Best vintage Chisels

[Richie555]

This post is partly a bit of fun and partly good info for beginners.
I would like to know what vintage Chisel brands everyone would rank as the best.
You can say the best chisel you have used or you can rank them, the choice is yours.
I don`t have enough experience with old chisels yet to make a valid contribution.

Have fun.

 

[toolsntat]

W.H.Clay
1-1/4" Bevel edge

 

[Jacob]

W.H.Clay
1-1/4" Bevel edge
View attachment 117574

That fine style of chisel turns up quite often but I tend to see them as worn-out paring chisels which originally had blades much longer. Another clue is that they often have replacement handles as this one has, the original probably having been wrecked by many years of use.
Just a guess, I could be wrong.

 

[dannyr]

This was for sale locally last week - cost me all of 50p and both the seller and myself thought it was well worth it for the laugh.

But, more seriously , it was once a much loved Sheffield made chisel and the weird string repair obviously worked for a while as the piece of string over the

top has been beaten well into the wood. When I've finished rehandling and fettling it it will go on for another lifetime

 

[dannyr]

The other bargain bin classic chisel is a lucky dip ------ look for those with a chipped end and covered in paint i.e. used to open a tin of paint then stir it. I recently found a couple of very good Wards of Sheffield well preserved under a thick coat. Boxwood handles, £1 each from different sellers at a flea market.

 

[thetyreman]

ward

 

[Orraloon]

This was for sale locally last week - cost me all of 50p and both the seller and myself thought it was well worth it for the laugh.

But, more seriously , it was once a much loved Sheffield made chisel and the weird string repair obviously worked for a while as the piece of string over theView attachment 117577 top has been beaten well into the wood. When I've finished rehandling and fettling it it will go on for another lifetime

That is actually a great way to get great chisels at little cost. The steel is good and will cleanup well. Got a nice ferrule too for the next handle. I have done up quite a few and made handles for them. The string repair does look like an act of desperation. Dodgy repair aside that is a good example of a good vintage chisel.
Most of my chisels came to me pretty beat up but if you are up for the rehab work then just about anything with Sheffield on it is worth the effort.
Regards
John

 

[Keith 66]

Where do you start? In my collection of favorite users, Paring chisels by Mathesion, James Howarth & sons, Ward, Sorby and others!

 

[workshopted]

W.H.Clay
1-1/4" Bevel edge
View attachment 117574

This is nice one, Andy.

 

[workshopted]

This was for sale locally last week - cost me all of 50p and both the seller and myself thought it was well worth it for the laugh.

But, more seriously , it was once a much loved Sheffield made chisel and the weird string repair obviously worked for a while as the piece of string over theView attachment 117577 top has been beaten well into the wood. When I've finished rehandling and fettling it it will go on for another lifetime

I just love that string repair to the handle, and I'd be inclined to keep it like it is just for the smile.

 

[workshopted]

I'm a bit fickle... When I pick it up this 18 inch by 2 inch Patternmakers paring chisel by Ward & Payne is my favourite... I'm a sucker for boxwood handles.

 

[workshopted]

But when I pick up this James Howarth 16 inch by 1 1/4 inch chisel it becomes my favourite... I'm a sucker for ebony handles.

 

[workshopted]

But Thomas Ibbotson chisels could easily become my new favourites.

 

[workshopted]

But having said that, these 22 inch Moulson Bros could easily become my new favourites. Told you I was fickle... Grin!

 

[johnnyb]

always choose plastic handled sheffield steel. they are simply pragmatic. footprints are my favourite as marples can be a bit hit and miss steelwise.
the red handle is footprint the blue marples. both heavily used. stored in the same place. the footprint is simple high carbon....and much rustler.

 

[johnnyb]

both 20p from the car boot....why would anyone pay more.

 

[D_W]

Ibbotson, ward, i.sorby, nurse, some butcher and some older maples. I'm sure there are others made to a similar standard depending on era.

No clue who actually made the nurse paring chisel that I fished out of the uk.

 

[Richie555]

But having said that, these 22 inch Moulson Bros could easily become my new favourites. Told you I was fickle... Grin!
View attachment 117607

Wow, You have quite an amazing collection there. You have every right to be fickle with those.
Jealous, Moi. No, not at all.

 

[Richie555]

Ibbotson, ward, i.sorby, nurse, some butcher and some older maples. I'm sure there are others made to a similar standard depending on era.

No clue who actually made the nurse paring chisel that I fished out of the uk.

How dare you fish for our chisels lol. I`ve never heard of Nurse.

 

[thetyreman]

the best plane iron I have from an old woody is an i-sorby, takes an amazing edge and seems to last longer for some reason.