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Thread: Paring Chisels

  1. #1

    Paring Chisels

    Good new paring chisels are hard to find. The ones that come to mind are Japanese push chisels, Blue Spruce, Narex, and Robert Sorby. The other sources are boot sales and auction sites for used chisels. I have some vintage paring chisels and Japanese push chisels along with a set of new paring chisels made by Sorby.

    The Sorby chisels are really sweet, hitting everything I want in a paring chisel, a long thin blade of good HC steel with comfortable handle and good balance. As with all things wood YMMV but the Sorby's are as good as it gets. I just wish they made then in a firmer style as well as beveled edge.

    A couple of photos of the Sorby's with some Japanese push chisels:

    paringChisels180123dscf2273.jpg

    paringChiselsB180123dscf2275.jpg

    ken

  2. #2
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    I have a chisel roll full of a mixed bag of chisels. I really favor the Lie Nielsen chisels in the roll.

  3. #3
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    Nice! Let me know before those Japanese chisels go to the next boot sale
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by lowell holmes View Post
    I have a chisel roll full of a mixed bag of chisels. I really favor the Lie Nielsen chisels in the roll.
    Lowell,

    Last time I looked at the LN site there were two problems with the chisel offered, first A2 steel, my work flow and sharpening doesn't match up well with A2, second I didn't see any paring chisels. I guess I could add a third problem as well, all the chisels were socket and I much prefer chisels with tangs. Of course different things blow different skirts and bottom line it ain't the tool it is the hands.

    ken

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher Charles View Post
    Nice! Let me know before those Japanese chisels go to the next boot sale
    Chris,

    LOL, My Japanese chisels I expect will be sold by MsBubba for what I told her I paid for them. At least I will not be around to cry.

    ken

  6. #6
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    Good hear and no surprise that they are on the A-team!
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by ken hatch View Post
    Good new paring chisels are hard to find. The ones that come to mind are Japanese push chisels, Blue Spruce, Narex, and Robert Sorby. The other sources are boot sales and auction sites for used chisels. I have some vintage paring chisels and Japanese push chisels along with a set of new paring chisels made by Sorby.

    The Sorby chisels are really sweet, hitting everything I want in a paring chisel, a long thin blade of good HC steel with comfortable handle and good balance. As with all things wood YMMV but the Sorby's are as good as it gets. I just wish they made then in a firmer style as well as beveled edge.

    A couple of photos of the Sorby's with some Japanese push chisels:

    paringChisels180123dscf2273.jpg

    paringChiselsB180123dscf2275.jpg

    ken

    Ken, thanks for sharing pictures of your paring chisels.


    FWIW, quality paring chisels are among the hand tools I waited far too long in my woodworking journey to acquire. They are among the most used tools in my shop; ideal for paring the shoulder along a marking knife line for precision saw cuts, trimming Tennon shoulders/cheeks etc. One of my most prized tools is a Berg paring chisel I inherited from my grandfather – some of the best steel in the shop and always a joy to use.


    For those that don't have a quality paring chisel in your kit, I'd encourage you to consider making that year next tool purchase.


    Best, Mike

  8. #8
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    Or wait until Fathers' Day, and shop at Aldi's...like Paul Sellers did?
    chisels.jpg

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Allen1010 View Post
    Ken, thanks for sharing pictures of your paring chisels.


    FWIW, quality paring chisels are among the hand tools I waited far too long in my woodworking journey to acquire. They are among the most used tools in my shop; ideal for paring the shoulder along a marking knife line for precision saw cuts, trimming Tennon shoulders/cheeks etc. One of my most prized tools is a Berg paring chisel I inherited from my grandfather – some of the best steel in the shop and always a joy to use.


    For those that don't have a quality paring chisel in your kit, I'd encourage you to consider making that year next tool purchase.


    Best, Mike
    Thanks Mike,

    I agree with everything you said. For too long I've chased pattern maker's chisels through the used market with the usual high burn rate to find good ones. Tiring of the chase, for the last few years I've used Japanese push chisels for paring work but still wanting a good set of pattern makers. Of some reason I never thought of looking at the Sorby catalog. Bottom line they are there and at a fair price, what a joy to use.

    "For those that don't have a quality paring chisel in your kit, I'd encourage you to consider making that year next tool purchase." Hear, hear.

    ken

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by steven c newman View Post
    Or wait until Fathers' Day, and shop at Aldi's...like Paul Sellers did?
    chisels.jpg
    Steven,

    I should have been a little more careful with my words. While any chisel can be used as a paring chisel what I referred to as a paring chisel is in reality a pattern makers chisel with a long very thin blade designed for precision work.

    ken

  11. #11
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    I've been thinking that some paring chisels are next on the list. What sizes do you fine gentlemen use most?

    Best,
    Chris
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  12. #12
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    You reference the Narex, but I wonder if they can be truly considered paring chisels since they are not flexible. Don't get me wrong, I have a set and I enjoy using them, but I wonder whether the ability to slightly flex is a 'nice to have' or an 'essential' feature of a 'paring' chisel. Do your Sorby and Japanese chisels have some flex?

    Peter

  13. #13
    Ken, glad your Sorby's are good, but in previous threads many of us found them way too soft. I would be careful and test any used ones.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher Charles View Post
    I've been thinking that some paring chisels are next on the list. What sizes do you fine gentlemen use most?

    Best,
    Chris
    Chris,

    I use the 38mm, slightly over 1 1/2', most followed by the 25mm, just under 1". The others get used but not as much as the wider chisels. BTW, it's a good plan to get a couple of paring chisels, Mike knows of what he speaks :-).


    ken

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Gavin View Post
    You reference the Narex, but I wonder if they can be truly considered paring chisels since they are not flexible. Don't get me wrong, I have a set and I enjoy using them, but I wonder whether the ability to slightly flex is a 'nice to have' or an 'essential' feature of a 'paring' chisel. Do your Sorby and Japanese chisels have some flex?

    Peter
    Peter,

    I agree, the blades are much too thick. I expect they are nice long chisels for the folks that can stand the handle but they are not pattern maker chisels. The Sorby's slightly, the Japanese not really.

    ken

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