Decent utility/beater grade chisels?

[Tom Rick]

I need a good beater chisel set.
Has to have good steel and really tough handles. I had picked up one of the 'Sheffield Steel' branded chisels at Ace and was quite pleased with how good of steel it had till I busted the handle on the fourth day of a tough job.
These had the typical yellow plastic handles with a steel button and some rubber grips. The chisel's brittle handle broke at the end of the socket.

Tougher handles????

[Matt Radtke]

Well, the Irwin Marples might be right up your alley: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no....226_79&fsc=-1

I've found them cheaper at local BORGs.

[Matt Winterowd]

Check Sears for Footprint chisels. My local store still has loads of them even though they've been out of business for a while. Good quality steel for cheap, and they have the wood or the solid blue poly handles.

[ian maybury]

Narex have got good reviews as a low cost chisel with decent steel. They are done by Lee Valley, they have a special on them right now (check their specials section): http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...504,43500&ap=1

[Will Overton]

The chisel's brittle handle broke at the end of the socket.

What were you hitting them with? If you needed to hit them hard enough to brake the handles, maybe you should have stopped to sharpen them. Just sayin'.

[John Mark Lane]

I've had a set of the blue Marples chisels for at least 20 years, and they are in great shape. I was just using one tonight to fine-tune a lap joint on some PT 4*4. Not expensive, hold up quite well, hold an edge.

[Peter Quinn]

Stanley Fat max. Thats a chisel that can take a hit. I've used a 2 1/2# sledge to drive them through 16 penny nails that were unfortunately located in the path of a notch I was making. Grind out the chips and keep going, cut the nails like nobody's business, the handles are tough enough to take it, and they sharpen and hold a keen edge when needed. The may not be your go to tool for hand cut dove tails, but if you have some hard labor, give them a try. They can double a tire irons too in a pinch!

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Check Sears for Footprint chisels. My local store still has loads of them even though they've been out of business for a while. Good quality steel for cheap, and they have the wood or the solid blue poly handles.

I picked up a set of the blues. Haven't used them yet.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Interesting. I have the blue Marples set from Costco, and they are my *nice* chisels. I have BORG Stanleys to beat on.

Just kidding. The Marples are a pretty good beater set. I just can't afford a better set. So I beat on my Stanleys.

[glenn bradley]

I also picked up the Marples at Costco years ago. IIRC it was a set of 6 with a wooden mallet for about $30. Shoulda got two, who knew.

I also advise a more appropriate striking device or more frequent sharpening breaks. If you have to hit them that hard, use a screwdriver ;-))

[Simon Dupay]

Marples are now made in china, I recommend buck bros.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I have two sets of the Sheffield made Marples, one is the good set and one is the beater set. They are pretty much indestructible.

[Tom Rick]

What were you hitting them with? If you needed to hit them hard enough to brake the handles, maybe you should have stopped to sharpen them. Just sayin'.

I also advise a more appropriate striking device or more frequent sharpening breaks. If you have to hit them that hard, use a screwdriver ;-))

Harumph..........

I was hitting them with the will of a man who had to get a job done..

Bloody details you want eh?
In this case it was having to demo 80' of 6/4 teak toe rail off of 5200 bedding. I had saw scored the whole mess into 1" cubes which were knocked off will a razor sharp 2 1/2" slick to get most of the wood off. The hard to get to stuff had to come off with a wooded maul and the 1 1/2" Ace hardware chisel- also kept razor sharp.
All in the bloody sun beating down..... it has taken me a week so far & I should finish up today.

I am almost to the fun part- milling all the stock to get er back in service..

[Will Overton]

Harumph..........

I was hitting them with the will of a man who had to get a job done...

Tom,

I was thinking woodworking in an air conditioned shop, not demolition work out in the heat. Under the circumstances, and considering it has taken you more than a week ...

You need a bigger hammer.

[Tom Rick]

I have been guilty of tool abuse....

The reason I am reluctant to use my grandfathers chisels on muck like this..