# New Axminster A2 Socket Chisels



## Philly (28 Sep 2005)

Hi All
Just got the new Axminster Review mag and they have a set of Victory chisels offered, made from A2 steel. Socket style chisels-sound familiar?? :wink: 
They don't seem to be on the web site yet -any one have any info on these??
Cheers
Philly


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## Alf (28 Sep 2005)

What Axminster Review mag? :evil: 

Cheers, Alf


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## Chris Knight (28 Sep 2005)

Alf,
It's the one that includes a letter which starts with the thought provoking question "Can you ever have enough tools?"

The chisels are a mere £150 for a set of five. I await your comparative review alongside the LNs.


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## Alf (28 Sep 2005)

waterhead37":mar01c9f said:


> It's the one that includes a letter which starts with the thought provoking question "Can you ever have enough tools?"


The only thought that provokes in me is "stupid question" :lol:



waterhead37":mar01c9f said:


> The chisels are a mere £150 for a set of five. I await your comparative review alongside the LNs.


Hey, if anyone wants to send some along, I don't mind. £150? They've left out the leather roll then? :lol: 

Cheers, Alf


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## Chris Knight (28 Sep 2005)

Actually,
I think Axminster have gone totally bonkers and I do wonder if the show is going to make me laugh or cry, (I shall go to Kempton as well - just in case).

Alongside their butt chisel bargain is a set of three paring chisels for £80 and like the butt chisels these are made from A2 steel. I ask you - paring chisels in A2?? Pre-war paring chisels in cast steel are available everywhere for next to nothing and I can hardly remember when I last sharpened one - I give them a quick strop on my carving tool leather (which seems to be welded to my bench these days). A2 - £80?? Nuts.


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## Philly (28 Sep 2005)

He, he, he! :lol: 
Yeah, my first reaction was "Gadzooks!" :shock: , especially when I saw the price. Tom L-N might get away with it but Axminster........... :roll: 
Cheers
Philly


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## Alf (28 Sep 2005)

waterhead37":2ehbmsws said:


> Pre-war paring chisels in cast steel are available everywhere for next to nothing


I'm in the wrong part of the country again, aren't I? :roll: 



Philly":2ehbmsws said:


> Yeah, my first reaction was "Gadzooks!"


Not really "Gadzooks", Philly? Watch it, any moment now you'll be saying "by jove"... :lol: 

Cheers, Alf


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## CHJ (28 Sep 2005)

waterhead37":2hf2oxy8 said:


> Actually,
> I think Axminster have gone totally bonkers and I do wonder if the show is going to make me laugh or cry, ...snip...



Beginning to wonder myself, by way of diverting the topic a bit, I was down in Bridport yesterday for a pleasant wander along the cliffs and frontage, (the fact that Yandles was on route was but a minor aside).
Met two fellow wood workers whilst putting the world to rights and comparing the health and safety aspects of ships docking and workshop rules.
One of these had just come from a visit to Axminster earlier in the day and was bemoaning the fact that after years of patronage he felt that they were moving out of his league and wondered who was making enough out of woodworking to afford their stock.


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## trevtheturner (29 Sep 2005)

Received my Review mag. today, too, which supposedly contains the latest innovations (not a lot apart from the chisels). The mag. is now in the bin.

Now available - one Preview Day ticket if anybody wants one. (PM me if you do).

Cheers,

Trev.


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## Alf (29 Sep 2005)

Oh dear, Trev, were you really only going to the show for the tools? 

Cheers, Alf (who doesn't)


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## bugbear (29 Sep 2005)

> Pre-war paring chisels in cast steel are available everywhere for next to nothing



I don't think I've ever seen one on offer for under a tenner, which is around 5 times what I normally pay for chisels.

What's "next to nothing" from your p.o.v. ?

BugBear


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## Anonymous (29 Sep 2005)

> Tom L-N might get away with it but Axminster...........


But why not?
I spoke with Tom L-N at Axminster a couple of years back and he said they are incredibly difficult to produce. The price in theory reflects this.
I haven't seen the Review yet, I'm in the workshop testing at the moment, but i'll check it out when i'm back in the office later to see what they look like in comparison.
As far as I know, axminster don't have their own foundry, so someone is making them for them, the steel used is A2, so the same as L-N so in theory, should be of equal performance. The difference, if any, will come from the flatness of the backs, overall finish and fineness of the bevels, but if these meet the same criteria as L-N, why not charge a price reflecting their quality?
OK, you don't have the 'name', but is this a case of tool snobbery rather than seeing a maybe great tool that does it's job but doesn't carry the right mark to be seen in the upper echelons of woodworking?
I always give tools the benefit of the doubt before making a decision, and testing them is where you find their foibles if they have any.
No dig at you Philly, but any tool should be given a chance to prove it can do it before it gets slated in my opinion, although some companies don't help themselves on this front, Stanley planes are a prime example of how the mighty have fallen!

cheers,
Andy
PS. Mind you, I think both L-N and Axminster are very expensive here, some great chisels can be picked up for a fraction of the price. Maybe needing a little more work initially, and more regular visits to the stone, but hey, we're all woodworkers here, and it's part of the game to hone regularly!


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## Aled Dafis (29 Sep 2005)

From what I could see in the catalogue, the bevel seems to be quite deep compared to the LN - Seems like tom has the upper hand again!

I'll definately have a good look at the show however.


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## Adam (29 Sep 2005)

Welcome to the forum Aled.

Adam


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## Alf (29 Sep 2005)

Welcome, Aled.

This is beginning to bug me now; if the Review doesn't come today can someone scan the piccy for me?  

Cheers, Alf


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## Chris Knight (29 Sep 2005)

The bevels do look fat


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## Anonymous (29 Sep 2005)

> The bevels do look fat


Definitely! They also look more like a standard b/e chisel with a flatter bevel. The L-Ns are pretty steep, almost a firmer with the edge knocked off.
The Axminster also look a bit stubbier in usable length to me, and a bit more polished maybe?
A lot of dosh for 5 chisels, as is the L-N, but the L-N do have the edge(!) if first impressions are anything to go by from this scan as they have the finer bevels.

Andy


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## Anonymous (29 Sep 2005)

just noticed from the Axminster blurb that these are butt chisels, so will have shorter blades...
Only beech handles as well.


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## Alf (29 Sep 2005)

Ah Chris, thank you for taking pity  Oh dear, yes those side bevels do look rather agricultural don't they?  Who d'you reckon? Crown as the maker? Polishing is a bit worrying too; wonder what the backs are like... And am I the only one to think the "Victor" brand isn't established at all? It _should_ be by now, but the marketing of it as a _brand_ has been non-existant as far as I can see. 

Cheers, Alf


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## Philly (30 Sep 2005)

Andy
I wasn't discounting them out of hand-when you think of Axminster's own branded tools you don't expect to pay "hand tool snob" prices! :lol: 
The L-N's have been a work in progress for years and the difficulties in manufactoring them legendary-they are flipping expensive but, once you hold one, the perfection of design and making, along with cutting edge performance (yes, that was a pun :roll: ) definitely justifies (almost) the cost. After extended use I still feel the same. Little works of art.....
As you can see from the pics the Victory chisels look a little coarser then the L-N's (and lets face it-direct comparision is what these chisels are about) and stained beech handles? Uuhh..... Memories of delightful, folding edge Crowns..... :wink: 
I would like to see some in the flesh before making a final judgement and,as this is the first picture published of them yes, your right to say lets not discount them out of hand. 
£150 for 5 chisels, though......Have to be an silly person to spend that kinda money on a set of chisels :lol: 
Cheers
silly person :sign3:


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## Alf (30 Sep 2005)

Philly":1kzby6a8 said:


> ...the *Victory* chisels...


See what I mean about the "Victor" brand name impact being non-existant? :wink: :lol: 

Cheers, Alf


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## Aled Dafis (1 Oct 2005)

Thanks for the welcome, I've been hanging around for a while, but was yet to post a reply.

I totally agree, the Victor brand just doesn't cut the mustard (pun intended).

What do Veritas/Lee Valley have up their sleeve as regards chisels A2 or otherwise, Rob Lee must have something on the cards - Rob are you out there?

Come to think of it that's probably not such a good idea as my collection of Veritas tools is increasing at a rapid pace - BUS purchase due at Axminster show, plus possibly some others.  :roll:


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## Philly (25 Nov 2005)

Hi All
See the Victor chisels are on the Axminster website now.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... 2005wk46b&
Pity they weren't at the Axminster show for a looky-feely..... :? 
Philly


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## Mdotflorida (26 Nov 2005)

Aled, welcome to the forum. Carmarthen is only a couple of miles away from me.

Jeff


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