# Paring Chisel from Wilco Flier



## Klaus Kretschmar (9 Aug 2013)

Hi Handtoolers,

a few weeks ago, Wilco posted some pics of his shop made paring chisels.

shop-made-paring-chisels-t66992.html

I was intrigued in a sudden by them. So I was happy when Wilco informed me that he started a side business with these tools and hurried up to order one. A paring chisel 15 mm wide at 55 EUR. By coincidence, he had just the one in stock that I did order. So it took only short time until I was able to hold the tool in my hands.

Wow! Visually it is a winner for sure. It's crafted with high attention to detail. The connection between blade, ferrule and handle is done in a perfect way, really something to admire. The blade is shaped ver thoughtful as well. While it is bevelled relatively strong, the lands aren't that sharp, that you have to be careful not to injure yourself while using it. Just about right to my understanding.

But how does it work? Well, the honing of the back took a little time but it was worth every minute. It works very very nicely for sure now. The steel takes a keen edge and the blade has just the right thickness that it allows the small amount of flexibility one likes to have while paring. I can't tell how the blade does hold the edge since I've no long time experience so far. But my first impressions are very good. It's a tool that shows the pride of the maker and that is something that I appreciate a lot!

Some pics:



























You did a great job, Wilco. I'm more than pleased with this wonderfully crafted tool.

Klaus


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## Harbo (9 Aug 2013)

Very nice - but may I suggest when marketing them, a change of name - Wilco is very common? 

Rod


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## Mr_P (9 Aug 2013)

That's stunning but after drooling over your website for many an hour I'd expect all your tools to be equally gorgeous.

ps Welcome back to a woodier world, the world needs more skilled craftsmen like yourself and Pedder.


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## ColeyS1 (10 Aug 2013)

Lovely looking chisel !! Where us wilco's website? I quite fancy a look if someone could provide a link please 

Sent from my GT-I9300


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## Graham Orm (10 Aug 2013)

ColeyS1":q61utx1j said:


> Lovely looking chisel !! Where us wilco's website? I quite fancy a look if someone could provide a link please
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300



Klaus. That's a beautiful thing....no matter how well it cuts or holds an edge!

If you follow the link in the top post to Wilco's older post he has a web address at the bottom. However, my Kaspersky web protection tells me that it contains malware and wont let me open it.

Feedback please!


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## Spindle (10 Aug 2013)

Hi

Thats a lovely looking chisel but why in a tool of this quality does the back need to be honed on receipt? - not a criticism, I'm just curious.

Regards Mick


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## ColeyS1 (10 Aug 2013)

Cheers grayorm, im guessing i need to get on a computer to see it. Viewing most things on smartphone generally works out o.k, just sometimes I need to revert back to pc to view certain things 

Sent from my GT-I9300


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## Klaus Kretschmar (10 Aug 2013)

Grayorm":382og0bi said:


> If you follow the link in the top post to Wilco's older post he has a web address at the bottom. However, my Kaspersky web protection tells me that it contains malware and wont let me open it.
> 
> Feedback please!



Hm, that's exactly what I had to experience myself. 

I emailed Wilco and asked him to check that.

Klaus


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## Klaus Kretschmar (10 Aug 2013)

Spindle":1qku2eyt said:


> Hi
> 
> Thats a lovely looking chisel but why in a tool of this quality does the back need to be honed on receipt? - not a criticism, I'm just curious.
> 
> Regards Mick



Hi Mick,

the tool was ready to be used out of the box, no question. 

However I'm used to hone every chisel I get, vintage or new, to get a mirror shiny back up to the very corner tips. That gives the last few percent of performance IMHO. The shortest honing time needed the LV PM V-11 chisels so far, the longest time needed the Kirschen and the MHG chisels. The paring chisel from Wilco Flier is somewhere in the middle of this region comparable to some Japanese chisels from Iyoroi. So I would call it rather good concerning the flatness of the back.

Cheers
Klaus


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## Spindle (10 Aug 2013)

Hi Klaus

Thank you for the clarification.

Regards Mick


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## ColeyS1 (10 Aug 2013)

I clicked on wilco's link and also got the 'blocked threat' message. Hopefully something will get fixed so we can all go and view the website. 

Sent from my GT-I9300


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## Wilco Flier (10 Aug 2013)

Hello Handtoolers!

About my website, there is indeed something wrong there. I am busy with sorting it out. I'm just back from a five months period of voluntary work in Africa and in that time I had hardly acces to internet. I guess its been in that time that the trouble has showed up. This particular website, however, is a general one with only my hobby woodworking stuff, written in Dutch. A special (English) website about my tool making activities is in progres. I will let you know when that one is online. 

@ Klaus, thank you for your testimonial here on this forum! I am very happy that you are happy with this chisel! You have made some very nice pictures of the chisel too! I have to improve my photographing skills a bit more I think! ;-)

If there is anyone here who is interested in this chisel too or a other custom made tool, feel free to send me an email to discuss the options. The lead time of the chisels is hard to predict, because as a small toolmaker I am constrained to a certain amount of steel to make the heat treatment economically justified. So I have to save up orders. But as I said, feel free to e-mail me.

I have just finished a small batch of tools, see the picture. It contains paring chisels, regular chisels, a plane blade which is an experiment, a draw knive, timer framing chisels and twe normal knives. A few of this tools are already sold, the others are still for sale or for my own use.


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## Wilco Flier (10 Aug 2013)

Harbo":3kkujvw5 said:


> Very nice - but may I suggest when marketing them, a change of name - Wilco is very common?
> Rod



Hello Rod,

I think that's because I'm Dutch, and so I have a Dutch name. ;-) I think the makers name is one of the best brand names for this kind of handmade tools, what do you think?

Besides of that, a uncommon name is easier to identifie, isn't it? ;-)


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## iNewbie (10 Aug 2013)

Klaus Kretschmar":3hfskbgj said:


> The shortest honing time needed the* LV PM V-11 chisels *so far, the longest time needed the Kirschen and the MHG chisels.



Whats your view of those chisels, Klaus? Thanks.


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## Klaus Kretschmar (10 Aug 2013)

iNewbie":381nbqdu said:


> Klaus Kretschmar":381nbqdu said:
> 
> 
> > The shortest honing time needed the* LV PM V-11 chisels *so far, the longest time needed the Kirschen and the MHG chisels.
> ...



The overall quality and performance of these chisels is just stunning. They take very keen edges with ease. Yes, the sharpening of this steel isn't a big deal at all. And they hold the edge in a very surprising way. I'd say, at least 3 times as long as O1 blades, maybe more.

My set of five chisels is a preproduction one. That will be the reason that on of those didn't like to hold the edge when I got them. I ground it shorter about 3 mm and now it shows the same excellent characteristics as the other ones do.

If you are looking for a high class bench chisel that will be in hard use, then go for the LV PM V-11 chisel. You won't be disappointed. In the opposite, I believe that you soon will replace more sizes of bench chisels with them.

Cheers
Klaus


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## iNewbie (10 Aug 2013)

Thanks for you personal insight, Klaus.


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## mqbernardo (11 Aug 2013)

too bad his site seems to be down... those chisels are sweet! thanks for the heads-up.


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## mqbernardo (11 Aug 2013)

BTW, what´s the steel on these?


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## Klaus Kretschmar (12 Aug 2013)

mqbernardo":35ysq2iv said:


> BTW, what´s the steel on these?



It's the well known high carbon tool steel O1.

Klaus


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## mqbernardo (12 Aug 2013)

thanks, i like O1.


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## morfa (30 Aug 2013)

Just wondering if the website is working again? Can anyone post the link now?

I did email Wilco a while back offering to help with the website (I'm an IT guy) and that offer is still there if the site isn't fixed yet.


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## Wilco Flier (16 Sep 2013)

I have made a blog website especially for my tool making activities! My paring chisels, draw knives, timber frame chisels are for sale now together with a lot of other custom made tools.

http://wilcoflier-toolworks.blogspot.nl/

Feel free to take a look around!


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## marcros (16 Sep 2013)

hi,

i am interested in a paring chisel but there are none for sale on the blog. Could you please give me some details?

Thanks


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## Wilco Flier (16 Sep 2013)

Hello Marcros,

Well that's a quick reaction! ;-) 

Paring chisels are made on request. You can just e-mail me your wishes and I will handle your order. 

I think the section of my blog to which you refer is the "tools for sale" section, this section is a special place to sell al the tools I have already made and are not sold yet, like over-stock. Most of my tools are made in on request but sometimes I made a special version or something like that which are for sale in this section.

But normally all my tools are made on request. 

Thank you for your interest in my paring chisels. Please send me an email to: wilco.flier /at/ hotmail.com to discuss al your wishes!


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## mqbernardo (15 Apr 2014)

thread bump! just to show off, basically... 

my 6mm paring chisel is ready for shipping, so i´m yet to put it to some work - but i really like the design and workmanship on Wilco´s paring chisel and wanted to share. Brazilian rosewood handle.

cheers,
Miguel.


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## marcros (15 Apr 2014)

mine cannot be far behind then!


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## Graham Orm (16 Apr 2014)

Fullu aware of thread bump, and once again would like to say...beautiful!


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## Wilco Flier (16 Apr 2014)

> mine cannot be far behind then!



Hello Marcros,

That's right, yours is finished too! See the pictures below. It's the 3rd seen from the left... I will send you an e-mail asap.


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## dazzer (3 May 2014)

I bought a couple of pairing chisels from Wilco last year!






After receiving the chisels and discovering what fantastic quality they were I decided that I would order some more.

So I ordered a 12mm, 18mm and 25mm Pairing chisels. I also ordered a Bracing chisel; which is used in guitar making to shape the bracing on the top and back of a an acoustic guitar and a 6" Draw knife.








They arrived today and are just fantastic 

The fit and finish of the tools is to an extremely high quality and balanced to perfection. 

I've already put in my next order and these will be a set of bench chisels.

I would recommend Wilco's tools to anyone, they are very competitively priced compared to mass produced high end chisels and are custom made to your requirements.

All the best
Dave


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## Wilco Flier (6 May 2014)

Hello Dazzer,

Nice to hear that the tools have arrived! I'm even more happy that you like the tools. Thank you for this message on the forum. I am currently busy with planning the next batch, your bench chisel order is a very nice start for the next batch, but I need to save up some more orders to make the heat treatment affordable ;-). 

Enjoy your tools!


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## Kalimna (6 May 2014)

Dave - have you had chance to try out the curved chisel yet? How do you envisage sharpening it? Angle, jig/freehand etc? (Note, I don't want to start off another sharpening thread, but I am keen to acquire such a tool, and I would much rather hand cash over to a custom toolmaker than to StewMac). 

Cheers,
Adam


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## dazzer (17 Jun 2014)

Kalimna":3rftzho8 said:


> Dave - have you had chance to try out the curved chisel yet? How do you envisage sharpening it? Angle, jig/freehand etc? (Note, I don't want to start off another sharpening thread, but I am keen to acquire such a tool, and I would much rather hand cash over to a custom toolmaker than to StewMac).
> 
> Cheers,
> Adam



Hi Adam

Sorry I've only just seen your post!

I haven't tried the chisel out yet but will do over the next few weeks as I have some braces to shape.

I was taught to sharpen freehand when I was an apprentice many years ago, but I now use the Veritas mark II honing guide. When I was working as a cabinet maker I did my sharpening by hand as it was quicker but now I can take my time and find it enjoyable to use the Veritas guide. 

I will try to use the guide to sharpen the chisel but if that doesn't work I will freehand sharpen the chisel, I will let you know.

Again I would recommend Wilco's tools to anyone, they're fantastic 

Dave


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## Klaus Kretschmar (17 Jun 2015)

Having now long time experience with the paring chisel, I just *have* to make a compliment to Wilco. The tool is really something special. I never came across a better working paring chisel. The main quality of the tool is it's more than stunning control. It meets the perfect balance between sturdieness and flexibility. When there is a finicky job, where the absolute precision is asked, the Wilco paring chisel is my go to one for sure. Thank you very much , Wilco, you make great chisels!

Klaus


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## marcros (17 Jun 2015)

i use mine regularly and agree with Klaus' comments.


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## Wilco Flier (12 Jul 2015)

Klaus Kretschmar":1u108pdj said:


> Having now long time experience with the paring chisel, I just *have* to make a compliment to Wilco. The tool is really something special. I never came across a better working paring chisel. The main quality of the tool is it's more than stunning control. It meets the perfect balance between sturdieness and flexibility. When there is a finicky job, where the absolute precision is asked, the Wilco paring chisel is my go to one for sure. Thank you very much , Wilco, you make great chisels!
> 
> Klaus





marcros":1u108pdj said:


> i use mine regularly and agree with Klaus' comments.



Klaus, marcos, 

I must have missed your comments since I have discovered it just now ;-)

Anyway, many thanks for the comments both of you made! It's really an honour to receive this kind of compliments.

Below a few examples of my latest paring chisels, made out of several kinds of wood like African Blackwood and Purple Heart wood.


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## Klaus Kretschmar (12 Jul 2015)

Nice ones, Wilco!

Just shot you a mail.

Klaus


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