# forum users favourite tools: chisels



## adidat (10 Nov 2011)

once again

adidat


----------



## MickCheese (10 Nov 2011)

My Stanley 5001's, three were given me by my father in the early 70s the others I got cheap off eBay to complete the set. They sharpen well and stay sharp for quite some time.







Not Lie Nielson's but do have some sentimental value to me as well as being very usable.

Mick


----------



## adidat (10 Nov 2011)

we need pictures!!

adidat


----------



## yetloh (10 Nov 2011)

That's a hard one, but my Japanese Suminagashi bench chisels are very special; stunning to look at and to use. If I had to choose one chisel that I reach for often and always enjoy using it would be an Iyoroi 18mm fishtail chisel with boxwood handle which, unusually for a Japanese bench chisel with a steel ring on its handle, is ground and sharpened at 25 deg. It pares beautifully, gets into awkward corners and despite its low angle, stands up to being used with a hammer without the edge crumbling.

No pics atthe mement but I will try to post some later.

Jim


----------



## jimi43 (10 Nov 2011)

This is a bit broad a topic but here we go...

Turning...my Holtzapffel.....






Bevel....my very old and restored I.Sorby...






and a gorgeous Sorby mortice...with octagonal handle to die for...






Jim


----------



## Racers (11 Nov 2011)

Hi,

My hand made fish tail chisel, its really good at cleaning out half blind dovetails.




The handle is pear wood from my pear tree in the garden.

Pete


----------



## condeesteso (11 Nov 2011)

Love that fishtail, and I could see it being used a lot... a good test!
I have a lot of chisels from very old Lockwood and a Mathieson, to the Lies and some new Japanese. BUT if you ever fall over the odd Marples blue handle (white plastic washer), grab 'em cheap. They should be very cheap as there are plenty around and most are put off by the nasty plastic. But the blades are really good (mine are vintage 1970 approx) and a quick re-handle makes them look nice too.
To rehandle, just hacksaw through the blue, about 40% up the length (to miss the tang), then smash the remaining plastic away. The socket appearance is really just a shoulder, so turn a new handle, drill the hole for tang, get the handle profile to seemlessly meet the tool shoulder... and make it pretty. Job done.
I do use these ones a lot and they take a great edge and hold it very well. (I will try and get some pics later).

p.s. re the 'not Lie Nielsens' comment regarding the Stanleys. I can get better paring performance off the old Marples than off the A2 Lies. And I cannot quite bring myself to love the LNs, very close but there is just something not 100% and I can't put my finger on it. Maybe 01 would please me better but they weren't available when I got mine.


----------



## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (11 Nov 2011)

Well, I'd show you this set of Kiyohisa slicks that I waited 3 years to be built ... 






... but you probably don't want to see them, so I won't. Instead I will show you a re-handled and totally reground (with minimal lands) set of Stanley 750s (1/8" through 1") I put together ..






.. and a dovetail chisel I made for a friend from a wretched Stanley-with-a-black-plastic-handle ..






.. and a fishtail (ex-Witherby) ...






I also won't show you my Koyamaichi dovetail chisels ..






 

Regards from Perth

I-can-give-up-chisels-anytime-Derek


----------



## condeesteso (11 Nov 2011)

Hi Derek... nothing like a million quids worth of chisels to make the room go quiet :lol: :lol: 
Very nice indeed. I will be back though, with a 20 pence Marples restoration asap... maybe a few days.


----------



## jimi43 (11 Nov 2011)

condeesteso":2oqzvpoo said:


> Hi Derek... nothing like a million quids worth of chisels to make the room go quiet :lol: :lol:
> Very nice indeed. I will be back though, with a 20 pence Marples restoration asap... maybe a few days.



I know mate! I went out to the workshop....cried a bit...and then snapped myself together and took out the "other" Marples and a hacksaw....and....

Meet you back here with the results eh!?

Jim


----------



## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (12 Nov 2011)

Sorry guys ...

Next time I will drag the blades across the workshop floor first, and then open a few cans of paint.  

... at least you know they are not "garage queens". :lol: 

Jim, at least now you know how the rest of us feel after seeing those cutting gauges of yours!

Regards from Perth

Derek


----------



## MickCheese (12 Nov 2011)

condeesteso":13rrsr2i said:


> Hi Derek... nothing like a million quids worth of chisels to make the room go quiet :lol: :lol:
> Very nice indeed. I will be back though, with a 20 pence Marples restoration asap... maybe a few days.



I'm interested in the Marples restoration. I have a few plastic handled chisels that would benefit from a nice re-handle.

Mick


----------



## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (12 Nov 2011)

The Stanley-Marples-Irwin chisels have the same tang ...






Here is an article on my website where I ground the sides to minimal lands ... http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/Soyouwanttomakeadovetailchisel.html

And here is an article where I heat treated the steel ... 
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/LowTechHeatTreating.html

Regards from Perth

Derek


----------



## katellwood (12 Nov 2011)

I jumped on the slippery slope of Japanese chisels some years ago and never looked back 











My original Stanleys, Marples et al I now use when I do any site work


----------



## Evergreen (12 Nov 2011)

Katellwood

Wow! That's some collection!

Here's the remnants of what was once a considerable hoard of vintage Sheffield chisels. These are my favourites, plus a set of Stanley 5001s from the '70s.


----------



## adidat (13 Nov 2011)

a nice collection there evergreen

keep them coming

adidat


----------



## yetloh (13 Nov 2011)

Derek Cohen (Perth said:


> I-can-give-up-chisels-anytime-Derek



So can I, Derek, I've done it several times but it must be nearly a year since I last bought one.

Here are is a selection.






Everyday. Mainly Japanese. I love the fishtails






I think these Suminagashi steel Nomi are stunning and a joy to use.






Wide multi-flute Iyorois with boxwood handles.






A lovely old cast steel two inch Marples.






Paring. The big one is bigger than I realised when I ordered it from Dick. About two feet long and more than two inches wide. The weight makes it difficullt to sharpen but all that mass and length makes for remarkable sensitivity in use that really belies its size. The one immediately below it is cranked although this is not obvious from the pic; I use it a lot more than I expected to.






Some longer bench chisels. The bottom one is only 1.5 mm wide. Don't use it that often but when you need it nothing else will do.






Not sure what this one is for - no doubt someone will enlighten me. It must have been cheap when I bought it.

..and lastly






My Addis carving chisels. Fantastic quality.

Life is fun on the slope.

Jim


----------



## Racers (20 Nov 2011)

Hi, Chaps

Here are some of my best chisels, not to be taken out side :wink:

Cast steel chisels 




Cast steel gouges




Paring chisels and gouges




Cast steel carving tools




Crown 1/2" paring chisel set




I have another tool roll full of spare chisels, thats in the tool box in the living room :shock: 

Pete


----------



## LuptonM (20 Nov 2011)

Derek Cohen (Perth said:


> Regards from Perth
> 
> I-can-give-up-chisels-anytime-Derek



Are these http://www.toolsfromjapan.com/store/ind ... 89_490_491 the Japanese ones you have Derek?

When ordering, to get the near zero shoulders, did you select the dovetail profile option or did you have to contact Stu direct to ask if the shoulders could be custom ground (and if so did he charge more?)?


----------



## yetloh (20 Nov 2011)

Nice collection there, Pete. I have a rather motley collection of cast steel, but not as nice as yours.

Isn't it about time we had some pics of Jimi's collection?

Jim


----------



## adidat (20 Nov 2011)

knowing jim im sure he will have a very modest normal small set of everyday chisels :roll: :roll: 

:lol: 

adidat


----------



## sometimewoodworker (20 Nov 2011)

yetloh":2abz3zkz said:


> Derek Cohen (Perth said:
> 
> 
> > I-can-give-up-chisels-anytime-Derek
> ...


Probably either 
Mori-nomi (harpoon chisel) It has a hook shaped blade designed to remove wood chipping that remain in holes. 
Kama-nomi (sickle chisel) It has a blade tip reminiscent of a long double-edged sword and is used for precisely finishing acute angled or orthogonal corners.


----------



## Jacob (20 Nov 2011)

My all out favourite (I'm in love with it :roll: ) is the oomi-goomi which is brilliant for removing nose hairs and verrucas.


----------



## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (21 Nov 2011)

LuptonM":ulexpn93 said:


> Derek Cohen (Perth said:
> 
> 
> > Regards from Perth
> ...



There actually two different sets of Koyamaichi chisels there. The story and details are here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReview ... isels.html

Regards from Perth

Derek


----------



## Max Power (21 Nov 2011)

"My all out favourite (I'm in love with it ) is the oomi-goomi which is brilliant for removing nose hairs and verrucas."

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## marcros (21 Nov 2011)

I think that those Stanley 750's are my favourite. Oh to have a set...


----------



## Racers (21 Nov 2011)

Hi, Jacob


You should also get the bottom cleaning chisel so you have both ends covered http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/product ... i-Nomi.htm

Pete


----------



## GazPal (22 Nov 2011)

Racers":39orqo63 said:


> Hi, Jacob
> 
> 
> You should also get the bottom cleaning chisel so you have both ends covered
> ...




Ye olde worlde andlex cacka kachi chisels have their uses. #-o


----------



## Tony Spear (22 Nov 2011)

I think Jacob will like this from my Grandfather: My favourite chisel is the one that first springs to hand when I need to do some chiselling


----------



## LuptonM (22 Nov 2011)

Derek Cohen (Perth said:


> LuptonM":6u7xj492 said:
> 
> 
> > Derek Cohen (Perth said:
> ...


Maybe they are not available at toolsfromjapan anymore since I can only find long handled umeki nomi- lee valley stock them but I am not sure if they could get them custom ground. Anyway I've emailed the owner of the site to see if they can help me.

I've read your article before and I guess thats why I've been considering buying some for a while now. Seems that you preferred them over the powdered metals as well.


----------



## Corneel (23 Nov 2011)

You will probably get a wordy email from Stu. But the point is, he can't advertise these dovetail shaped ones directly on his site for some commercial reason, but you can ask him.

I have a couple of Koyamachi chisels. They are the normal trapezium shape, but with very minimal lands. In fact the smaller sizes have a zero land. These are very usefull for dovetailing too. The chisels are a superb quality, very good steel that's hard and gets crazy sharp.


----------



## bugbear (23 Nov 2011)

Jacob":26afnxpt said:


> My all out favourite (I'm in love with it :roll: ) is the oomi-goomi which is brilliant for removing nose hairs and verrucas.



Those Japs and their funny language, eh Jacob Butler?

BugBear


----------



## Jacob (23 Nov 2011)

bugbear":18og8wxg said:


> Jacob":18og8wxg said:
> 
> 
> > My all out favourite (I'm in love with it :roll: ) is the oomi-goomi which is brilliant for removing nose hairs and verrucas.
> ...


Missed the point BB as usual (such as it is) - those Brit toolies and their funny obsessions with the exotic (usually in parallel with denigration of the familiar).
That oriental freehand honing must be a bit worrying! :lol: Just think of it as ho-ning. :roll:


----------



## sometimewoodworker (28 Nov 2011)

sometimewoodworker":3hr6qjq4 said:


> yetloh":3hr6qjq4 said:
> 
> 
> > Derek Cohen (Perth said:
> ...


Just checked with my students and it is the Kama-nomi. That is the Jamanese kanji on the handel.


----------



## matthewwh (29 Nov 2011)

It looks like the same principle as the Ray Gonzales hooked skew to me, invaluable for carvers certainly, but the cabinetmakers fishtail skew is possibly a better bet for furniture making.


----------



## Harbo (30 Nov 2011)

According to Mr Odate it's a Kama-nomi (sickle chisel)

"used to clean up sharp corners, such as the inside of dovetails and the side groves of plane blocks"

Rod


----------



## kygaloot (30 Nov 2011)

My favorites are all old Sheffield cast steel...Butcher, Ward, Charles Taylor, etc. I am still waiting for a modern maker to duplicate the characteristics of these chisels.


----------



## jimi43 (30 Nov 2011)

kygaloot":3cqv4mny said:


> My favorites are all old Sheffield cast steel...Butcher, Ward, Charles Taylor, etc. I am still waiting for a modern maker to duplicate the characteristics of these chisels.



Abso-blinkin-lutely!

=D> 

Well said!

Jim


----------



## condeesteso (8 Dec 2011)

Good thread, this. Here's one of mine - a gift from my dad, and purchased at a market in Ripley Yorkshire. K Osborn 1/2" parer, box handle marked W Beautiman (who may well have worked in the north Yorks area, maybe the Dales). It's a stunner and has clearly been well cared for throughout its life. It is used regularly and kept very close to hand.


----------



## Racers (8 Dec 2011)

Hi, Douglas

That is a beauty-man

Love paring chisels.


Pete


----------



## yetloh (8 Dec 2011)

Racers":2a17p48u said:


> Hi, Douglas
> 
> Love paring chisels.
> 
> ...



Me too.

Jim


----------

