I want to purchase a new set of chisels to replace my set of marples. I am looking to spend aroung $140-150.I will be doing dovetails with them so can I use the bevel chisels or will I want to go with mortise chisels. I would like to be able to get 5-6 chisels for the money. Which chisels are the best bang for the buck?.
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Replies
Wally
I have very good luck buying from these folks: http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/chisels.htm They carry Ashley Iles, Robert Sorby and Henry Taylor. Your $150 will go along ways here. I bought a set of Sorby Bench chisels (6) for $159.
If you have a woodworking show coming by you in the near future you might want to wait and get a look at the Lie-Nielsen chisels. These are very nice beveled edge bench chisels and I have put my Sorby's on the shelf to be used a paring chisels.
L-N also has their mortising chisels available this month and they are sweet!
_________________________________
Michael in San Jose
"In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." Bertrand Russell
Check the archives because a lot of folk have raised the same question. There are a lot of recommendations but it seems for the money Hirsch (Highland Hardware) or Two Cherries are the best; they both are essentially the same except for the handles. I have used a lot of different (including Japanese chisels) ones but the Hirsch are really great. If you want to own the most expensive chisels on the block then Barr, L-N, or the Ashley Isles(sp?). L-N have not received very good ratings from forum users despite the high price. Good luck!
I think it only fair to point out the L-N complaints have largely been that they are expensive. Some few with complaints have not even experienced the chisels first-hand. My experience with L-N has been if you really didn't like them, they'd take them back.
I heartily agree, check the archives, as this topic seems to recur frequently. I'm happy with L-N, & blue-handled Marples, when they're properly sharp. You can't get around that regardless the maker.
Cheers
"I think it only fair to point out the L-N complaints have largely been that they are expensive."
I have a full set of L-N chisels and with a very nice leather pouch they cost $250.00. Yep, that is a lot of money.
But - I use them and they are the finest I have used. They are great in the hand and the blades are extraordinary.
Funny how some here will b!tch about $250 for a set of chisels yet spend $400 for a handplane. Let me take that back. The same people who would spend $400 for a L-N handplane (myself included) appreciate the quality of a $250 set of chisels._________________________________
Michael in San Jose
"In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." Bertrand Russell
There were a few comments about the poor quality of the steel when the L-N chisels first came out; perhaps it was only initially but there were folks wanting to return them. Also, I don't understand the comments about what a great job L-N did on the chisels. They are basically a sharpened steel wedge and other than (and this is important) the heat treatment of the steel, what more can L-N do (except put them in a leather pouch)? I hasten to say that I am a L-N fan owning several of their planes, but I can't see they can do much design on a chisel.
I would like to put in my 2 cents. I have 5 different sets of chisels each for different uses. I have a 25 yr old blue plastic marples for rough carpentry work, a set of high quality japanese mortise chisels. a set of japanese carpenters chisels 25 yrs old used for paring and chopping they have long handles. A complete set of buck plastic handled butt chisels for softwood carpentry with a 25 degree bevel. A great set of 6 Stubai leather socketed white beech chisels for general benchwork and instrument making. they were an excellent value at under $100, 2 yrs ago and just as good as 2 cherries.. I have a large collecton of swiss carving tools some 30 yrs old used for light paring ,carving and in instrument work . I also own several hand made chisels for specialized instrument making operations.Figure out what you want to accomplish with the chisels and then do the research to find out who is offering the best deal , hope this helps ernie in KC
Ernie,
You seem to have THE collection. How much does a chisel make a difference? Is it just the frequency of sharpening? I would like to know more about Japenese chisels. How do you like yours? Is the different balance helping? Is the short blade a problem? Do they cut better? Is a good Japenese chisel better than a good traditional chisel? Are they worth the price?
THanks
Gil
Hi The japanese chisels in my experience are overhyped . I have a set of 4 jap mortise chisels ground at a 35 degree angle . I was cutting a mortice in fir and chipped the 6 mm chisel. I have another set of 6 jap chisels ground at 25 degrees . they are used for paring ,any heavy chopping and the edge is too brittle. These are not top of the line IYoroi chisels as I have no experience with them. As I posted in my last message figure out what you plan to use the chisels for and , and then do reaearch on chisels . There is no perfect chisel. Last jan I replaced all my swiss ash octagon tool handles with local locust and osage orange tool handles . I just scrape the tool handles , which give me a better grip while I work. I hope I have answered your question. you cannot go wrong with swiss, 2 cherries, stubai etc. check out your local tool dealer. Still cofused you can call me at 816 763 3794 9 am to 5 pm Central time regARDS ERNIE
"Also, I don't understand the comments about what a great job L-N did on the chisels."
Well, how about turning the tapered wood handles from Hornbeam, offsetting the angle of the shaft from the blade so it's easier to trim something flat on the surface, tapering the edges of the blade so it will get into corners, are a few examples. I think we lose sight of the realities of manufacturing to a high level of fit & finish & trying to make it pay. Some tools are designed in such a way that they give one pleasure in it's use: from a freshly sharpened wooden pencil to a tuned-up hand plane; a seasoned cast-iron skillet to a ceramic cooktop. Design & usefulness can fit like a glove to one's hand. Just a thought of two.
Cheers
aj- in the Lee Valley catalog, right next to the Hirsch chisels, is a rectangle that says lacquer is on the blades to keep them from corroding and that it needs to come off before anything else happens. It also says they receive a general sharpening but they aren't ready for much work, they need final sharpening and honing. If you bought them online, it probably wasn't on the page. I'm in the same boat as a lot here- looking for a set of chisels and trying to not break the bank. I have a set from Fuller(a gift). Yep, like the Fuller Brush Man. Had them for 20 years and, while they can't be called fine tools, they work. Flattened the backs and sharpen them on my belt sander. Oddly enough, they hold an edge fairly well, too. Unless I'm trying to work with really hard wood. They do OK on cherry and oak, not so much with maple. I'm buying some new ones soon, probably Hirsch. If they're almost as good as Two Cherries, they should work well.
"If the old woodworkers could make what they did, with what they had way back then, we should be able to do the same."
the leather pouch with the LN chisels is optional............
I cant imagine what my wife would say if paid $160 for a set of chisels. She was with me at Woodcraft and saw the L_N cabinet makers scraper plane I bought for $194 . The look on her face was " Ok now I will not hesitate to buy what I want !" All I could say was "......... but Honey, they are made in Maine!" ( we both come from Maine) That fact didnt move her one bit. L_N.....great stuff........not cheap
Wicked Decent Woodworks
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
Edited 1/28/2005 4:40 pm ET by CHERRYJOHN
I just got 3 hirsch chisels and so far so good. the backs and faces were both concave a little but worked that out on the glass. I found that lee valley was alot cheaper on these chisels than highland though @$5 less apiece. they came coated with some kinda clear lacquar on the blades too bot that came off on the glass too.
Hirsch/Two Cherries,German made and harder than Marples.
I use and highly recommend the Two Cherries.
Alan & Lynette Mikkelsen, Mountain View Farm, est. 1934, Gardens & Fine Woodworking, St. Ignatius, MT
I'm very happy with my set of Pfeil chisels , Swiss made. You can pick up a six piece set for about $145 at Woodcraft.
Yes, Pfeil chisels are supposed to be incredible, and Woodcraft has the U.S. exclusive on their distribution - but you may have to wait as long as 1-2 years for a particular chisel, which some people are actually willing to do. (I tried to buy the Springfield, VA franchise a few months ago - thankfully was too late - but they told me all about the long delays on the Pfeils and how much certain people were willing to accept them).
So, check 'em out and see if they're in stock, but there's absolutely no way you're gonna get 5 or 6 for $160. That may buy one, two if you're lucky. Supply and demand.
Mitch
Woops! I stand corrected. The 4-chisel set is available for $96.99, and the 6-chisel set, which will ship after March , goes for $144.99 if you order now. Sorry, Bill!
Mitch
Bill, I just wanted to thank you for mentioning the Pfiel chisels. Since researching and correcting my blunder, I bought a 4-piece set (1/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1") and a 3/32" as well. These are excellent tools! My dovetail and other chisel-reliant work has really received a boost. The total cost was about $120.
Just thought you should know.
Regards,Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
Your welcome!
Where did you get your Pfeils? I'm interested...CharlieI tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut
I bought a 6 chisel set of Phiels at Woodcraft about 6 months ago. They are outstanding. They were already honed and ready to use right out of the box. I highly recommend them!
Dale
I have some of everything. A large collection of Pfiels. Chisels and gouges, maybe 30 or 40. Several German brands, old Greenlee and Stanley socket-tang. Some Sweedish ones. Buck. Iles. Some Sheffield stuff. 20 or 30 Marples. They sit in a box because they're junk. Plus a bunch of assorted stuff. The Pfeils stay out on the bench. They work better for me than any of the others. Not cheap, but worth the price.
Bob,
It's interesting you see the Pfiel bench chisels as "not cheap," because I think they pale in cost comparison to some of the stuff you have, or ones sold by L-N and Lee Valley. I do know, though, that Pfiel's carving tools are very expensive and sometimes have waiting periods of up to two years.
I bought my set, as I said above, for $120 - 3/32", 1/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1". I thought that was pretty good for that kind of quality. Maybe I'm just getting used to doling out the cash...Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
Well, you know that every chisel has its own personality. Cost is only a vague indicator of how well they work. Often the more expensive ones are "better", but not always. I have some expensive ones I don't like because the handles don't fit me or they're too long/short or hard to sharpen or whatever. Some kinds of steel take a better polish than others. Some are grainy. Some too soft. Can be tough but easy to roll the edge. Some too hard and chippy. I have some I made myself because its really hard to find a good palm-handle set in substantial sizes like 1/2 inch or better. Those are not so pretty but fit my hands and work well enough. O-1 tool steel which I find too grainy. Some day I'll make or find some better ones. Made a good few in special widths that I need for inlay. Anyway, the Pfiel bench chisels are a good compromise for what I do. Definitely depends on the work and your particular style. Not necessarily my "best" chisels but I use them the most often. It isn't easy to say what is best. Might seem simple. A piece of pointy metal. But, there are a lot of factors that make it much more complicated. I keep about 40 in a holder on my bench. Probably 30 of those are Pfiels. Got a bunch more put away because I decided I didn't like them enough for one reason or another. Needless to say, the collection took a lifetime to build. You don't just run out and buy a whole mess of them in one shot.
Bob,
"You don't just run out and buy a whole mess of them in one shot."
Unless you're one of these folks we hear from regularly saying "I really want to get into WW so I just bought a Powermatic 66 and a Lie-Nielsen jointer, and a Lee Valley bench and a 15" planer and a" yada, yada, yada.
How many of those folks do you think retain all their digits?
You have much more experience than I do, and I've yet to develop the appreciation for what certain chisels or types or manufacturers can do that others don't do as well. That said, I'm learning, and enjoying every minute of it. Can I assume, since you have about 40 Pfiel chisels, that you're a turner or carver? If not, what are some of your more unique chisels, besides bench and mortise?
Regards,Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
I build instruments mostly. Anything with strings. Violin family, guitar, gamba. Some occasional furniture stuff. Ball & claw feet. Pediments. An occasional sculpture. I make molds for some ceramics artists. Tiles and plates and stuff. Dies for embossing leather. Most everything can really be done with only a few tools. But, it takes more time. A specific gouge with the right sweep and width for a particular part of a violin scroll saves time. Same thing for ball and claw feet. Can be done with a smaller one, but more cleanup. Incannel for corner blocks. Big short fishtails for hogging. Some use carving machines or CNC. I have resisted so far. Been doing this amateur and semi-pro for maybe 35 years. Hard to make an actual living at it.
The wierdest chisels I have are a couple of back-bent in-cannel Buck gouges. Not sure what the heck they're for. Also have a bunch of all-steel gouges and chisels for graving. No handles. Like jewelers gravers but much larger. Much easier to control than palm handle and way less risk of stabbing yourself. Don't have the force and tension of your whole arm behind them. If you slip, its just a light hammer tap.
Charlie,
Got 'em at Woodcraft. I know they're the exclusive distributor for Pfiel's carving chisels and tools; not sure if they have the same arrangement for the bench chisels, but I haven't seen them anywhere else. Hope this helps.
Regards,Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
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