Hi,
Does anyone have any experience with the new Ashley Iles MK2 chisels? Here is a link to an article about them.
http://www.getwoodworking.com/news/article.asp?a=978
I am looking for a set of chisels with a very thin side bevel for cutting dovetails. I’ve looked at the Blue Spruce and the L-N sets but they are extremely expensive. These look very nice and have a reasonable price. My current set of chisels are from Ashley Iles because I started out with their carving tools and then carried over to the woodworking chisels.
Thanks,
Jeff
Replies
I haven't heard much about them but $30.00/each+ shipping is not that cheap. LNs are $55.00 plus shipping. Expensive also.
BB
If you're looking to save some money, and get a very good set of chisels, you might want to consider Two Cherries. A set of 4 is about $110.00, give or take, and I've had my set for 15 years. They are my jobsite chisels, and I think they are excellent. They hold an edge longer than the LN chisels ( I have a set of those as well that I use at my bench), and are very well made.
They'll probably take a little more work to get the backs flat, etc......but if your time is more available than your money, have at it.
Jeff
Jeff,
I too like the Cherries but they do have fat aris on them, which makes them not-to-good down in the dovetail sockets. I think dovetailing is what the OP is after doing with his new chisels. Of course, one could file away at fat aris oneself but this seems like it would be a tedious process.
Those Sprucers also grace my chisel rack and I would certainly recommend them as well. In fact a set of Cherries or MHG for everyday hard chiselling (including the mallet) are perfectly complemented by the more graceful (not really malletable) Sprucers. Those Sprucers are perfect for delicately cleaning out the fine DTs with just a hand-shove, because their aris are almost knife edges (not quite, so you won't slice your finger off).
The reviews seem to suggest that the Ashley DT chisels not only have the sharp aris but can also be knocked on a bit as they are less delicate than the Sprucers. If one wishes to hit the chisels when dealing with DTs perhaps the Ashley's are the best of the narrow aris type? (As well as significanty cheaper than Sprucers and LNs).
I believe the LN DT chisels may be Sprucers in disguise. And I do remember reading somewhere that Dave Jeske (the Blue Spruce bloke) started out making batches of stuff for Lie Nielsen, so perhaps he still does?
Lataxe
I doubt if many have had a chance to try them out yet. There's a favourable review by Chris Schwartz in the June issue of PWW (not on the website yet.) He gives the price of a basic set of 4 at $111, which is about $10 more than 2 Cherries. I have a set of their carving chisels, and have no complaints about quality. I have LN bench chisels, and Blue Spruce paring chisels but if I didn't I think I'd be tempted by the AI.
Jim
You boutique toolers and dude woodworkers hide your eyes for a moment!
5 minutes with a grinder will make any chisel have narrow sides, even my particular favorite, the Nooitgedagt.
OKAY YOU CAN LOOK NOW!
Another cheap way to acquire chisels with narrow sides is to buy the black plastic handled Sandviks from the 'bay or other sources. The Sandviks from the 1970s sand early 80s, before it became Bahco. Those are really fine chisels, IMO. Those seem to hold edges as long as the handful of Two Cherries chisels that I have. Cut the black plastic handle off, make a nice wooden one on the lathe, make a nice brass ferrule from a plumbing fitting and you've got an heirloom chisel. Take care, Ed
Ed,
I've now seen you and Charles refer to "dude" woodworkers and woodworking. It's funny - probably because I have a sense of what the term might refer to. Nevertheless, I wonder just exactly what do you think are the signs one is a "dude" woodworker.
As in "If you ...., you might be a dude woodworker."
"own a LN leather belt holster for your block plane"
etc.
Purpleheart bench and padauk sawhorses?
Post on knots every single day?
Actually WORRY about who the top 50 woodworkers are?
Frequently compare yourself to well-known and frequently published woodworkers?
Wooden gavel by your name is the best-looking piece of woodworking we've seen?
Assume the role of "walmart greeter of knotsworld?"
Admit to being "Founder's Club" member of Bridge City Toolworks?
$200 Ferrari-shaped block plane?
Never met a name you didn't like to drop?
Puffy shirt, skull cap and bleached white leggings?
Use the phrase "Google me?"I don't know, I can't say that I have a lot of thoughts on this <G> - I was just echoing Stanford's term. Instead of hijacking this guy's thread, perhaps defer to a rainy day,...For the original poster - I have three of the Ashley Iles "Chris Pye" 2 1/2 thin gouges. Those are so good that I would trust anything with the Ashley Iles name,..."Yes, but what's good for me ain't necessarily good for the weak-minded." - Augustus McCrae, Lonesome Dove
You knocking my Hopalong Cassidy Holsters there Pard?
Only if they don't have rhinestones and you don't have the matching fringed chaps.
Doooooooode,now your knock'in my chaps too!
Sides, their not all rhinestones. Some are little chromy things. They protect my legs when I'm negotiating the machines at the ranch. Kind of like an apron.
A dude woodworker keeps a can of Brasso next to his bronzers.
A dooood woodworker is mellow has long wispey shaving floating about, while dating a val girl.
A dud uses a power planer and a dah? Well, he goes to the borg
Hello Jeff,
I have a set of the AI roundback dovetail chisels. Joel at TFW recommended them as his favorite chisels at the time. I haven't had a chance to really put them through the paces yet, but so far am quite happy. Not recommended for general bench chisels but great for delicate work. (I just noticed the price went up; at the time they were $150 for the set, so not sure i'd go this route now). As others have said, don't hesitate to take a standard chisel to the grinder; don't let fancy get in the way of doing work...
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=4e6fa2113f84bee387a77ba8a21792b8&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=IL-100-30.XX&Category_Code=CLW
Good luck,
Chris C.
The 1st line of the article you reference says they will not be available until November 1.
That said, I have a set of Ashley Iles, I guess they would be called MK.1's, I bought last year and they are great. The handles are large, but so are my hands, so I do not find the handles too large for me. The backs were very flat out of the box, just a couple of swipes on a diamond stone to get an even finish. They sharpen nicely and hold an edge well. The bubinga handles are beautiful to look at and they are durable enough to hit with a mallet.
I guess you can tell I like the chisels! The MK.2's are supposed to have a sharper side grind and smaller handles more in porportion to the blade width. My sets larger handle size is not a problem that can't be fixed with a rasp and sandpaper if needed. Whether you buy now or wait for the new version is up to you, but I'm pretty sure you will like the chisels.
Bruce
THe Mk2 versions of the chisels are available now.Joel
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com
Thanks for the update Joel. My original set did come from you and they are great. When will the 3/8" MK.2 be in stock?
Bruce"A man's got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry Calahan
my guess is the 3/8" will be in our next shipemnt soon. But we ship domestic partial orders at no extra charge so you won't have to wait for the rest of the set.Joel
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com
Jeff,
Here's a link to another review:
http://joel.rainville.googlepages.com/handtools
Lataxe
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