Pfeil Chisel's

[John Hedges]

I have been using a set of Irwin Marples chisels since I started woodworking a few years back. While they are OK I get frustrated at how quickly they dull. The other day I was perusing through Woodcraft and noticed that my local store has this (http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=300) Pfeil 6 piece chisel set on sale for $115, which seemed like a real good price. Just wondering what the experts here thought of these. I know I read a lot about the Two Cherries, Lie-Nielsen etc. on this forum, and a lot about the Pfeil carving chisels but haven't heard a lot about the Pfeil bench chisels.

[Casey Gooding]

If that's about the amount you want to spend on a set of chisels. I'd recommend a set of Ashley Iles. They have good steel and are comfortable. If you don't mind spending a little more (OK, a lot more), you can't go wrong with the Lie-Nielsen chisels. They are great.

[Ken Werner]

John,
it's really hard to choose chisels if you have not held them in your hand. I heard alot of good things about Ashley Iles, but when I finally held one, I didn't like it.

I also started with Marples. Once I held a LN though, that's what I went with. I know they're spendy, but they're also worth it.

Just my $.02

Ken

[Don C Peterson]

First off I'd say forget about buying a set unless you have a lot more money than I do. Buy a chisel that fits the need at hand and when another need presents itself buy another one...

It also depends on what you want to do with them. I am glad to have my Marples chisel set around when I need a chisel for a job that I just don't want to risk my good chisels on...

For paring and light chisel work, I don't know how you could do much better than 2 or 3 of the blue steel cabinet makers chisels that are found here: http://www.japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?dept_id=12775 I have three of them, they sharpen easily and hold an unbelievable edge. They are great for working in tight areas too. I use them for paring and dovetail work. They aren't cheap, but I think they are worth every penny.

So far I haven't found a situation that I can't handle with three of the blue steel chisels and two Ray Iles mortise chisels (and the old Marples set).

[Joe Mioux]

I have had this set for almost 2 years.

They are very good. I too have the Marples and they are my go to chisels for rough work, even though they don't hold an edge.

the pfeils are much different than the Marples.

For the difference in price between the two (marples and Pfeils, almost 2 times as much), the Pfeils are at least 4 times better.

they are a good value compared to the Marples.

The handles are a joy and the steel holds a sharp edge much much longer than the marples

hope this helps

joe

[Danny Thompson]

This isn't really an option you posed, but I'll just say that facing the same decision this summer, I went another way. I also held the Pfiel's and wasn't sold. No comparison to the LNs. So, I decided to build a set of LNs over time, 1 or 2 pieces every few months or as needed.

You can build a set of 5 with a leather roll for only $10 more than buying the set outright. And I've found great mail order option--www.craftsmanstudio.com--out of California. No tax, no shipping, and they are always in my mailbox within 2-3 days.

So, I can build slowly over time and end up with a great set that I never would have dropped $300 on in one bite.

[John Hedges]

Thanks for all the input everyone. Being someone who never likes to second guess my tools, it sounds like the LN chisels are the only chisels everyone agrees on. It was a good suggestion to hold them before buying, so I guess I'll do that, but I am definitely leaning towards the LN's at this point (especially because I love the LN planes I own). I would also like to get a set so I am not stuck having to go out an purchase a different size when I need one. I find I use all of the sizes in my Marples set presently which is why I would like to start with a set. I was disappointed that the 5 piece set from LN does not include a 1" chisel, so I guess I will have to buy that as a single. Since no one has these discounted I think I'll wait till November and get them at woodcraft with the 10% bday discount. That will help pay for the extra 1" chisel.

[Jim Koepke]

Being someone who never likes to second guess my tools, it sounds like the LN chisels are the only chisels everyone agrees on.

My experience is different. I have not held the LN chisels. All but a few of my chisels & gouges have come from eBay, estate sales & flea markets.
One can never have too many chisels. It is always good to have a few different lengths and even quality for those dirty jobs.

Through my buying on-line and flea markets I have acquired a nice set of Buck Brothers chisels and a few Witherby's. The Buck's are my favorites so far. All of these have cost less than buyihng new chisels.
All the other odd chisels have found good use also.

Good luck,

Jim

--inside many of us is a thin person strugling to get out, fortunately they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake.

[Matt Bickford]

I don't think that the 1" comes with the full set. I think it's a very new addition to their product line.

[John Hedges]

No the 1" does not come with the 5 piece set. That was why I mentioned I was going to purchase it separately.

[Pam Niedermayer]

Not everyone agrees about the LN chisels. I don't doubt that they're very good tools, that's all LN makes, but A2 makes them questionable for me; and they're certainly not the bees knees. Before I started using/acquiring Japanese tools, I spent a lot of time on ebay buying excellent old laminated western chisels like Witherby, Swan, Addis, Buck, etc. And there are speciality chisels that are also excellent such as Blue Spruce (I don't own any yet, but one of these days). So there's a world from which to choose, with prices and materials all over the place.

Pam

[Brian Kent]

I went to a recent woodworking show just to hold the LN chisels and try out some LN and LV planes. I was very surprised to discover that the LN chisels didn't fit my hands. They look great and probably are, but I won't be getting something that doesn't fit.

Now there was a plane or two I wouldn't mind buying…

[Joe Mioux]

Fit,?

I hold a knife in my hand for almost 6 hours a day during my work schedule.

I have held lots of knives in my hand over the years. Yes, once you change from one to another you feel a difference.

Just because one doesn't feel right at the moment doesnt make it the wrong tool.

Your hands and your mind adjusts in a very very short period of time.

This hand feel stuff about the LN is a bunch of nonsense.

joe

[Glenn Madsen]

One of the neat things about the LN chisels is the ease with which they can be rehandled. If that makes it so they 'fit your hand better', then great. LN sells the same chisels with longer handles.

My only problem is the angst I feel when I see my son using my shop, and digging out the leather roll of LN chisels I stashed in the bottom of the tool chest. He and I need to have another talk....;)

There's more than one reason I kept those other sets around.

[Don C Peterson]

Fit,?

I hold a knife in my hand for almost 6 hours a day during my work schedule.

I have held lots of knives in my hand over the years. Yes, once you change from one to another you feel a difference.

Just because one doesn't feel right at the moment doesnt make it the wrong tool.

Your hands and your mind adjusts in a very very short period of time.

This hand feel stuff about the LN is a bunch of nonsense.

joe


I don't know that I'd say it's "nonsense", but I do think that some folks tend to make too big a deal about fit. I have never held a chisel that either felt so good in my hand that I knew I had to have it, or that felt so awkward that I didn't think I could use it.

The only type of chisel where the fit of the handle seems to make much of a difference to me is mortise chisels. That's one of the reasons I like the Ray Iles English Pattern Mortise Chisels so much. The big ovalized handles make it easy to hold the chisel securely and most important, they offer plenty of leverage for prying out the waste. But the main reason I like them is because they sharpen up nicely and hold an edge like nobody's business. IMHO those are the real reasons to select a chisel...

I don't have any of the LN chisels, but given my experiences with their planes I wouldn't expect them to be anything but superb in the edge holding department, but I would expect them to be a bit harder to sharpen than my Japanese chisels.

[Brian Knop]

I really like my Ashley Iles.

[lowell holmes]

I agree with the LN, but Ihave a Bluegrass and a cou[le of Stanley 750's that I like as well. :-)

[Danny Thompson]

I do not have large hands, but I've seen some who do say that they prefer the long-handled option for the LN chisels. I think they may market them under the name "paring chisels", but I think they are identical to the bevel-edge chisels except for the length of the wooden handle.

[Michael Hammers]

In regards to just bench chisel's (excluding paring and mortice) here is my thoughts.
I have to say, it is the steel....I mean any woodworker can replace a handle on a chisel to suit their preference. So in a sense it is nearly a moot point. Work with it awhile and if you do not care for the style, adapt. I think steel is the point that is sometimes overlooked in place of new products and fancy wood selections for handles and exotic shapes.
So do you want D2, A2, mystery steel, ancient boat anchor, hand forged, questionable bar stock, polished or unpolished, Swedish or Austrian, old American forged chisels or even the best Chinese steel you can buy ?
Personally I own Barr's. I feel hand forged steel provides a unique and superior cutting edge along with better retention. I used lesser chisels and scrimped and saved till I could get them. That being said I would have never appreciated these had I not knocked around on my old Stanley "bumblebees".

Get ye what ye can afford and buy all ye can...:D

I also think buying in a set will save you money in the long run IF you use hand tools as a staple in your shop.

After dinking around with them for abit you will find out what YOU like and do not like....how one steel sharpens vs. another. How it feels as you cut. Does the edge crumple when you stare too hard at it? Does it take all your shop time just to put an edge on it? Then you will have an idea of what you may really want.