Thoughts on Upgrading

[Mike Baker 2]

Many things have found their way to my shop because of the price being low. Especially if it is a useable tool that might make a little profit if it needs to be sold.

Heck, there are likely more 1/4" & 1/2" chisels in my shop than many people have in all their chisels.

jtk

Yep. I buy every good quality 1/2" or 12mm chisel I find at reasonable price. Seems like I use that size a lot.

[Warren Mickley]

Warren, I'd love to see those chisels!

Here are a few
chisels.jpg

[John C Cox]

Mike,

Thanks for the video. I appreciate that you initially started off where so many people forget to go: Can you sharpen these new "upgrade" chisels? You don't need a major in Metallurgy to understand what you can and can't reasonably sharpen with what you have - or at least approach it with eyes wide open as to what else you will need to buy....

Next point was also a very good one.. What is the problem with the ones you have now?
If you can't get them sharp because of poor sharpening technique - "premium" tools may only make that worse... And it's not a tools problem - it's a "you" problem...

If the blades are too short - yeah... If the steel is too soft - yeah... If it's a poor alloy and won't hold an edge - yeah... That's a problem.... And these can all be problems with hardware store fare - because they are made for people to hammer on...

But if you want new super steel because you will spend less time sharpening - it's a lie... Believe me.... You may sharpen less frequently - but it may well take a lot longer when you do (even on diamond plates)...

Expectations are also something to keep your eyes open to.... The law of diminishing returns is in full effect and you will pay exponentially more for each grade better stuff.... "Twice as good" as Aldi chisels probably means Two Cherries - which I would place about 3 grades above Aldi.. They cost 20x more per set... And while Two Cherries are very good 1st quality tools - they stil aren't even "Top of the heap"... The same 4 PM-V11 chisels runs 60x more expensive... A good hand made Japanese set of 4 could cost 50-100x more for the 4 piece set...

Is it worth it? Only you can answer that for yourself...

Thanks

[Mike Baker 2]

Thanks, John.
Warren, those are really good looking chisels. I love older things; don't know why, exactly. I could run off a list of reasons, but in reality it doesn't really matter. I guess it was only natural for me to gravitate towards hand tools. Sooo many old, beautifully made pieces.
Thanks for the pics.

[Patrick Chase]

Here are a few
chisels.jpg

Nice! I imagine those handle very easily/lightly. Out of curiosity how much longer (if any) do you think those irons were "as forged" in the 18th Century?

On an interesting note, even your pigsticker (poking into the right side of the frame) looks somewhat svelte by current standards. At least I'm guessing that's a pigsticker based on the presence of a similarly-sized mortise just below it in the frame.

[Graham Haydon]

Mike, you made a good point. If the work at hand is the driving force, and that task is completed to the satisfaction of the worker, then there is no need to change. As you also mention it is easy to be drawn in to changing based on a multitude of subjective reasons. So many of those reasons do have potential to confuse.

[Mike Baker 2]

Graham, thanks.
I would mention that all of my videos are geared toward beginners, from one beginner to another. I'm trying to sort of go on a journey as a new wood worker, and hope others will travel that path with me. It's not your typical Youtube fare.
So this is aimed at new woodworkers, like me. As we grow and advance in skill level, of course we will move on to finer tools. Just like as a musician for 35 years I don't generally pick up a plywood acoustic to play. But if I did, I could make it sound as sweet as it is capable of because the skills are there.
The gentlemen here, who have decades of experience, will naturally gravitate to what they have found they prefer, and what their budget allows. I am not disparaging that one bit.

[Patrick Chase]

Mike, you should clearly upgrade. A full set each of Tasai oire nomi and usu nomi should do the trick for chisels. For planes I suggest Holtey, or maybe Sauer and Steiner if you absolutely must dredge the bottom of the barrel.

Oh, and I can't recommend the Canon 1Dx II enough for miscellaneous snaps and shop videos. Merely learning what all of the buttons are supposed to do will make you a technically better photographer.

PS - The only piece of equipment listed above that I own (or would own) is the camera. People who know more than I are of the opinion that Tasai chisels aren't ideal as tools (as opposed to conversation pieces). Holtey and S&S both exclusively make single-iron planes, which rules them out in my accounting.

[Mike Baker 2]

Patrick, LOL!
As for the camera, I have literally hundreds of Youtube videos up(the majority are traditional wet shaving/straight razor oriented). A good camera is something that I absolutely lust after, but it is not in the budget nor will it be for a long time. But if I should find something used in my range you can bet I'll grab it. I'm always looking.

[Warren Mickley]

Nice! I imagine those handle very easily/lightly. Out of curiosity how much longer (if any) do you think those irons were "as forged" in the 18th Century?

On an interesting note, even your pigsticker (poking into the right side of the frame) looks somewhat svelte by current standards. At least I'm guessing that's a pigsticker based on the presence of a similarly-sized mortise just below it in the frame.

Bench chisels in the Seaton Chest are around 11 1/2 inches maybe 51/4 or 5 1/2 handle and 6 inches from bolster to edge. A bit longer for wide chisels. The handles tend to be thicker for wider chisels also.

The chisels I show have longer handles to compensate for loss of blade length. Overall length is thus closer to ideal.

Mortise chisels split into "joiner's mortise chisels" and "sash mortise chisels" in the late 19th century. 18th century mortise chisels tended to be somewhat intermediary between these two types. Most mortises were through mortises in Pennsylvania frame and panel doors in the 18th century.

[Adam Schultz]

I wanted the story about the vintage looking butt chisel in the middle. It's kind of ugly, but also cool. I wonder if the good steel is still present all the way back at the base of the original chisel.

[Mike Baker 2]

I wanted the story about the vintage looking butt chisel in the middle. It's kind of ugly, but also cool. I wonder if the good steel is still present all the way back at the base of the original chisel.

On the video, or in one of these gentlemen's pics?

[ken hatch]

Here are a few
chisels.jpg

Warren,

Your chisels bring a smile. They've been sharpened a few times yet still have some life left.

ken