Any opinions on Rutland's square mortise chisels?

[graduate_owner]

Hi all,
I recently asked about Record chisels, but today Rutland are offering 4 chisels for £29.95.
Anyone with any experience of these? Could these be just too cheap?

K

 

[Jacob]

What is 'too cheap'?
Chisels are about the simplest tools you can buy and all virtually faultless at any price.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Mortice chisels might be, but morticer chisels aren't.

 

[Jacob]

Right - I didn't spot that. I'd still give them a go at that price. You haven't got to do much work to get your money's worth!

 

[Glynne]

Not brilliant. I bought a set a few years ago.
You can sharpen the chisel reasonably well but the augers leave a lot to be desired.
It all depends on how much morticing you need to do.
I think Custard posted something on sharpening them?

 

[graduate_owner]

Thanks Glynne.
I think I will go for a Record chisel, just one, and see how I get on with that. £20 looks like a reasonable compromise between cost and quality.

K

 

[Trevanion]

I do wonder whether all the cheaper-end ones are made in the same factory, can't be that many factories making them anymore. I do remember reading somewhere that there was just the Harima factory and one other in China that still made them but that might be wrong.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I suspect that at the cheaper end at least the main difference is the finish. I have iirc Screwfix ones which have proved to be perfectly adequate for my uses after sharpening and polishing.

 

[Jacob]

If in doubt buy the cheapest. Seems to work. I've only ever had one major dud - a Faithful No 10 plane which was beyond use.
On the other hand if you spend 10 times as much and ask yourself what you are getting for the money the answer is usually not a lot. Better finish and nicer looking seem to be the main things.

 

[graduate_owner]

Turns out the Record chisels are 13/16 shank so won't fit. If my engineering friend can bore out my 3/4" to 13/16 then I will go for Record.

K