# Chisels : Paring



## EdK (1 Feb 2008)

I was after a couple of chisels for paring and was wondering what sizes you guys found most useful.
Also any recommendations on make?

I've read here that the Sorby ones are good ?

Thanks for any advice.
Ed


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## Philly (1 Feb 2008)

Ed
I have a couple of Japanese parers from Axminster, 12mm and 19mm. They hold an edge for ages and are a pleasure to use.
Hope this helps
Philly


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## MarcW (1 Feb 2008)

Hi Ed,

I have two Sorbies, one paring one bench chisel. I love the bench chisel to pare. Good ground geometry, very scarce. Very sturdy boxwood handle.

If you go for japanese paring chisels, take care of Iyorois, problems with the sole could arouse. Nonetheless I have a set of bench chisels, they are splendid. They have a good reputation, but in the past - just with paring chisels...


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## Karl (1 Feb 2008)

Ed

Like Philly, I too have the APTC Japanese paring chisels - but i've got 3 !

I find them excellent, as are the dovetail chisels they sell, but that isn't what you asked.....

Cheers

Karl


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## Tony Zaffuto (1 Feb 2008)

I've got a couple of Sorby's--3/8" and 3/4". Seem to use the 3/4" quite often and the 3/8" not so much. The Sorby's I have take and hold a decent edge, at least for the material I work--cherry, white oak and the likes.

T.Z.


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## johnnyb (1 Feb 2008)

i have some old sheffield parers and these are thin and lovely to use although not great on edge holding.


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## Wiley Horne (1 Feb 2008)

I have a set of 'smalls'--3mm up to 12mm--for paring to the dovetail baseline. Then the next most useful after those is a 30mm or 36mm for general use. These are all Japanese--Imai and Tasai and Funahiro. The Funahiro is especially useful in the wider sizes, because of its handle clearance, which is a bit more than the others. 

I also have a 9mm fishtail that for some reason gets used for a million things.

12-13" total length is very good, and 14 isn't too much (IMO of course).

Wiley


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## head clansman (2 Feb 2008)

HI GUYS 

I have always used Marple's chisel all my working life , i have nearly complete set in mortise chisels, firmer chisel, and bevel edge chisel ,all of them with box wood handles all bar for about four chisel which i'm still looking for them .

My set of paring chisel also with boxwood handles sizes are 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4" 1&1/4" still looking for a 1" paring chisel


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## Scott (4 Feb 2008)

I'd advise you to steer clear of Iyoroi paring chisels. There's a thread somewhere way back where David Charlesworth explains the production process that causes them to warp/bend/move. I posted a pic of one of mine (25mm I think). Apologies for not trawling for it but I'm on a laptop/mobile at the mo.

Anyway, my other Iyorois weren't too bad but I haven't used them for a long time. Dug one out on Saturday (19mm) and I could see by looking at it that it was bent. Put a ruler against it and it's like a banana! Obviously the warping comtinues over a considerable period of time.

Cheers


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## EdK (14 Feb 2008)

Was just ordering some tools from CHT and noticed the Blue Spruce paring chisels... these look good - nice A2 etc but aren't sold individually.

In the future I might get the whole set but not now. But anyway - anyone got an opinion on these ? Does handle material make much difference ? I see they come in quite a choice.

THink I will go and order a single Sorby 3/4" to have a play with 

Cheers
Ed


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## pam niedermayer (14 Feb 2008)

My absolute favorite paring chisel is a Tasai ultra thin, 30mm, simply exquisite. Next favorite is a Tasai custom made 9mm bachi nomi (fishtail more or less). You can get these from Iida (http://www.japantool-iida.com/ ).

Pam


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## Digit (14 Feb 2008)

I've got Sorby chisels from 3/16 to 3/4 and they are marvelous.
Pound each at a car boot, reckon I got a real bargain.

Roy.


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## Jake (14 Feb 2008)

I reckon you did!

I have a collection of oddies from Ebay, and I reckon they must have averaged out somewhere between £5 and £10 each.


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## Digit (14 Feb 2008)

I had to sharpen them! :lol: :lol: 

Roy.


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## Jake (14 Feb 2008)

Umm, so did I!


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## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (15 Feb 2008)

I like the Blue Spruce chisels for fine detail paring. The most used sizes are 1/8" and 1/4", and then probably the custom 3/4". I do have 3/8" and 1/2" ones as well.

I also really like the Hideo Iyoroi slicks I bought from Peter. These hold a superb edge. Their length gives the extra leverage I need with very hard wood when using 3/4', 1" and 1 1/4" widths. 

Although I have some quite wide chisels (up to 2"), I am not a fan of wide paring chisels. My Bergs, for example, go up to 1 1/4", and this is really as wide as I prefer to go. Partly it is that the wood is too hard to push through, and partly the chisels lose their feel of delicacy at this point. 

Regards from Perth

Derek


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## pam niedermayer (15 Feb 2008)

Derek, wider paring chisels are real handy for making wooden planes, in my case Japanese versions. These are made from pretty hard oak, but I've never had a problem pushing with the Tasai. Perhaps this is what "ultra thin" is all about?

Pam


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## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (15 Feb 2008)

Oh dear pam, looks like I will not now be at peace until I have tried a Tasai.  

Regards from Perth

Derek


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## Philly (15 Feb 2008)

Pam
Do you pare the full bed width in one go?
Philly


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## Racers (15 Feb 2008)

Hi,

After a particular size? then make your own













Pete


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## pam niedermayer (15 Feb 2008)

Derek Cohen (Perth said:


> Oh dear pam, looks like I will not now be at peace until I have tried a Tasai.



Yep, time to email Tomohito, or maybe So.

Pam


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## pam niedermayer (15 Feb 2008)

Philly":38w4l83y said:


> Pam
> Do you pare the full bed width in one go?
> Philly



Not usually, but I get about half of the larger standard sizes. I suppose I could buy a 70 mm thin chisel, but that's impractical and certainly not necessary.

Pam


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## EdK (15 Feb 2008)

Thanks for all the info - Pete I reckon that is a bit beyond me and I normally just sling a few burgers on the barbie !

The Japanese ones sound good but I went for a sorby 3/4" to start with.

Am I right in thinking that the LieNelsen bench chisels with a longer paring handle are a compromise ? No doubt that they are nice chisels but I was wondering if it was better to keep the standard handle and look for a dedicated paring chisel ?

Ed


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## David C (15 Feb 2008)

Ed,

I find the chisels work very well for paring and chopping.

I just have some long handles and change over as required...!

You can turn your own handles, any shape, to suit your taste.

David


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## EdK (16 Feb 2008)

Thanks David - I know that you are a proponent of this approach )perhaps the instigator ?!) but was wondering what the historical reason was then for longer thinner chisels ?

How do say a Blue Spruce paring chisel compare to the LN's with long handle ? 

More flex in the thinner longer paring chisel ? Guess I'll find out when the Sorby arrives 

Cheers Ed


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## David C (17 Feb 2008)

Yes thank you Ed,

It was my idea and Bob Seymour, Photographer and Windsor chairmaker friend, turned the original prototype ;-)

http://www.appledorecraftscompany.co.uk/bs.html

http://www.dolessandseymour.co.uk

The L-N with long handle becomes very similar to a Japanese long paring chisel.

The traditional Sheffield long Paring chisel has a much longer and thinner blade. I am not particularly knowledgable on History, but guess that the length might have been essential in the Patternmaking shop, where some of the work would have been of considerable size.

best wishes,
David


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## Woody Alan (17 Feb 2008)

I have just been fitting some oak skirting using the screw and plug method. I flush cut the plugs with a "flush cutting bendy saw" and "pare the plugs flush with a LN chisel. They are only just long enough blades for this and it's only a 5" skirting, and that's if it is done directly from above. So I see a very real use for a long blade parer but don't have one :-(










Alan


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## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (17 Feb 2008)

Alan

For that job you want either a chisel plane or cranked paring chisels. Or even a block plane.

Regards from Perth

Derek


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## Woody Alan (17 Feb 2008)

> For that job you want either a chisel plane or cranked paring chisels. Or even a block plane



Derek with respect certainly not a block plane it would be too easy to mark the surface around the hole and I have already prefinished the wood. I tried a chisel plane and with the oak there is a real problem with tearout because it hits flush. With a chisel I can do controlled sideways actions to gradually reduce the material. Cranked parer yes that would work and get the handle further away from the wall.

Alan


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## David C (18 Feb 2008)

Some Japanese long paring chisels have enough lift in the handle to clear a wide surface, but by no means all....

David


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## Anonymous (18 Feb 2008)

EdK":nwk4dlrt said:


> How do say a Blue Spruce paring chisel compare to the LN's with long handle ?



I have both (the Blue Spruce have short handles) and both are superb althoguh the Blue Spruce possible take a slightly sharper edge as far as I can tell.

For control, I love the long handled LNs


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## EdK (20 Feb 2008)

Right.... I have the Sorby 3/4" and sharpened and flattened it last night. Surprisingly not too flat on the back.

I was paring a 12mm deep trench in part of my stairs and noticed that the edge breaks down quite fast. 

Perhaps this is my poor technique - I was chopping straight down and then with very little pressure leavering out the last mil or so. I've done this with an LN bench chisel and the edge was fine for two sides of a staircase (undercutting a bit as I wanted a tight fit) - the Sorby lasted about five minutes before the edge started chipping...

Guess it's my poor technique and I shouldn't lever the last bit but I guess if I stuck to A2 steel (long handled LN or BSpuce paring) I might get away with more 'abuse'.

Hmmm... interesting though and the long paring blade is defininetly more comfortable than messing about with bench chisels (for me at least).

Cheers
Ed


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## pam niedermayer (20 Feb 2008)

EdK":37uwwz9q said:


> Right.... I have the Sorby 3/4" and sharpened and flattened it last night. Surprisingly not too flat on the back.
> 
> I was paring a 12mm deep trench in part of my stairs and noticed that the edge breaks down quite fast.
> 
> Perhaps this is my poor technique - I was chopping straight down and then with very little pressure leavering out the last mil or so. I've done this with an LN bench chisel and the edge was fine for two sides of a staircase (undercutting a bit as I wanted a tight fit) - the Sorby lasted about five minutes before the edge started chipping......



This is not paring. You need to choose another chisel type.

Pam


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## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (21 Feb 2008)

Ed

I agree with Pam - that is chopping not paring. I understand paring to involve pushing rather than using a hammer. 

Try a mortice chisel, or even a firmer type. Not a Japanese chisel, please - you want something that you can lever chips.

Regards from Perth

Derek


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## EdK (21 Feb 2008)

Hi Derek & Pam - should have clarified that ! I cut the trench with a router and then wanted to trim a tiny tiny tiny amount out for a very slight undercut - so I used a paring chisel without a hammer naturally !

I guess this is paring ? 

If I hadn't have used the router then yes I would have gone for a mortise chisel maybe and a hand router to tidy up.

It's a Sorby (English) rather than a Japanese chisel.
Cheers
Ed


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