and sharpen fairly quickly. I also have 3-4 of the Narex mortising chisels which have not been used yet.

[Jon Nuckles]

I have sets of bench chisels from lie-nielsen, narex and marples. For the money, I think the narex are great. They take and hold an edge well, and they feel good in my (largish) hands. I think the edge holds up better to chopping than my L-Ns. I've had mine for 5+ years (really can't recall how much longer than that) and I know the narex brand has grown quite a bit in the U.S. and Canada since then. I assume that their quality has held up, but can't say for certain.

[johnny means]

I'm all about Narex. The cost to qualify balance is just right. I can't imagine needing a higher quality and the price doesn't make me afraid to use them.

[John Goodin]

I use Narex bench and mortise chisels and they do what I need them to do. The mortise chisels are quite good but have never used the uber premium brands so I may not have limited experience. As Jim said the Wood River butt chisels are surprisingly good as well.

[Matthew Curtis]

Another vote for Narex. I have a set and they work well for me.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Nothing but good things to say about Narex. Also, Lee Valley has a couple of "Veritas" branded chisels that are not too expensive, relatively speaking. No idea if they are better or worse than the Woodriver chisels, but Lee Valley has a good reputation for their tools.

[David Bassett]

FYI- Ben Strano just post a blurb on the FWW Blog about a 6 pc set of unhandled Narex bench chisels in Imperial sizes, 1/8" to 1", for $51. (It's not a magazine review, but a pointer to an redit source making handles and reviewing the set.)

I didn't notice any measurements, but eyeballing the photos I'm assuming these are the same as the chisels they sell with handles and therefore on the beefy side.

[Günter VögelBerg]

A while ago I bought a couple of the Narex chisels to have as utility chisels (My regular chisels are veritas, Lie-Nielsen and Blue Spruce) and they were all terribly out of flat. I got them there eventually, but it took a belt sander and lots of quelching.

[George Yetka]

Lee valley is at that show and usually have in addition to the veritas chisels the Narex stuff so you can get your hands on those. Outside of them from what I can remember the woodhut has 2 cherries I think. Ill be there Saturday I think

[Derek Cohen]

Nothing but good things to say about Narex. Also, Lee Valley has a couple of "Veritas" branded chisels that are not too expensive, relatively speaking. No idea if they are better or worse than the Woodriver chisels, but Lee Valley has a good reputation for their tools.

I began posting on this forum relatively recently. While I am a blended woodworker and use machines, most of the articles I have written have been about hand tools. For those unfamiliar with my website (http://www.inthewoodshop.com/index.html), there are many reviews of hand tools (along with shop made tools, and hand tool-orientated furniture builds).

One of the reviews I completed in 2013 was comparing four different steels in chisels: Veritas PM-V11, Blue Spruce A2, Koyamaichi laminated White Steel, and vintage Stanley O1.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/FourChiselSteelsCompared.html

The Koyamaichi beat out Veritas PM-V11, and these left the other two steels for dust.

I am not sure where one purchases Koyamaichi these days, but Veritas PM-V11 must rank among the absolute best steels for both plane and chisel blades.

I am also at pains to emphasise that a chisel is more than a blade. It has a handle and balance, and it must be comfortable to use. Every chisel is a different design, and one cannot make a decision simply on specifications. You must try them out. For example, when it comes to making dovetails, one of my favourite chisels is the Blue Spruce. In spite of their lower edge holding ability (compared to PM-V11), they take a very good edge. They are light and nimble with delicate thin blades , and are just wonderful to wield.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Pete Staehling]

Like I mentioned, I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I like their little butt chisels. They handles are nice and match my bench chisels in color (admittedly a petty thing, but important when one is, um...a little anal) and didn't need much "out of the box" to do the final sharpening or to keep them acceptably sharp for what I use them for. I'm not a hand-tool user, per se, but I use hand-tools for when they make sense.
I'll just add that my Wood River bench chisel set arrived. They are very pretty. The finish and feel seems very nice. The handles and balance seem nice at first glance. Obviously since I have not yet even used them time will tell more, but my first impression of them is very good. They do very much need to be sharpened, but I can't wait to get in the shop, touch them up on a water stone, and work with them.

[Jim Becker]

Pete, I suspect you'll like them after you get the edges honed out nice and sharp. They are certainly not a "high end" chisel (nor do they cost like one), but I think that Woodcraft did put a little thought into them.

[Justin Rapp]

George,

Thanks - I will be there Saturday also (at least that is my plan). I am worried that once I get my hands on the better quality tools at the show, I won't be able to settle for less. :)

[Justin Rapp]

I began posting on this forum relatively recently. While I am a blended woodworker and use machines, most of the articles I have written have been about hand tools. For those unfamiliar with my website (http://www.inthewoodshop.com/index.html), there are many reviews of hand tools (along with shop made tools, and hand tool-orientated furniture builds).

One of the reviews I completed in 2013 was comparing four different steels in chisels: Veritas PM-V11, Blue Spruce A2, Koyamaichi laminated White Steel, and vintage Stanley O1.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/FourChiselSteelsCompared.html

The Koyamaichi beat out Veritas PM-V11, and these left the other two steels for dust.

I am not sure where one purchases Koyamaichi these days, but Veritas PM-V11 must rank among the absolute best steels for both plane and chisel blades.

I am also at pains to emphasise that a chisel is more than a blade. It has a handle and balance, and it must be comfortable to use. Every chisel is a different design, and one cannot make a decision simply on specifications. You must try them out. For example, when it comes to making dovetails, one of my favourite chisels is the Blue Spruce. In spite of their lower edge holding ability (compared to PM-V11), they take a very good edge. They are light and nimble with delicate thin blades , and are just wonderful to wield.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek,

Great article - thanks for the write-up. I am more of a machine worker than hand tools, maybe because my machines are better than my hand tools. The dovetails on the chest you were building are amazing.

[George Yetka]

I have the pmv-11 chisels and do like them a lot. but before them I only had a bucks brother set from HD I bought for doing a door hinge. I bought them one at a time over 6 months 1 every time I ordered from Lee Valley. If you do end up with them I think they have a a 5 and 7 piece set. the 5 piece set is close to the price of buying 4) 1/4 increment chisels. That being said if you think they are going to be for occasional use they may be overkill, I can say mine definitely are but I like tools

[Jim Becker]

Justin, you should get to fondle some nice stuff in the Lee Valley booth if they are there. Show buys still get shipped to you by most vendors, however.