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Thread: New Push Chisels and a Marking knife

  1. #1

    New Push Chisels and a Marking knife

    My UPS girl delivered a pack of chisels from Stanley Covington the other day. This time push chisels to fill in a couple of blank spots and he threw in a very nice old stock marking knife.

    pushChisels.jpg


    If you are thinking about buying some Japanese chisels you can't do better than Stan. If you can't tell I'm a fanboy, he has great knowledge and his customer service can't be beat. I think on these last chisels the time between the "go ahead" email and the UPS girl visit was three days, four days max. All the way from Japan, it doesn't get better.

    ken

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    I think on these last chisels the time between the "go ahead" email and the UPS girl visit was three days, four days max.
    Dang, if only my Netflix turnaround was that quick.

    Nice looking bunch of chisels.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    Dang, if only my Netflix turnaround was that quick.

    Nice looking bunch of chisels.

    jtk
    Thanks Jim,

    I'm always surprised at how quickly Stan gets to order to me. Other folks I've ordered from seem to take forever.

    ken

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Ken
    Is there a particular size or sizes that you use the most? I need to get some push chisels from Stan but I'm on the fence about which size I would use the most often. Leaning

    toward wider as apposed to narrower for general work.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
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    Broadview Heights, OH
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    I too got some chisels from Stan last week. One was an experiment, a Kakuuchi chisel without the hollow ground back. I do a lot of work with a chisel this size, and wanted to try one without the hollow as for me at least, in the application I'm using it in, it's a liability. This was a custom order and arrived on my doorstep within 3 weeks. Stan is definitely the place to shop if you are looking for any style of Japanese chisel and want the best quality chisel available for the money spent.

    In the photos, if you look closely, you can see how thick the hardened steel face is and how it wraps up the sides at an angle. A very talented smith made this. Hardened to 65 C to boot (I measured).

    lam face.jpgflat.jpg

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Randall Houghton View Post
    Ken
    Is there a particular size or sizes that you use the most? I need to get some push chisels from Stan but I'm on the fence about which size I would use the most often. Leaning

    toward wider as apposed to narrower for general work.
    Randall,

    Your thinking is correct but you also need one or two smaller sized to clean out the ends of mortises and for use making the "v" grove for first class saw cuts.

    ken

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
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    Randall,

    My advice would be to get a complete set as you can afford them. The old Smiths that make these sort of high quality chisels are retiring and dying off monthly. Stan opines that within 5 years, there will only be mass produced chisel makers left. As the older Smiths disappear, younger Smiths are not rising to take their place. So, if you can afford them, you would do well to start buying them as you can, even if you don't need them. Stan works face to face with his Smiths, and collects and ships the chisels when they are done. He typically stocks common sizes.

    A long way of saying, this sort of thing seems to have a shelf life, not the least of which is when Stan retires, he will be moving back to America. The saying strike while the iron is hot was never more appropriate. You can locate Stan on the web by googling Stan Covington Blog. His blog will be on the first page of results.

    Quote Originally Posted by Randall Houghton View Post
    Ken
    Is there a particular size or sizes that you use the most? I need to get some push chisels from Stan but I'm on the fence about which size I would use the most often. Leaning

    toward wider as apposed to narrower for general work.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Pete Taran View Post
    I too got some chisels from Stan last week. One was an experiment, a Kakuuchi chisel without the hollow ground back. I do a lot of work with a chisel this size, and wanted to try one without the hollow as for me at least, in the application I'm using it in, it's a liability. This was a custom order and arrived on my doorstep within 3 weeks. Stan is definitely the place to shop if you are looking for any style of Japanese chisel and want the best quality chisel available for the money spent.

    In the photos, if you look closely, you can see how thick the hardened steel face is and how it wraps up the sides at an angle. A very talented smith made this. Hardened to 65 C to boot (I measured).



    lam face.jpgflat.jpg
    Pete,

    "...you can see how thick the hardened steel face is and how it wraps up the sides at an angle." That was one of the things that has impressed me about chisels from Stan. They are definitely blacksmith welded and not from rolls of pre-welded steel like some I've seen.

    ken

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Pete Taran View Post
    Randall,

    My advice would be to get a complete set as you can afford them. The old Smiths that make these sort of high quality chisels are retiring and dying off monthly. Stan opines that within 5 years, there will only be mass produced chisel makers left. As the older Smiths disappear, younger Smiths are not rising to take their place. So, if you can afford them, you would do well to start buying them as you can, even if you don't need them. Stan works face to face with his Smiths, and collects and ships the chisels when they are done. He typically stocks common sizes.

    A long way of saying, this sort of thing seems to have a shelf life, not the least of which is when Stan retires, he will be moving back to America. The saying strike while the iron is hot was never more appropriate. You can locate Stan on the web by googling Stan Covington Blog. His blog will be on the first page of results.
    I agree. I have no real need for additional chisels but I fear in 5 years chisels of this quality will not be available at any price. In addition it allows me to support true artists while they are still alive.

    ken

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    Why are these called push chisels? I believe thats true of all chisels.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Barry View Post
    Why are these called push chisels? I believe thats true of all chisels.
    Pat

    Japanese chisels come in two basic forms, striking chisels meant to be hit with a iron hammer and paring or push chisels that are to only be motivated by hand or shoulder pressure.

    ken

  12. #12
    I'm not sure how to see the image, but look forward to it?

  13. #13
    Also, just to add that Stan doesn't really make money off this stuff.

    He started doing this years ago to help the older/unknown blacksmiths be able to eat.
    These blacksmiths often struggle to get orders, and find people willing to pay for their work.
    Stan essentially fronts the money for multiple commissions, and resells them to cover his costs.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
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    Matt, you need to spend $6 to be a contributor to see images and do anything worthwhile on the site

  15. #15
    Join Date
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    Congrats on your purchase Ken.

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