Chisels

[Brian Runau]

I do most of my woodworking with power tools, but from time to time I need a chisel to clean something up etc... I've been using some cheap throw away Stanley chisels and thought it would be nice to have a set of maybe 3 pieces 1/2, 3/4, & 1" sizes.

Looking for opinions of a reasonably priced, but good quality brand for this type of function.
Thanks.
Brian

[Jim Koepke]

Brian, you have a lot from which to choose.

On the inexpensive end there are Lee Valley Butt chisels at $52 for the 3 piece set you describe > https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/chisels/butt/30029-lee-valley-butt-chisels?item=44S0220 < These and their bevel edged chisels at a little more are plastic handled.

A similar set of Narex chisels > https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/chisels/bench/67707-narex-classic-bevel-edge-chisels?item=10S0976 < with wood handles is actually a little less with four chisels, it includes a 1/4" size.

Either of those would likely serve quite well for a mostly power tool woodworker.

jtk

[Assaf Oppenheimer]

Narex Richter is currently widely seen as the best value in western chisels.

[Jim Koepke]

Narex Richter is currently widely seen as the best value in western chisels.

The three piece set, the OP mentioned, is about $130 and currently out of stock at Lee Valley and a few other vendors.

My tendency would be to buy vintage chisels via ebay and rehab them. Not everyone's cup of meat.

jtk

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I read something interesting in one of Patrick Leach’s monthly tool listings. He claims unequivocally that the steel used in the Stanley #60’s was better than the 720s & 750s. To be sure he’s a salesman, but not a bull*****er. I have a set of LN chisels and a bunch of my dad’s plastic handle Stanley #60s and Buck Bros. #100s from the 1950s and I can attest that their quality is very close to the LNs, although not nearly as pretty. They hone razor sharp and hold an edge for a long time.

[Jim Koepke]

I read something interesting in one of Patrick Leach’s monthly tool listings. He claims unequivocally that the steel used in the Stanley #60’s was better than the 720s & 750s. To be sure he’s a salesman, but not a bull*****er. I have a set of LN chisels and a bunch of my dad’s plastic handle Stanley #60s and Buck Bros. #100s from the 1950s and I can attest that their quality is very close to the LNs, although not nearly as pretty. They hone razor sharp and hold an edge for a long time.

IMO, Stanley made the #60s to stand up to the abuse they would receive from people in various building trades.

Here is an old thread on the #60s > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?230951

jtk

[Tom M King]

I only need one no. 60 butt chisel, for it's intended purpose- the top, and bottom hinge mortises on a door jamb where a longer chisel just doesn't work. That's why they're called Butt chisels-for hinge butts.

My favorite plastic handled Stanley chisels are the black plastic handled no. 40. They're regular length chisels, instead of like the shorter No. 60's. I have some I bought new in the 1970's, and some others I've picked off ebay when they went for less than what they typically go for, which is real money. I keep a couple at 18 degrees for paring use, and use on window sash. I can get them as sharp as any cutting edge I have, and for my work, the edge lasts plenty good enough. They are better than the old wooden handled Stanley chisels. I always thought they didn't get the attention they deserve because of the plastic handles.

[Tim Best]

You can’t wrong following Jim and Tom’s advice. +1 on the Narex Richter line. Really good chisels. I have a couple and both take a great edge. My favorite is one that I picked up from a one man shop in Michigan. Check out the chisels that Andrew Kimmons (Kimmonshandtools) is making and selling via Etsy. A little more spendy than the Richter but on par with LV. No affiliation with the maker, I just like the chisels that he makes.

[Rafael Herrera]

I do most of my woodworking with power tools, but from time to time I need a chisel to clean something up etc... I've been using some cheap throw away Stanley chisels and thought it would be nice to have a set of maybe 3 pieces 1/2, 3/4, & 1" sizes.

Looking for opinions of a reasonably priced, but good quality brand for this type of function.
Thanks.
Brian

These chisels are very well made and suitable for finer work. More attractive than the LV or Narex ones, at the very least.

https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/IL-100-40.XX

[Richard Coers]

A guy on Woodcentral was very impressed with the steel in this Harbor Freight set.
https://www.harborfreight.com/wood-chisel-set-6-pc-56364.html?_br_psugg_q=wood+chisel+set

[Rafael Herrera]

A guy on Woodcentral was very impressed with the steel in this Harbor Freight set.
https://www.harborfreight.com/wood-chisel-set-6-pc-56364.html?_br_psugg_q=wood+chisel+set

Those are good chisels too and come down to less than $2 each. They can be reprofiled for finer work using a grinder and sandpaper on a block. Takes maybe 10 min per chisels. Convert them from heavy duty work to dovetail chisels in minutes.

469862

[steven c newman]

I still have a couple of those...almost 40 years old....still going strong...

[Michael Cuthriell]

The reproduction Stanley 750 chisels are good for the money. I use them and have no complaints about sharpness or edge life. I also have some Narex (not Richter) and they are about the same as the 750 when it comes to the edge. The Narex are better suited to striking and they have a superior finish.

[Tony Corey]

Brian,

It sounds like you don't use chisels very often. Maybe there is another option.

Are your "cheap throw away Stanley chisels" sharp? I mean REALLY sharp.

Steven C Newman mentioned the Harbor Freight chisels. Fresh out of the package they barely cut anything. They are great chisels AFTER using proper (whatever that is to you) sharpening to get that smooth ultra sharp edge that we all crave. I'm not going down the sharpening technique rabbit hole. There are dozens of threads here that explore that rabbit hole.

I bet most "bad chisels" are not bad, just dull.

TonyC

[Rob Luter]

I started with a set of budget price Blue Handle Irwin/Marples from when they were still made in Sheffield. They were covered in varnish and the backs were anything but flat, but after getting all that fixed I found they'll take a keen edge and it lasts.

[Luke Dupont]

Whatever you use, make sure you know how to sharpen them.
Even a cheap chisel works really well while it's sharp, even if ergonomics and edge retention may be a bit lacking... Though, getting them sharp can be a lot of work as they often need quite a lot of grinding to get the backs flat.

I'd recommend getting some diamond stones and a strop... Maybe a #400 / #1000 grit diamond stone, and just a piece of old leather glued to a flat board and loaded with green compound. That will get you started, and depending on your needs, might be all you require. In time you might find you like oil or waterstones... Or if you really only occasionally use your chisels, you can just make do with sandpaper and a flat surface.

As for what chisels to get, I'll throw my hat in for the Stanley 750 Sweetheart chisels as well. I've used both the Stanley's and Narex chisels (though not the Richter line!). Narex Chisels are also good. You should consider whether you want socket chisels or not. I like them for their strength and repairability, but you should take care because occasionally, the chisel handle will pop off which can lead to accidents. As steel is concerned, I recommend avoiding A2 -- it's too prone to chipping and doesn't take and hold an ultra fine edge all that well IMO. It's quite a bit harder to sharpen than many other steels and imparts little benefit.

[Tom Bussey]

Plus one on the Harbor Freight chisels. They seem to hold an edge. They also make great scrapers for those hard to get at places. At $10 for six chisels, buy a couple of sets. I like to use them to cut semi hardened glue off from glue ups.

But you asked about a reasonably priced, but good quality brand and Narex makes some good chisels in different price ranges. If I were a manufacturer I would use the same steel in all of my chisels. The fit and finish is what adds cost. I would go to your wood working store or Amazon and find one that attracts you and buy it. Try it out and see how you like i. If it trips your trigger buy the other sizes you want. Don't let metric verses imperial sizes bother you. 99% of the time it makes no difference if it is a 1/2 (.5000) or a 12 MM ( .472) size

[Rafael Herrera]

FYI

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?295277-FS-Stanley-Sweetheart-Chisels

[Jason Buresh]

I think the more important thing here is what do you have for a sharpening set up? Buying higher quality chisels won't do you any good if you don't have the tools to get them sharp.

You didn't mention what you don't like about your Stanley chisels. Are they not comfortable? Don't cut right? Don't hold an edge? Some of these issues may not necessarily be the chisel.

[Jim Koepke]

After sending the OP a PM about the chisels in the SMC Classifieds he informed me he has already ordered a set from LV.

jtk

[steven c newman]

I guess that means my 2 sets of Aldi's chisels are safe?

[Jim Matthews]

Brian, 470059check your visitor messages.

[Tom M King]

A set of wooden handled socket chisels, by Irwin/Marples popped up when I went to Amazon last night. I had never seen them before, but they should be worth a look. The come in a leather roll, and I think it was about 20 bucks per chisel.

[Jim Koepke]

A set of wooden handled socket chisels, by Irwin/Marples popped up when I went to Amazon last night. I had never seen them before, but they should be worth a look. The come in a leather roll, and I think it was about 20 bucks per chisel.

Interesting to compare with the Stanley SW chisels:

470111

Not only are both sets country of origin listed as United Kingdom, look at the part number below the company name.

Also from searching > are irwin/marples and stanley same company < this was found:


Irwin Industrial Tools is an American manufacturer and distributor of hand tools and power tool accessories. It is owned by Stanley Black & Decker.

It would be interesting to compare the two sets in the flesh.

Poking around Amazon there was also some pretty inexpensive sets of chisels. One 6 piece set looks an awful lot like Aldi's for under $20.

jtk

[Tom M King]

Interesting that it seems they have different tapers to the blade thickness.

[Jim Koepke]

Interesting that it seems they have different tapers to the blade thickness.

It would be interesting to compare the two sets.

It wouldn't surprise me if they are made in different factories or the same factory.

The different tapers on the edge bevels slipped by me.

Haven't had my breakfast or coffee yet.

jtk

[James Pallas]

I would guess they come from the same stock. I like the 750s. I’ve had some since they were first offered. I like the feel, balance, of them. The steel works for me. It holds an edge ok for me. I strop out of habit so probably can’t speak longevity but it doesn't seem to chip at 20* I use for paring or 25* for bench use. I have seriously thought of buying another set to grind to 1/16 sizes. Yes I do use 1/16 by using metric or grinding old chisels to size. The feel is 75% for me. Keeping a sharp edge is no big deal. Yes I bought LN’s too. Wouldn’t work at low angles for me. Beautifully done tool but gave them away.
Jim

[Tom M King]

Probably kind of like the box store riding lawnmower factory someone told me about in Georgia. One week they assemble Husqvarna's, the next week John Deere's, and the next week Craftsman's.

[Rob Luter]

Probably kind of like the box store riding lawnmower factory someone told me about in Georgia. One week they assemble Husqvarna's, the next week John Deere's, and the next week Craftsman's.

Or MTD in Ohio. They make Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Rover, WOLF-Garten, Remington, Yard Machines, Columbia, Robomow, and MTD Genuine Parts.

[Rafael Herrera]

Same steel, same handle shape, hornbeam wood.

The Irwin set is hardened to 58 Rockwell level, perhaps on the soft side.

I'd rather get a few Ashley Isles chisel.

[Tom M King]

Funny. Since this thread, I checked ebay, and found a few of the no. 40 chisels that I like up for auction. No one bid against me on any of them, so I'm now the owner of 5 more of them, and one no. 60 that was offered with one of the no. 40's. Less than 10 bucks each, to my door, averaged over the lot.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Brian,

It sounds like you don't use chisels very often. Maybe there is another option.

Are your "cheap throw away Stanley chisels" sharp? I mean REALLY sharp.

Steven C Newman mentioned the Harbor Freight chisels. Fresh out of the package they barely cut anything. They are great chisels AFTER using proper (whatever that is to you) sharpening to get that smooth ultra sharp edge that we all crave. I'm not going down the sharpening technique rabbit hole. There are dozens of threads here that explore that rabbit hole.

I bet most "bad chisels" are not bad, just dull.

TonyC

I was to write something similar. That is my own experience.

Best regards.

[Prashun Patel]

The easy part is the chisels. The hard part is the sharpening. You will go down the rabbit hole, but to make even the best chisels usable for more than a couple uses, you will need to invest in some kind of sharpening. A straight forward way is some reasonable waterstones and an eclipse style honing guide. Alternatively, there is a method called "Scary sharp" that uses sandpaper, but it gets old for many people eventually.

[Jim Koepke]

The easy part is the chisels. The hard part is the sharpening. You will go down the rabbit hole, but to make even the best chisels usable for more than a couple uses, you will need to invest in some kind of sharpening.

This is another one of those aspects that depends on the work actually being done with the chisels.

Pairing the waste from tenons or dovetails is different from notching out a 2X4 for a cable or pipe.

When buying sharpening equipment keep in mind you often get that for which you pay.

Lowes has a three stone set listed on their website > https://www.lowes.com/pd/Smith-s-6-in-Tri-Hone-Knife-and-Tool-Sharpening-System/1266429 < $31.98

It looks like a Crystalon, India and a soft Arkansas. This is far from a premium set. It will likely be able to get a blade up to an acceptable sharpness for many folks.

They also list another single stone > https://www.lowes.com/pd/Smith-s-6-in-Natural-Arkansas-Bench-Stone/3063983 < $19.48

Just for the heck of it one of the single stones was purchased for my shop. (ended up also buying one for my grandson) It is softer or more abrasive than a Dan's Whetstones soft Arkansas stone. It is about on par with my Washita stones. It wasn't as flat as one of Dan's either. Mine does get used especially when a nick needs to be removed or some fast action is required on my oilstones. It is good for some fast touch up on a drill bit.

For following up on a cut made by a table saw this would likely be enough.

If you want to get sharper on the cheap, find someone in to lapidary (rock hound) and see if they can get you a piece of jasper that has been cut flat. It is about as hard as an Arkansas stone and can polish an edge like a hard Arkansas stone. It doesn't cut as well as a hard Arkansas.

If you want to get in the realm of razor sharp then invest in the good stones from the beginning. It will cost less.

If you can work with less than hair splitting sharp, $20 to $35 should get you started on your way.

jtk

[Mike Manning]

IMO, Stanley made the #60s to stand up to the abuse they would receive from people in various building trades.

Here is an old thread on the #60s > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?230951

jtk

Jim or anyone,

How can you tell the good older Stanley #60s that were so good from the more recent vintages that probably aren't on par? I'd like to start looking for them as I hit estate and garage sales.

Mike

[Robert Engel]

I bought a 1/4, 1/2 and 1" Lie Nielsen just to try them.

They seem to be all people say they are.

The first chisels I bought when I decided to actually be a ww'er not a carpenter was Irwin Marple blue handles. They are pretty decent chisels I consider them a "firmer" chisel. I did a lot of dovetails with them. A good entry level set.

I can't imagine HF chisels having decent steel.

[Charles Guest]

There's a median point to be struck.

Some will recommend cheap chisels, all the while having quite literally a four figure investment in honing stones, Tormeks, Sorby system, etc. Some will recommend chisels you have to wait for over a year to get from some Japanese master chisel maker who recently turned 140 years old.

Long story, short: you've asked an unanswerable question.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim or anyone,

How can you tell the good older Stanley #60s that were so good from the more recent vintages that probably aren't on par? I'd like to start looking for them as I hit estate and garage sales.

Mike

My knowledge on this is limited. There was a member here who had a website with a lot of information on Stanley's plastic handled chisels. Just now checking on it the site seems to have disappeared down the interweb memory hole.

Here are my Stanley plastic handled chisels:

470337

The first on the right and the third from the right are both Stanley Handyman #60 chisels from the 1950s for my best guess. The black handled one is a #40 to the best of my knowledge. It is of the 'everslasting' genre. Those have steel caps and a rod from the cap to the metal of the chisel. They were made for abuse.

The chisel on the far left is also a #60 to the best of my knowledge. Not sure what attacked the plastic.

The plastic was removed and a new handle was fitted:

470343

At the time it was my only 3/8" paring chisel.

Later versions of the #60 have a black ring of plastic at the base and look an awful like Buck Brothers chisels from the same time period.

The 1/2" #60 was one of my first chisels purchased. It was at a flea market in Berkeley, CA for fifty cents or a dollar. That was about forty years ago so my memory has faded.

For the various types of work around the property it makes sense to me to have different sets of tools. There are my beater chisels for when working on dirty wood or a tree stump. My set of Buck Brothers chisels are ground at a very low angle for paring. They are seldom even tapped with a mallet.

Surely my nicer chisels could do the dirty work. But it is heart breaking to spend an hour regrinding a chipped chisel that hit an unforeseen stone or nail. Much less cleaning off the mud and yuck that accompanies working in the woods or other outdoor locations.

[James Pallas]

Everyone has their own methods. This is how I separate chisels. One set at 20* from 1/8 to 1 1/4. One set, kept in a roll at 25* from 1/4 to 1 1/4. One set of metric from 6mm to 3.8cm. One set of 4 butt chisels. I use them all of them as needed with no regard to the where or what. I also have some larger 1 1/2 to 2 if needed and some miscellaneous I don’t use often.
Jim

[Jim Koepke]

I use them all of them as needed with no regard to the where or what.

Would you use one from your set at 20º to chop away on a root of a tree that was blown over in a storm?

One of my sets is just for such tasks. This year there are a half dozen trees that blew over out in back of me to clear out.

jtk

[James Pallas]

Would you use one from your set at 20º to chop away on a root of a tree that was blown over in a storm?

One of my sets is just for such tasks. This year there are a half dozen trees that blew over out in back of me to clear out.

jtk

I have other tools for such tasks. I have what I call flooring chisels and such that are all metal and made to he struck with a metal hammer. If I needed to use a 20* chisel I would use it. Don’t know why I would need to do so with my many other options. I would use a 20* chisel to chop dovetails in pine or other soft wood, not so for oak and the like. I do use 25* chisels for oak, hard maple and such. Mortise chisels for mortises.
Jim

[Jim Koepke]

My question was in regards to:


I use them all of them as needed with no regard to the where or what.

Your reply seems to indicate there is some "regard to the where or what.

My intent is to use a tool intended for the job at hand or at least the best that is available to perform the task. One engineer in my past employment would use a thread die for a hammer if it was closer to hand than a hammer. Another co-worker thought a chisel was just as good as a crow bar for bending metal.

jtk

[Tom M King]

I thought chisels were for opening cans of paint.

[Mike Manning]

Jim, Thank you. That was helpful.

Very interesting thread.

[James Pallas]

I thought chisels were for opening cans of paint.

Right tool for right job. Paint can chisel.
Jim😳

[steven c newman]

I prefer a Church Key, for opening paint cans...and a few bottles of Guinness, if you please....

[John C Cox]

I know I'm late to the party.... But I spent way too much money and time on this for my own good... So here's my two cents.

Stay away from dirt cheap imports. Some people here have had good results with Aldi/Harbor Freight/Lidl/Miscellaneous cheap Chinese.... I have bought and tried to work 10 sets now and only got frustration and trouble out of it. I couldn't get any of this stuff to hold a reasonable edge for anything but trivial work. As the Aussies say, "It's still expensive at half the price." Skip it.

If you don't have a giant/advanced sharpening setup, stay away from super fancy pants steels. PM-V11, A2, and anything high speed steel... The stuff might be great but getting it sharp on common knife stones will drive you to distraction.

Skip the ancient, vintage stuff made 100+ years ago. Sure, some of it really is great, but a lot of it is not, and worse, it's not available in commercially viable quantities... That means you can't just go out and buy it. Collecting and rehabbing vintage rust is a hobby of it's own.

That leaves the Mid-price stuff. This is stuff that's made of quality steel which you can sharpen on common hardware store kit. Two cherries, Narex Richter, Ashley Iles, Sheffield made Stanley Bailey or Sweetheart socket chisels, Woodcraft socket chisels, or Pfeil wood chisels. Nothing with a steel butt cap or a giant steel rod running through it. While I like Ashley Iles the best of these, they can be hard to source. Personally, I'd start with a few pieces of either Pfeil, Two Cherries, or Narex Richter, because they are very good and also very easy to buy online.

[Jim Koepke]

Skip the ancient, vintage stuff made 100+ years ago. Sure, some of it really is great, but a lot of it is not, and worse, it's not available in commercially viable quantities... That means you can't just go out and buy it. Collecting and rehabbing vintage rust is a hobby of it's own.

You only have to find it once. A lot of modern tools are not currently available in any quantities.

Many vintage chisels can be found on the auction site and other sources. If just a few are needed, it shouldn't take long to find them. If like me a whole set is desired, it will take longer to come up with the odd sizes.

Yes, for many rehabbing an old tool can be enjoyable. If one is just looking for usable tools it is a short lived hobby.

Rehabbing old planes gave me an understanding of planes the reading of books and forums never could.

jtk

[John C Cox]

In terms of availability... All the ones I recommended are currently in stock at common internet retailers as of Jan 2022. Prices have certainly climbed, but so have prices on quality vintage.

I'm not surprised to see "very good" condition, first quality pre-war octagon bolster bevel edge chisels running well over $50 each, if you can find them to buy. Firmers of the same first quality brands run above the $25 range... A lot more when you pay international shipping. (Yikes, I know...). That's stuff like old Buck Bros, Sorby, Marples, Ward, Witherby, etc.

Now, if you need to get some work done now and need a couple chisels, I wouldn't turn up my nose at imports that plainly advertise DIN 5139 or ISO 2729. Certifying to these standards requires meeting minimum performance standards and construction requirements such as steel alloys. That means they nominally shouldn't be trash. If you notice, early Aldi and Lidl chisels all proudly displayed the DIN markings. Once they hit the big time, they took it off... Hmm... Why? Because certifying to those standards costs money for stuff like quality alloys and proper heat treatment.

[Luke Dupont]

In terms of availability... All the ones I recommended are currently in stock at common internet retailers as of Jan 2022. Prices have certainly climbed, but so have prices on quality vintage.

I'm not surprised to see "very good" condition, first quality pre-war octagon bolster bevel edge chisels running well over $50 each, if you can find them to buy. Firmers of the same first quality brands run above the $25 range... A lot more when you pay international shipping. (Yikes, I know...). That's stuff like old Buck Bros, Sorby, Marples, Ward, Witherby, etc.

Now, if you need to get some work done now and need a couple chisels, I wouldn't turn up my nose at imports that plainly advertise DIN 5139 or ISO 2729. Certifying to these standards requires meeting minimum performance standards and construction requirements such as steel alloys. That means they nominally shouldn't be trash. If you notice, early Aldi and Lidl chisels all proudly displayed the DIN markings. Once they hit the big time, they took it off... Hmm... Why? Because certifying to those standards costs money for stuff like quality alloys and proper heat treatment.


If you're willing to be patient and wait for bargains to appear within your country, you can score great vintage chisels on ebay for a few bucks.

I'm not so patient, but I just bought a set of 4 good firmer chisels in *very* nice condition for 46 GBP, or about $62. The chisels themselves were $20, and the shipping like $42, because that's how the UK's government rolls... :rolleyes:

Still a great deal.

I think nice firmer chisels are often a great deal, because everyone seems to want bevel edged chisels. I don't really care that much; a few bevel edged chisels for dovetailing are all you need (not that you can't cut dovetails with a firmer chisel. Just skew it a little more...)
Firmer chisels actually kind of work better for a lot of other tasks, especially if you're using them in lieu of a mortise chisel. Bevel edged chisels tend to rotate when chopping, because they don't have significant flats to register against the walls.
But, anyway, this relative lack of love by the dovetail obsessed makes them a great deal, IMO ;)

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I do most of my woodworking with power tools, but from time to time I need a chisel to clean something up etc... I've been using some cheap throw away Stanley chisels and thought it would be nice to have a set of maybe 3 pieces 1/2, 3/4, & 1" sizes.

Looking for opinions of a reasonably priced, but good quality brand for this type of function.
Thanks.
Brian
Set of Stanley 60s on Leach's tool list this month.

A set of Millers Falls on ebay now. $50 with no bids and a day left to go.

Both should be good quality.

[Rob Luter]

Fine Woodworking did a comparison piece on 23 different brands of Western and Japanese style chisels in 2008. It should be out on the interwebs. It's worth a read. It helped steer me to chisels that were best suited to the work I was doing and the design attributes I was looking for. As mentioned earlier in the thread, I started with some budget Blue Chips. They sharpen up well and retain an edge but as others have mentioned they're not well suited to dovetails. I found that out the hard way. Like Jim Koepke, I enjoyed finding vintage pieces in the wild and refurbishing them but could never really find something that checked all the boxes.

I invested in a six piece set of the LN Bevel Edge Chisels a few years ago and have never looked back. I didn't spend much more than I had spent to accumulate all the chisels I had at that point and they wound up replacing them all. Those odd ducks that haven't found new homes sit idle waiting for the next herd thinning event.

I guess my point to the OP is, understand what you want in terms or performance and invest in the best version of whatever that is you can afford. Save up if you need to. At the end of the day you'll pay less and be happier. You'll never regret them working better, being more comfortable in the hand, or having a more durable edge. I've learned that the hard way a couple times.

[John C Cox]

I agree with the point about vintage firmers if you don't specifically need the side bevels. I'm not doing much in the way of dovetails, so I actually reach for firmers first because it's easier to register their sides on stuff and they don't cut my fingers.

If you plan on dovetailing and feel like you need chisels with teeny, finger slicing side bevels, well, they're out there. Many of the premium chisels now come with those.

[steven c newman]

Some eye candy for you all...
471267
From the rack on the back of my bench...throw in a few of the bigger ones..
471268
Then put them back in the rack..
471269
"Blue Handle" is a Stanley No. 5002..one of three I have.

Maybe I just have a "thing" for old chisels....:rolleyes:

[Jim Koepke]

Some eye candy for you all...

At least eye candy doesn't get stale:

471287

This picture was taken over a decade ago.

They have multiplied since then.

jtk

[Mike Manning]

Very nice collection of chisels Jim! I notice a number of similarly made handles with a kind of guard to keep your hand from slipping down. Did you make those? Interesting. Do you still favor those handles? I'm just curious.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

Very nice collection of chisels Jim! I notice a number of similarly made handles with a kind of guard to keep your hand from slipping down. Did you make those? Interesting. Do you still favor those handles? I'm just curious.

Mike

Yes Mike, many of the handles were made on my lathe. My right hand was injured many years ago. The "guard" and shape helps in not having to hold with as tight of a grip. It is also handy for chopping as it can be held between my pinky & ring finger.

They are still favored and repeated when a new handle is made.

The handles on the Buck Brothers chisels are more of an attempt to follow their original handles. Some of them do not come very close.

jtk

[Luke Dupont]

At least eye candy doesn't get stale:

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This picture was taken over a decade ago.

They have multiplied since then.

jtk


Are those skew chisels used for woodworking, or just for turning? Just curious. I've never seen anyone use them in normal woodworking and always wondered if they'd be useful or not.

[Jim Koepke]

Are those skew chisels used for woodworking, or just for turning? Just curious. I've never seen anyone use them in normal woodworking and always wondered if they'd be useful or not.

None of those chisels are used on the lathe. Skew chisels are useful on dovetails.

They can get into the corners:

471425

The are good with lap joints:

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Also useful in cutting dados:

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The skewing lowers the effective bevel/cutting angle. It also helps in places a straight across edge might not be able to reach.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I shop at Lowes or Home Depot.

https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrEZ7DLqN1huD8AbAIPxQt.;_ylc=X1MDMjEx NDcwMDU1OQRfcgMyBGZyA3locy1wdHktYnJvd3Nlcl93YXZlYn Jvd3NlcgRmcjIDc2EtZ3Atc2VhcmNoBGdwcmlkA25TUFdLTHB0 U3c2VEowazhHaEFQR0EEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzQEb3JpZ2 luA3NlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzEEcHFzdHIDaG9tZSBk ZXBvdCBvZmZpY2lhbCBzaXRlIGNoaXNlbHMEcHFzdHJsAzMyBH FzdHJsAzQxBHF1ZXJ5A2hvbWUlMjBkZXBvdCUyMG9mZmljaWFs JTIwc2l0ZSUyMGNoaXNlbHMlMjBmb3IlMjBzYWxlBHRfc3RtcA MxNjQxOTE2NjQ2BHVzZV9jYXNlAw--?p=home+depot+official+site+chisels+for+sale&fr2=sa-gp-search&hspart=pty&hsimp=yhs-browser_wavebrowser&param1=20220102&param2=463615f6-2311-47f2-86bf-2df053805ffc&param3=wav%7EUS%7Eappfocus1%7E&param4=d-cp12919082543-lp5-hh6-obem-wav-vuentp%3Aon-igzFPhOFkabNzbDlLLwg-ab36-w64-brwsr-obx%7EUnknownDefault%7Ehome+depot+official+site%7E B2D7D7656EB4E5153688637C8FBF7B49%7EUnknown&type=A1-brwsr-%7E2022-2%7E

[steven c newman]

Stopped in at Harbor Freight, yesterday....(2 more 12" F style clamps, gives me a set of 8 such clamps) and looked at their 6pc, wood handled chisel set..@ $11.95+Tax....

Just remembered...I have a case of chisels..
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All are "extras", so they get a case to call home..
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Just in case I might need one....these are what is stored in that case.
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Was trying to find out what size of a case I needed..
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Not too bad of a case?

[steven c newman]

Although...there was one chisel that just wouldn't fit in that case...
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Keyboard and a 12" Starrett No. 0601 ruler for scale...
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1" per side corner chisel....for them BIG bench mortises...

[Jack Dover]

Lowes has a three stone set listed on their website > https://www.lowes.com/pd/Smith-s-6-in-Tri-Hone-Knife-and-Tool-Sharpening-System/1266429 < $31.98

It looks like a Crystalon, India and a soft Arkansas. This is far from a premium set. It will likely be able to get a blade up to an acceptable sharpness for many folks.

Actually, I have used this Tri-hone system for a year, pretty much worn it off.

You're right that it's far from a premium set. The main issue is the coarse and medium stones. They're both carborundum stones btw, the fine stone is Soft Arkansas. The problem is present in other stones from other manufacturers too: the coarse stone had a soft spot taking about 30% of surface area, which is already quite meager since they're 6"x2". The medium stone is very fast and produces very polished edge, but it's so soft that I never could get it flat. Also it was first to wear down. Arkie was, well, an arkie - quite uniform, no rough spots, etc.

The tri-hone system is awesome, even this plastic fidget was sufficiently sturdy, very small footprint, easy to keep clean. It would be nice if they would provide a plastic cover for when not in use. These stones had no issues cutting a 62HRC chisel - the hardest Western chisel I have. Couldn't cut Japanese irons though, but I don't care, it was an experiment anyway. Being 6x2 these stones require some experience to be able to sharpen plane irons and wider chisels, but it's not too bad.

Money-wise it's a robbery. One would also need some flattening implement and the cheapest I could find kicks the price to ~85$ total, which is very close to the Norton's system and Norton makes the best synthetic oilstones. If I would be on a tight budget I'd go with Crystolon and India combo stones and then something for stropping, I think, this kit could be somewhere around ~50$ if we assume some creative dumpster diving.

[steven c newman]

Out and about, today...
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Didn't see anything here I needed...
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This was tempting...
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Was a bit distracted, though...

[Jim R Edwards]

I may go against the grain here a little but to me the most important thing in buying a chisel is how does it feel in my hand. I have had many brands of chisels and my favorites are the Lie Nielsen socket handle chisels. I like the balance of the tool, my hand doesn't fatigue when chopping many dovetails and so forth. Some people dont care for the A2 steel but it doesn't bother me. All hand tools have to be sharpened.

Jim

[Luke Dupont]

I may go against the grain here a little but to me the most important thing in buying a chisel is how does it feel in my hand. I have had many brands of chisels and my favorites are the Lie Nielsen socket handle chisels. I like the balance of the tool, my hand doesn't fatigue when chopping many dovetails and so forth. Some people dont care for the A2 steel but it doesn't bother me. All hand tools have to be sharpened.

Jim


I also agree that form factor, both in the hand, and of the blade itself, are the most important factor in which chisels I like...
But bad steel does irk me, and I really dislike A2. I had A2 chisels for years... To me, they offer no perceivable benefit in edge retention, are difficult to sharpen, don't take quite as keen an edge as other steels, and chip easily. I got tired of them...

I'm okay with other steels that most people would just classify as "okay," but I just find A2 to be a bit annoying.

[Derek Cohen]

Interestingly, Luke, with my sharpening method, the sharpening differences in steels is negligible: A2, O1, W1, White Steel, Blue Steel, M2, M4, CPN-3V, PM-V11 ....

The method is very simple: hollow grind to the max, leaving to a minimum the amount of steel to hone. This can be worked with most media.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Luke Dupont]

Interestingly, Luke, with my sharpening method, the sharpening differences in steels is negligible: A2, O1, W1, White Steel, Blue Steel, M2, M4, CPN-3V, PM-V11 ....

The method is very simple: hollow grind to the max, leaving to a minimum the amount of steel to hone. This can be worked with most media.

Regards from Perth

Derek


One day when I have room for a grinder, I'll definitely give it a try!

[Tony Wilkins]

I also agree that form factor, both in the hand, and of the blade itself, are the most important factor in which chisels I like...
But bad steel does irk me, and I really dislike A2. I had A2 chisels for years... To me, they offer no perceivable benefit in edge retention, are difficult to sharpen, don't take quite as keen an edge as other steels, and chip easily. I got tired of them...

I'm okay with other steels that most people would just classify as "okay," but I just find A2 to be a bit annoying.

wish they still made their O1 chisels. I too like they form. The A2 doesn’t bother me too much but no you can’t have my LN O1 models.

[Jim Koepke]

I may go against the grain here a little but to me the most important thing in buying a chisel is how does it feel in my hand.
[edited]
Jim

+1 on the feel in the hand being an important factor.

So much so for me it drove me to buy mostly socket chisels and a lathe to make my own handles.

Also agree with A2 steel being less enjoyable to use and sharpen. Thankfully only two blades in my shop are made with A2.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Hmm, seen yesterday...Chisels..
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Pretty sure these would have to be sharpened up....mallet looks nice....just I didn't need any of these...
Chisels..
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There was this set. Word of Warning: IF it is inside a glass case with a lock....don't ask the price.

Then, there was the Buy-in-Bulk Aisle...
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Back in that corner, where the racks follow the wall to the right...one shelf had at least 200 chisels....wear your Kevlar Gloves, BEFORE you go reaching around in that bin....

Did not want to go pulling things out of this cabinet, either..
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Was hard to tell what was on the other end...top of the cabinet wasn't much better, either..
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That plastic handle was attached to a saw....no, I did NOT look into the drawers...

So, now you know where half the chisels I USE come from.....

[Ben Ellenberger]

+1 on the feel in the hand being an important factor.

So much so for me it drove me to buy mostly socket chisels and a lathe to make my own handles.

Also agree with A2 steel being less enjoyable to use and sharpen. Thankfully only two blades in my shop are made with A2.

jtk

I’m curious if there is more potential variability in A2. Most of my chisels are 01, but I have a couple of Lie Nielsen chisels. They feel a little different when I sharpen them, but I’m happy enough with how they work.

I did have trouble with blade on my Veritas plow plane. The edge kept chipping, even after several rounds of grinding it back. Lee Valley was great about replacing it quickly, and my replacement blade has worked fine.

So, while I would say I prefer O1 chisels and plane blades, I’ve been satisfied with the few A2 tools I have.

[Jim Koepke]

I’m curious if there is more potential variability in A2. Most of my chisels are 01, but I have a couple of Lie Nielsen chisels. They feel a little different when I sharpen them, but I’m happy enough with how they work.

I did have trouble with blade on my Veritas plow plane. The edge kept chipping, even after several rounds of grinding it back. Lee Valley was great about replacing it quickly, and my replacement blade has worked fine.

So, while I would say I prefer O1 chisels and plane blades, I’ve been satisfied with the few A2 tools I have.

One of my blades may be old enough to actually be A1 steel, not sure. The more used one is A2 on an LN LA Jack. It has chipped a lot when used mostly on a shooting board with a 25º bevel. It seems to have less chipping after years of use. A shooting board can be hard on a blade.

My paring chisels have a 15-20º bevel. It is usually recommended to have a 30º bevel on A2. For a bevel down plane that isn't a problem. For an LA Jack it kind of defeats the purpose of having a Low Angle Jack plane.

jtk

[Christopher L Everett]

Narex Richter is currently widely seen as the best value in western chisels.

The steel is excellent on Narex Richter chisels. The machining on the back is so-so: took me an eternity to flatten the back of a 1-1/2” unit I got last year.