Bench chisels?

[Rob Luter]

I have a set of the Blue Handle Irwin/Marples from when they were still made in Sheffield. The backs weren't very flat and the side bevels aren't very sharp. They're a bit clunky due to the heavy handles but they hold an edge and take a beating without complaining much. They were what I could afford at the time. I use them for rougher work.

I have a set of LN Socket Chisels too. They were much more expensive. They were worth it.

[David Bassett]

Several unrelated on topic thoughts:

First, OP, you don't really say what's wrong with your current chisels. Though cheap, they're old enough the steel might not be too bad and maybe all you need is to up your sharpening game and refurb them a little.

Next, if you buy, let me second the buy only one or two better chisels in the sizes you use most advice.

Also, I'll agree with the Ashley Iles chisels as very nice at less than premium prices. They seem more traditional in their shape and balance too.

But I'll also mention Blue Spruce. While premium priced, I've never seen an owner complain about the quality and they are gorgeous. So if you want to splurge....

Lastly, I want to mention both Pfeil chisels and Windriver socket chisels as possibilities. They have both received praise for good steel and ergonomics in reviews here and also fall in the medium price band (like Ashley Iles.) If you have a nearby Woodcraft store you should be able to handle them to judge the weight & balance for your taste before committing.

[Brian Eaton]

I have a few Woodriver chisels that I purchased at a time of “need it now” that I decided were worth taking a chance on after doing some research. I’m sure they still aren’t in the same league as Lee Valley, Lie Nielsen, etc. but they were in my price range.

My only point of comparison is to new Irwin Marples blue handled chisels and they are miles better than those. They feel better in the hand, take a sharper edge, and hold that edge longer. I also like the side profile of them much more than the Irwin Marples chisels. I don’t “need” any other sized chisels at the moment but it is still in the back of my mind to purchase one or two more to replace the Irwin chisels at some point. From a budget concious standpoint they check all of my boxes. I know it may be nice to have more premium chisels but I’m still building out my shop and do have to budget my money carefully to purchase new tools as I need them. Just my two cents!

[Prashun Patel]

Ken:

'https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?271915-NIB-Veritas-PMV11-Chisels

[Ken Fitzgerald]

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....s-PMV11-Chisel

[JimA Thornton]

I bought a 3/8" Narex Premium chisel from LV to add to my set of vintage Marples Bluechip chisels. The chisel seems nice with a thin side bevel, but as someone said, the handle is bulky and pretty ugly. I'm toying with the idea of taking the upper hoop off and reshaping the handle to a nice dome shape at the end.

[Frederick Skelly]

Ken, not sure what reasonably priced is for you, but if you’re looking in the $30-$35/chisel range (vs. $70+), consider either Ashley Isles or Two Cherries. I have the AI butt chisels and the Two Cherries bench chisels. They are my general go to and work well for me. The Two Cherries are only available in mm, if that matters to you.

When I was looking for a new set, I just bought a different size from of a few makers. Turns out, I never went back and bought a full set from one maker.

Ken, I second the vote for Ashley Iles, and to buy the 2 or 3 you'll use the most. They feel good in hand and cut well.

But be aware that depending on what you already own, you may or may not see a dramatic difference in performance. Here's what I found in my evaluation......

[William Fretwell]

I have two suggestions (well three) As another post suggested, look at only getting the ones you need instead of a set

If your budget is "budget minded," You can find a lot of circa 1990 Marples chisel sets out there that have minimal usage. These are the old blue handle or brown boxwood handled sets of 4 or 5 chisels.

I had the circa 1990 Marples blue handle set, soft steel, terrible; you could watch the edge bend. The Narex are good solid chisels, outstanding value, buy your top usage sizes in premium brands as suggested.

[Derek Cohen]

I have written reviews on chisel which compared chisels and their steels. I own a few different sets. Bought and sold a few others out of curiosity. In the end it is evident that it is not possible to make blanket recommendations since we may have different personal preferences, and we also may use the chisels in a way that either enhances their edge retention, or not.

For edge retention, Koyamaichi (and Japanese chisels generall) and Veritas PM-V11 come out on top.

For lightness and balance, Blue Spruce are followed by my much modified vintage Stanley 750s (ground lands and shopmade handles). I like the Veritas handles as well, but their best balance lies in up to 1/2".

I have Marples with the boxwood handles. I love their lightness and control, but the edge is lost quite quickly.

My preference when using a bench chisel is to use a light mallet or gennou (around 7oz) to tap the handles. I find that this offers much more control than pushing short strokes, which is especially so with dovetails. Taking very fine shavings when chopping, say about 1mm apart, will save the edge. Taking wide chunks about 1/8" apart will quickly destroy the edge. This is why is can be difficult to quantify edge holding. Experience plays a part here, and a beginner cannot expect the same edge as a long-time user.

I also find there is more control when pushing a long chisel, which may be the case with either a Western paring chisel (with a long blade) or an Eastern paring chisel (with a long handle). In general terms, Western bench chisels are all rounders (pushing and hitting), while Eastern bench chisels are designed to be used with a gennou. Consider these factors when choosing a bench chisel.

Koyamaichi (the three on the left are 1980, and the three on the right are 2010) ...




Veritas O1 and LN ..



3/4" Koyamaichi, Blue Spruce, and Veritas ...


My modified Stanley 750s ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[bridger berdel]

I'm firmly in the vintage chisel camp. The older the better.

One advantage to old chisels I don't see mentioned is the variability. Whether it's from wear or from pre-CNC manufacturing standards (blacksmith made!) The widths are nominal. At the price of (frequently) under a dollar for a somewhat rusty, handle-less chisel i can take it home and see if it is a bit biggher or smaller than the next closest size in the drawer. After some 30-odd years of this i have probably 50-odd bench chisels from about 1/16" wide to 3" wide with very few duplicates.

I didn't see it mentioned above, so I'll ask.......

Are you only considering new chisels? Vintage chisels can often be had a great bargain at swap meets and flea markets. Unless you're in a big hurry, you can acquire a pretty decent starter set for under $50. For instance, every year at the Arnfest gathering, there's at least 1 or 2 guys at the swap meet selling vintage chisels for $5 apiece.

I have amassed all the chisels I need this way, and the quality of steel on tools like Greenlee, old Stanley 750's (not the new box store stuff), Witherby, Swan, Buck, Union, J. Addis, etc...... is excellent.

Also, old Marples, and anything you can find with Sheffield steel is also going to typically be very good, unless the temper was ruined. At $5 to $10 apiece, you can easily take the gamble. I've only run into 1 chisel with soft steel, and I've probably restored at least 50 chisels (much more....being conservative) in my day. E.A. Berg from Sweden is also an excellent quality tool, although you will probably pay a premium to get them. Worth the money, in my opinion.

If these vintage chisels were being made today, they would compete, price wise, in the category of new Lie Nielsen, Blue Spruce, and other top quality makers.

You'll have to learn how to flatten, grind, and sharpen, but you should know how to do that anyway. For some, making new handles is a way to personalize a nice set of chisels. I have very large hands, and like a beefier handle than the ones put on new chisels today.

Just a thought to consider.

It was mentioned up stream, but I have a 30 year old small set of 5 Two Cherries chisels. Excellent steel, and very hard and durable. A little more difficult to sharpen, because of their hardness, but no big deal. The only issue I have with them is that they are metric. I have, since buying them new, reground them into paring chisels at 20° bevel.

[Charles Guest]

The current chisels I am using I bought over 30 years ago in a hardware store in a Chicago suburb. I'm in the market for a new set of bench chisels. I can't justify a really expensive set but would like to have some reasonable quality chisels. I'm not a hand tool expert so I'd like some opinions on a reasonable quality set of chisels that won't break the bank.

Thanks in advance for your opinion!

I think Sorby still make a good chisel though people complain about them being a little on the soft side. I don't think they are. They sharpen just fine on natural oilstones which is a plus for me. Hartville Tool carries the line - as deep an offering of Sorby as you'll find in the U.S. I am not associated with Hartville in any way other than as a customer. If I'm going in for a little ticklish paring, I'm not particularly counting on edge longevity measured in days, the edge is going to be constantly spruced up as I go along. As such, I couldn't even estimate how long an edge 'lasts.' Is there really even a definition for such a thing? My definition surely would be different that yours, and yours different from the next guy's, and on down the line.

I come from an era where a brand could basically be trusted. It might not be the absolute best of the best, but certainly good enough to be beyond blaming the tool for poor workmanship. One could drive themselves almost to the point of madness comparing all the vintage brands against each other, then vintage brands against current boutique offerings, and then current affordable but capable offerings against all the previous. A fool's errand. A professional wouldn't do it, or do it only to the extent that the fellow at the next bench over uses a different make of chisel and it could be checked out that way. A professional tradesman spending hard-earned money to buy several, in order to settle on a few? I've never seen that in an actual professional setting, and would hope even serious amateurs would avoid it. Perhaps a young tradesman with no mouths to feed or mortgage to pay might do this, briefly, but not grown men with real responsibilities.

[Warren Mickley]

A dozen years ago a fellow asked what kind of plane to buy. I made a case for what I thought was best, but he thought some amateur was more persuasive and bought his recommendation. Now that persuasive amateur uses the kind of plane I recommended.

I have read the posts in this thread. Some tout chisels I would find unbearable; some denigrate chisels that I have used for professional work. A few have given good advice.

I recommend buying several chisels of all different makes. That way you will get some perspective for yourself. A lot depends on your technique and skill level, both in sharpening and use, which is one reason opinions diverge.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

You can be a little Delphic at times Warren. A bit hard to tell where the good advice is and where the rest is.

Skill level is not the only difference between the professional and the amateurs. Some amateurs have more money than time and other have more time than money. All depends on where you are in life.

There are at least a dozen options out there: if you were picking three or four to try out, which would you recommend and why? Everybody with any sense respects your opinion, and I am sure would like to hear your thoughts.

[Prashun Patel]

"I have read the posts in this thread. Some tout chisels I would find unbearable; some denigrate chisels that I have used for professional work. A few have given good advice"

Warren, let's hear which you love and hate. While I take your second point that it depends on skill and technique, but I do respect your perspective for calibrating my own.

[Brian Holcombe]

Where is the current set letting you down?