Best chisel ever used

[Jacob]

....

I find it funny that Paul Sellers is constantly asserting that the second hand, "plain Jane" tools of out forefathers are more than adequate for fine woodworking, but yet Veritas (and no other contemporary manufacturer) can do no wrong...

Perhaps I'm just cynical...

Liking a particular LV plane is not the same as saying they could do no wrong. For most of us things aren't so cut and dried, which can confuse the faithful!

 

[Reggie]

Also, whilst he has a personal preference for some tools over others, he's not advising anyone to buy them, I think the 22 blog articles on buying cheap honest tools puts it across well.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Slightly tongue in cheek, here, chaps - why is it actively encouraged to collect as many planes as possible, but you're only allowed one chisel?

 

[Trafalgar]

That's just nonsense. What will the LN 1/2" Chisel do that many others won't? I buy a 1/2" chisel but what if I need one at 1/8th?
Seriously. These guys need to keep pumping this sh*t out to justify themselves.

When you NEED a 1/8" you go out and buy it. Chances are you probably won't need it anytime soon (as a beginner). You can indeed do a lot of work with just a 1/2".

Me, I'm very happy with my small selection of 5 Koyamaichi chisels. That was a treat to myself. But I use 1/4 and 3/4 the most, and a wider one (around 1.5") for all kinds of paring tasks. But I also dig my Sorby paring chisels and my small set of Swedish chisels and the odd Bahco for rough carpentry work etc etc. But I am a collector.

Reggie, what makes you think CS is sponsored by Lee Valley?

Absolute nonsense. A LN Chisel currently costs £60. You can buy 3 or 4 very decent chisels for that money. So (as a beginner) what am I supposed to do if I happen to need a 1/8 th and a 1 inch? Wait until I've saved enough pennies until I can afford one? Why stop at chisels? You can't possibly do any woodwork with a £60 saw can you. You MUST have a premium Wenzloff. Oh and forget anything else BUT a LN or Veritas Plane. It could be a decade before a beginner gets to pick up a Varnish brush. What's more how on earth do you or Shwarz know which sizes I need? I might be doing any one of the many specialised woodworking 'trades'.
To be honest he's spouting such bad advice he's a joke. I'm shocked you agree with him. Then again he's obviously on a handsome income and he can afford all the premium tools he wants. . . unless he gets them free.
In the real world Mr. Shwarz some folk don't have that kind of money. They just want to do a bit of woodwork thankyou very much. Somehow I can't help thinking it's all riddled with self interest. Which is pretty sad considering he's part of the woodworking fraternity who dish out the advice. How about gaining a bit of self respect and advising beginners to choose wisely according to their budget? Perhaps that kind of sensible advice doesn't do much for the bank balance of Mr. Shwarz.

Truth.

 

[RogerP]

It perhaps doesn't apply so much to chisels but with other tools such as planes and saws there can be night and day in performance between very similar looking products.

When I first started woodworking as a hobby I had no means to judge a tool. No mates or family with the knowledge – just what I could read in books. I spent some time fettling my small (but ever growing) collection of tools. I taught myself to set and sharpen saws and to grind and hone planes and chisels. But I had no standard by which to judge my efforts. I could tell that my tools were working – they cut and planed, but how much better could they be. What would an expert make of them?

So eventually I decided to buy an expensive plane and an expensive saw to get some sort of benchmark.

I was very pleased to find that my efforts were acceptable, if fact quite good. There was little if any difference in performance between my fettled car-boot tools and the big name's products. Except the bubinga and brass knobs.

 

[Jacob]

...the handle is supremely comfortable, ......

I like that idea. Supremely comfortable chisel in one hand, cup of cocoa in the other, and leave all your troubles behind.

 

[Keith 66]

I have a selection of favorite Chisels, all secondhand. In no paricular order, Mathesion of Glasgow ! 1/8" paring chisel, 1 1/2" Hearnshaw bros (John Bull brand) paring chisel, A Sorby paring chisel, a big 1 1/2" Mathesion socket firmer that looked like it had been used for breaking rocks. All but a few have new boxwood handles from a tree i had to cut down in our garden years ago. All of them have long blades & take a decent edge.

 

[G S Haydon]

Following on from the best and worst planes used and after reading this blog

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodw ... l-monogamy

I'm hoping this page will create some lively well natured debate and interesting posts.

Mr Scharz now advises newbies like myself to buy just one premium 1/2" chisel and learn how to use it and sharpen it. Then add more as funds and needs allow but don't go overboard.

His old advice was buy old and buy with care. Well I bought old and bought with luck and now have a wide selection of chisels and to name drop a few include Marples, Sorby, Ward, Stormont and even a few Addis for fine work.

So what do you think carboot, ebay or premium and what's your favourite ????

Never used a new or premium chisel and I'm a newbie so my opinion doesn't really count but my current favourite is an old unbranded
Sheffield made 1/4" with a brass ferrule and a handle that looks like it was turned yesterday.

As long as it's sharp for general joinery nearly anything goes. The only chisel I have bought and disliked was a wide BACHO, never again. Horribly sharp edges where the blade joins the handle.

 

[bugbear]

The only chisel I have bought and disliked was a wide BACHO, never again. Horribly sharp edges where the blade joins the handle.

If there's one thing (most) people agree on here, it's that making a sharp edge round and blunt is not at all difficult!

BugBear

 

[J_SAMa]

Following on from the best and worst planes used and after reading this blog

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodw ... l-monogamy

I'm hoping this page will create some lively well natured debate and interesting posts.

Mr Scharz now advises newbies like myself to buy just one premium 1/2" chisel and learn how to use it and sharpen it. Then add more as funds and needs allow but don't go overboard.

His old advice was buy old and buy with care. Well I bought old and bought with luck and now have a wide selection of chisels and to name drop a few include Marples, Sorby, Ward, Stormont and even a few Addis for fine work.

So what do you think carboot, ebay or premium and what's your favourite ????

Never used a new or premium chisel and I'm a newbie so my opinion doesn't really count but my current favourite is an old unbranded
Sheffield made 1/4" with a brass ferrule and a handle that looks like it was turned yesterday.

As long as it's sharp for general joinery nearly anything goes. The only chisel I have bought and disliked was a wide BACHO, never again. Horribly sharp edges where the blade joins the handle.

My Bahco isn't bad. First chisel I ever bought. Handle's a bit heavy and the steel is too hard for a paring angle, but lovely edge-retention when sharpened at 35 degrees.
I guess Bahco's belong in contractors' toolboxes?

Sam

 

[bugbear]

As long as it's sharp for general joinery nearly anything goes. The only chisel I have bought and disliked was a wide BACHO, never again. Horribly sharp edges where the blade joins the handle.

My Bahco isn't bad.
Sam

Bahco is a big, old company, It's entirely plausible that quality has varied over time (most likely mainly downwards).

BugBear

 

[J_SAMa]

As long as it's sharp for general joinery nearly anything goes. The only chisel I have bought and disliked was a wide BACHO, never again. Horribly sharp edges where the blade joins the handle.

My Bahco isn't bad.
Sam

Bahco is a big, old company, It's entirely plausible that quality has varied over time (most likely mainly downwards).

BugBear

Strange thing is I bought it at a home center last year...
Guess I got lucky and picked up an exceptional one :wink:

 

[G S Haydon]

It was one of the wide options, think it was 38mm. Yes, I could of adapted it but my irwin/marples don't have the same problem and a set of seven is only £40>50. I like the blue handled BACHO 244 hardpoint though. Always in the site box ;-)

 

[Jelly]

Stanley "unbreakable" black and yellow resin handled chisel, not sure what type, i have a pair ground into skews (one in each direction).

Absolutely wouldn't be without them.