Where is a good source for a few decent chisels? Not looking for stuff that Norm or the Woodwright would consider worthy, just something that’ll hold an edge (unlike the hardware store chisels I currently have).
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the made in England Stanleys...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Lee Valley sell decent stuff, that they STAND behind. Give their stuff a browse.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Not sure if they are still made, but Marples with the Boxwood handles are some of my favorites. I know the Blue handled ones are pretty good, but noy quite as good steel.
To be honest, my best and favorites for the shop are yard sale / flea market finds, Buck Bros, Winchester, and old Craftsmans.
If I was shopping for site chisels, the Buck Bros are pretty good.
When I hit the lotto, I'd outfit the shop in all Japanese Chisels w/hollowground backs.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
I like the blue handled marples for around the jobsite. Don't have to worry so much.
Barry E-Remodeler
I think Irwin bought out Marples, but I'm not certain. See the following link to Woodcraft: http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=294&refcode=06INGOOG&keyword=marples_tool&gclid=CP6Vs7yOlJICFQEaHgod1E9a7A
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If they leave the chisels alone, then no worries.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
"I know the Blue handled ones are pretty good, but noy quite as good steel."
My Father-in-Law used to work for Marples in Sheffield, England. According to him all the steel was the same regardless if a wood or plastic handle was used. I agree with you. The wood handled chisels seem to work better but what do I know.
I've got a 1" Buck Bros. that I beat the hell out of constantly. And it's still in better shape than it deserves to be.
And a second vote for the Lee Valley ones. They get saved for appropriate circumstances.
Another vote for Stanleys'.
Been happy with mine for years. They take an edge well and hold it...buic
I'll third the blue Marples. They are middle of the road for hardness.
I had some crazy hard Sheffield chisels I gave away to an apprentice, sure they held an edge, but try and sharpen one.
"Perfect is the enemy of Good." Morrison
Dan
I think I'm the forths to suggest the blue Marples. They are not the best chisel out there but pretty good and at a decent price.
I keep a good set of old Stanleys in the garage, cant let the dumb azzes that dont know how to use a chisel have at the good stuff!
Doug
I'm with IMERC, the made in England Stanleys . . . they are getting hard to find tho - most now say china.
Mike
Dan,
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=30028&cat=1,41504,43500&ap=1
These Lee Valleys are really good. They have the best (flattest) backs of any chisel I've purchased. The three I bought each took 60 seconds on an 800 grit waterstone to be perfectly flat at the cutting edge. Price is middle of the road...
I have a set of Blue Chips, too. Mine are 15 years old or so, don't know if the newer ones are the same steel.
- Kit
Irwin Blue Chip are supposed to be a decent middle of the road chisel. Footprint is very good...the red handle ones.
If you can find them, the old Marple Blue chips are great.
I have a full set of Marple boxwood, and they're wonderful.
Top of the line older chisels are Ohio Forge, Buck Bros, Witherbee, Winchester, PS&W, Douglass, Sheffield, old Stanleys (especially the black handle #40). I have about 25 or so of these in various sizes, and when they get cleaned and tuned, it's about as good as you can get before leaping over the falls and buying one that costs two or three hundred dollars. The old socket style is great, I especially like the long paring chisels.
My day to day are my Marples & my two Sandviks (about 20 years old) for the finer work, and my set of Stanleys that are in their 3rd decade of use for the hogging out. A few of those are ground down to an inch of blade. They still work.
If you're patient, you can get quite a deal on sets of good chisels on E-bay.
I'm holding out to get a few Barr chisels. They're supposed to be the Rolls Royce of the wood cutting tools.
If I am not mistaken Marples went out of business and Irwin picked up the line. You can find these chisels at Wal-Mart.
when I get a few extra bucks, I've been thinking about another set of chisels, to add to the 4 sets i already have.
I was thinkin' mostly about the Lie-Nielsons, but have looked a bit at the Barrs. You have any preferences one way or the other?
I've not seen Lie-Nielsens, are they laminated steel? Can't imagine anything but top quality coming from there.
2 sets here, travelling and shop-only. My shop set is laminated Japanese, medium priced (for them, considerably higher than Marples at the time). Truly a world apart from my vintage Stanleys, Marples, and anybody else's I've used. Definitely not nail-choppers, but wonderful for wood.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
The Lie-Nielsons are (I believe) A2 steel; not laminated, but harder and more durable than regular steel.
I have a set of fairly expensive Japanese blue steel chisels, which are nice, but don't feel very comfortable in my big hands. Which is why I'm thinking about a 5th set.
"I was thinkin' mostly about the Lie-Nielsons, but have looked a bit at the Barrs. "Once again, I did the exact same thing. I checked out LN and then Barr, and I saw a review given by Chris ....mmm...Vandervoort....whatever his name is..the guy who does a lot in FWW, anyhow, he just got his hands on a set of Barr, and he really gushed about 'em. He's been doing his own hand cut dovetailing for over 30 some years now and he says the Barrs are by far the best he's ever used.The other thing, Barr has a steel ring at the end of the handle if you want to use a mallet. LN is just wood.
I have read some reviews by others who love the LN and say how great the steel is though. http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1234
http://barrtools.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BST&Product_Code=SO4CMC11311OLSISO&Category_Code=CMCS
Another vote for Marpels blue handles, I abuse mine they hold a decent edge & don't take an act of congress to sharpen.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
Craftsman. What other company will let you bring one back if you hit a nail? You could in theory bring them back for exchange as often as you want.
bubbajames.
OK you need to learn how to sharpen chisels.
because new tools aren't sharp!. Not scary sharp and the differance will astonish you.. If you are interested I'll explain it to you or send you over to Fine Wood Working which has pictures etc..
The process takes about a minute or so once you are set up and I promise you it will save you so much time not only not having to go exchange tools but doing the actual job. I mean stuff that would take me a few minutes to chisel out with a fresh new chisel might only take a minute with a scary sharp chisel..
The newer Irwin blue handles are made in China, I have a set of six that were still made in England.JT
DanH
I'll go with the Made in England Stanley's. Marples are good but a bit pricey compared to what I paid for the Stanley's
I have absolutely nothing against spending good money on expensive tools.. but they really need to have value in order to justify the price..
I own several Lie Nielsen hand planes and if you price them you know what I'm speaking about..
However I will put the Stanley's up against the Marples and over time with normal neglect and abuse they will be in better shape and hold their edge longer.
Having said all of that, you are aware of the scary sharp method of sharpening aren't you?
Whatever you buy before you use them sharpen them with that method.
NO! new tools aren't sharp.. not scary sharp! the differance will astonish you..
I need to learn the scary sharp method proper. I sharpened all my chisels the other night trying to do it the csary sharp way but I don't think I achieved what I was looking for.
Another vote for the Marples Blue Chips .............. won't break the bank, the handles are tough, easy to put an edge on 'em , and they're comfortable for these arthritic old paws. Got my first Lie Nielsen chisel and while a beautiful tool, it's not one I'd want around the jobsite........... it's a pretty expensive can opener.
I bought a set of 8 Nooitgedagts for $80 on ebay. They are long with the kind of wooden handles I like. Edge-holding is about like the old Marples Blue Chips. Made in Holland with Swedish steel. I use Two Cherries for "fine woodworking" (whatever that is), and the Nooitgedagts for throwing in a toolbox and working on the house or the deck. I also just like to say the name. Nooitgedagt.
I have the yellow handled Lee Valley. Reputable company, not too expensive so you don't have to worry about using them for construction.
I have a set of the Marples Yellow/Red chisels with English steel. 20+ years in use and still my general-duty chisel of choice.
After a quick search, it appears they're only being sold in the UK and Australia?
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http://www.toolman.co.uk/images/product/large/marples_6pc_set.jpg
Edited 3/17/2008 2:31 pm ET by WindowsGuy
are the marples not the same as the irwin blue handled chisel?
Like they dist. or have rights in the US?
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
You got me curious, so I searched a little. Perhaps others have more details.
So there was Record, Marples, Record-Marples, and Irwin Record. Newell-Rubbermaid bought Irwin. Irwin still owns the Marples brand, but there is a Joseph Marples company in England making lots of tools, but no chisels.
It seems from many posts that the quality of steel and/or manufacturing has dropped off in Marples products through all the acquisitions? It also seems the tools are now made in Taiwan? I haven't tested my older chisels side by side with any new ones, so all this is speculation. YMMV
As with most tools these days, there are several categories:
1. Old, great hand tools. Good steel, good workmanship. Great garage sale finds, or high auction prices.
2. New, great hand tools. Good steel, good workmanship, high prices.
4. Crappy hand tools made in China. 90% of the current supply I see in the big box stores.
Just got a Hartville tool catalog and they have a 6pc MHG made in Germany chisel set on sale for $79, regular $110.JT
I will be in England and Germany in June and actually thought about some nice chisels as a good souvenir to bring back (checked bags of course). Time to do some research.
Of course, if the exchange rate with the Euro gets any worse, I will only be able to afford the case. ;-(
Edited 3/17/2008 3:45 pm ET by WindowsGuy
Exchange now. Go to your bank (we used AAA.) and you can exhange for euros at the going rate. They may have to order it.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
You get a full set of these, you've got your hands on some good tools. I've got 2 and I keep looking for more.http://cgi.ebay.com/Mint-5-8-Stanley-40-Chisel_W0QQitemZ260221068635QQihZ016QQcategoryZ13871QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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I have two complete sets of these chisels, 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4, 1 1/2, one set has never been used, took awhile to find the 5/8" and then I got two of them within a month of each other. And because I'm greedy I was the underbidder on the set pictured, I don't have the fancy case!
They are pretty nice but I've had friends tell me that they didn't think they were as good as the older 750's or 730's? Don't know cause I never had any of those.
My boss has a set of maybe 5 or 6 of them, his are in pretty bad shape though, pretty rough on em.
Doug
What I like about that particular line is they really feel good in your hand and they have a good balance. The steel may not be A2, but those things are built to really take a beating. They're a great toolbox chisel.
In my limited experience, the newer Irwin blue handled Marples are not as nice as the old blue handled Marples. I just bought a Stanley FatMax chisel for use as a toolbelt chisel, and after sharpening have been pleasantly surprised. This was the one with the metal tang through the handle.
Gonna go on ebay and look for some old marples.
Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
"are the marples not the same as the irwin blue handled chisel?"No. I believe the steel is not as good on the Irwins.
Blue handled Marples.
I have a decent set of Sandvik chisels that I didn't spend too much on.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Pp, Qq