Upgrading to new chisels?................

[Mark Rios]

While making three of these for my current cabinet/kitchen job I had a need to use my chisels; Squaring corners rabbetting for the glass and stopped dadoes for the grid, etc.

56197

Now...I'm nowhere near a neander but I found that even though I took my time carefully sharpening my off-the-rack Stanley and Buck chisels, I wasn't getting very good performance. At least not what I would have liked. The edge on the 1/2" was also prety brittle for some reason and wanted to keep chipping.

What's the next step up (or two) in the chisel world? I've heard/read that Two Cherries is pretty good and then there's always LN and LV but I really don't know anymore about chisels than the names.

Any suggestions and/or recommendations?


Thanks very much for your advice.

[Richard Keller]

I have a popuri of chisels from different mfr's and honestly havn't noticed much difference in the edge of them. I have a set of old old old Stanley's (40 years?) a set of cheap Marples, a cheap set that LV had on sale a few years back (I like them the best) and a LV branded set with polycarb handles, plus a few more that I have found rolling around in drawers here and there :) . The difference seems to be the sharpening. The odd chisel will seem to chip when sharpening, mostly during grinding. LV has some stuff that is fairly good value - not to much $$ but not to crappy to be useless - as long as you can sharpen.

Richard,

[Ken Bryant]

The steel will definitely make a big difference in the length of time from one sharpening to the next -- this will be, in my opinion, the big advantage of going to something with A1, or O1, or Japanese laminated blades. The survival time of handles, of course, will also vary enormously (I look for socket-style in anything I'm going to beat on). But as for the chipping: it may be worth grinding a larger angle on the bevel (30 deg.? 35 deg.?) For any blade, the smaller the angle the easier the cut, but also the smaller the angle the more fragile the edge.

[Bob Malone]

Mark the sky is the limit when it comes to what you can spend on chisels and most woodworkers will tell you that over a long career they probably have bought several kinds or sets of chisels.

My first set of chisels were the Marples that have served me well for 20 years before I passed them onto my son. I have the Hirsch chisels from LV, which are exact copies of the 2 Cherries and are made in the same factory. I also have a new set of LN, which are are a completely different type of chisel (feel and steel) than the Hirsch.

The LN are used almost exclusively for dovetails and finer work, they have a good feel and I know these are keepers for my lifetime. I do not baby my tools and the LN get hit with a mallet when necessary. They take longer to sharpen becasue of the A2 steel, but then they stay sharper longer too.

The Hirsch are great alrund chisels and I use them everywhere in the shop for various tasks. The steel is a little softer than the LN, but the Hirsch hold an edge well and they have been great chisels.

If the cost is an issue, the Hirsch from LV are a great buy!! Great all round chisels once you get the backs flattened. I highly recommend them.

The LN are a chisel you buy once for a lifetime. They cost more but are more refined than the Hirsch - but they also cost 2X the Hirsch.

Good Luck

Bob

[James Carmichael]

If you can still find them, the Marples Blue Chips are a big step up from the Stanleys and a great value. Lowes used to sell a set of 4 of 1/4 - 1" for $20. I think woodcraft and amazon still carry them.

[Jim Becker]

There are a few good threads here on chisel choices...I went with the Ashley Iles from toolsforworkingwood.com.The six piece set I bought was about $120. I did try out the Two-Cherries and they are quite good. I just liked the handles of the AI better in "my" hands. The Marples are nice from what I understand and reasonably priced.

[Luciano Burtini]

If you can still find them, the Marples Blue Chips are a big step up from the Stanleys and a great value. Lowes used to sell a set of 4 of 1/4 - 1" for $20. I think woodcraft and amazon still carry them.

The 'Marples' are still available under the 'Irwin' name. I am assuming the steel is the same as when they were branded Marples. The company is Newell Rubbermaid and they own lots of old names such as American Tools, Lennox and I believe they now own the Record/Marples trademark as well.

BTW, I have the entire set of Marples Blue Chip chisels (10 sizes) and really like them for general purpose use. They take an edge well and hold it. Not as nice as some high end chisels, but still a step above most

http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/images/large/m444-sb6_lg.jpg

[Brian Kent]

Tools for Working wood has a nice set of four unpolished two cherries chisels for $89.

[Larry Comer]

Are available at Amazon Tools & Hardware for $49.99 with FREE shipping.

Marples M444/SB6 6-Piece Blue Chip Bench Chisel Set

I don't own them but I'm thinking about it.

Good Luck,
Larry

[Dan Clark]

Tools for Working wood has a nice set of four unpolished two cherries chisels for $89.

Holbren has the Two Cherries, six piece, POLISHED set for $112 after the 10% discount (type "Woodnet10" into the coupon code box).

Regards,

Dan.