Chisel set: range of sizes

[EdK]

Right, I've decided to buy some chisels and money is no object... Just kidding but I am looking to buy for life rather than upgrade so I've been looking at the LN chisel set (5 chisels: 1/8 - 1/4 - 3/8 - 1/2 - 3/4) but don't know whether it is better to buy them individually. ie what sizes would you recommend for someone starting out with no chisels so far?

Thought I'd augment this set with some paring chisels and some mortise ones too (again the LN ones). Same problem... should I get all of the mortise ones and all the paring ones (I'll think about money later.... minor details).

So I guess to summarise in an ideal world what range of chisels would you want ?

Are LN the best for all three areas (bevel/mortise/paring) or are there better mortise manufacturers for example?

Any advice gratefully accepted... off to get those bank schematics now...

Ed

 

[Philly]

Ed
The L-N chisels are great - I have never regretted buying mine. They will take a heck of a battering and still hold a keen edge.
Which should you buy? The set of five is a good start, and you will be surprised how often you reach for them.
As for mortise chisels - get yourself a 1/4 and 3/8. Should cover most of the mortises you cut in furniture making.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[Calpol]

I started woodwork in 2005 and the most used ones are 3/8", 1/2" and a wider one for paring and clearing waste quickly, I like the 1" one for that. Everybody is probably different though, that's me speaking as a fairly newbie. I use a 1/4" every so often as well

 

[dirtydeeds]

i use 4mm up to 32mm

4, 6, 8mm specialised use mainly in window repairs

10, 12 window repair work and small ironmongery

16, 18, 25 used mostly for ironmongery mortices and pockets

32 used almost exclusivly for butt hinges

 

[woodbloke]

Ed
The L-N chisels are great - I have never regretted buying mine. They will take a heck of a battering and still hold a keen edge.
Which should you buy? The set of five is a good start, and you will be surprised how often you reach for them.
As for mortise chisels - get yourself a 1/4 and 3/8. Should cover most of the mortises you cut in furniture making.
Hope this helps
Philly

Agree with Philly here, the LN chisels are very good...I also use all of them including the very smallest one for the pins of narrow d/ts. Mortice chisel choice is also a good one, 'specially for furniture making tho' I might be inclined to go for a 1/2" as well, but the 1/4 and 3/8 ought to cover most of your needs - Rob

 

[PaulO]

Same problem... should I get all of the mortise ones and all the paring ones (I'll think about money later.... minor details).

I have the LN bevel edge set, and a couple of mortise chisels. The paring chisels are the same as the bevel edge chisels, but with a different handle. As the handles just tap onto a taper, you can easily get someone with a lathe to make a paring handle, then you can just exchange the standard handle for a paring one when you need it.

 

[Pekka Huhta]

I'd say that stopping at 3/4" will be a problem, or at least would be for me. I seem to reach always for the biggest chisel that fits to the space and regularly trim pieces with a 1½" or even 2" chisel. It is a personal preference as well, but I would never get a set with the biggest chisel under 1"

I don't think you should go for two almost identical sets at the same time (bevel edge/paring), as the difference is on the handles only. I would get a completely different set for the second one as it's always handy to be able to choose from different chisels.

I have old #20 Everlasts as the hammering set and then old bevel edges for paring. The bevel edges are a "Mr. Heinz set: 57 varieties", but still work relatively nice although the steel isn't similar on all of them.

Pekka

 

[EdK]

Thanks for all the advice - I'll look at getting some over 1" ... don't LN make any larger ones? What other large chisels would you recommend brand wise. My dad has a nice large old Marples chisel but insists on keeping it ...

I think I will be spending somecash over the years on tools so is it better to try and bargain for a larger order? ie alot of financial pain in one short sharp shock but you get a good deal and then have all the tools you might need for a basic set up?

Also looking to get a plane or two and some hand saws....

Off topic but have little indoor room for making stuff - have a small spare bedroom... how many of you work mostly with hand tools in small rooms in winter but outside in summer so as not to peeess off the neighbours?

My house is 5m wide with a small garden at the back and neighbours all around - I've had power tools running while rennovating it but hate to as I'm sure it is damn noisy for them...

Been reading that collection of articles by David C, Chris Schwartz and Cherubini etc (Popular Woodworking book... something hand tools) - have some power tools and access to others so considering primary handtool route... or is this mad?!

Cheers
Ed

 

[dirtydeeds]

there is nothing mad about going the handtool route if you are not doing it for a living

always buy the best you can afford, but if you are looking at LN you already know that quailty doesnt come is the same box as cheap

its one of the reasons your dad wont pass on his chisels just yet, they wernt cheap when he bought them

 

[EdK]

Thanks for all the advice.

Think I will go for the bevel set (5) and at least 3 of the mortise ones (worth getting all 5 mortise ones?).
Think I will leave the paring ones for now and see which ones from the bevel set I end up usingfor paring the most and maybe buy a few in the future.

So where the LN end (1") where should I look ? Keen to get some larger chisels of comparable 'lifetime/buy-once' quality.

1 - worth getting 3 or 5 mortising LN chisels?
2 - extending LN bevel set to larger sizes: which makes to look at?

Cheers for excellent info
Ed

 

[Philly]

Ed
Lie-Nielsen will be introducing the larger sizes soon I hear.
As for Mortise chisels - get a couple and then add them as you need 'em.
Cheers
Philly

 

[Joel Moskowitz]

Good lord!
You want to buy a set of chisels for life before you actually have them at hand. If you live in England I cannot imagine why you would not get real paring chisels and real mortise chisels. Since money doesn't seem to be an issue just pay a dealer for ones in great shape. I would not trade my C 1900 Sorby paring chisels for anything. Long, with just a little flex. such a pleasure.
Mortise chisels - real oval bolstered ones are such a pleasure to use. Why buy a sash mortise chisel?
Bench chisels are more problematic because there are so many good choices out there. Buy what feels good in the hand.

But don't get them all at once, get them as you need them so you can learn what you like and grow into it.

 

[bugbear]

I'd say that stopping at 3/4" will be a problem, or at least would be for me. I seem to reach always for the biggest chisel that fits to the space and regularly trim pieces with a 1½" or even 2" chisel. It is a personal preference as well, but I would never get a set with the biggest chisel under 1"

I alway use the smallest chisel that's usuable; I find the decreased force required improves control.

So I guess it's a preference thing.

BugBear

 

[Pekka Huhta]

I'd say that stopping at 3/4" will be a problem, or at least would be for me. I seem to reach always for the biggest chisel that fits to the space and regularly trim pieces with a 1½" or even 2" chisel. It is a personal preference as well, but I would never get a set with the biggest chisel under 1"

I alway use the smallest chisel that's usuable; I find the decreased force required improves control.

I use sharpening to decrease the required force But sure, it's a preference thing. I have gone to wider and wider chisels over time, previously I used smaller ones much more.

But I fully agree with Joel about not getting too much at the same time. I have changed my ways of working a lot during the past 10 years and really, no-one else can tell you what you actually need. The discussion above proves it already, some like them wide and some narrow.

The LN bevel set will be a good place to start from, that's for sure. You could even get 2-3 mortice chisels as well, but it depends on how much mortising you do. None this far? Buy only one, or perhaps two. If you have done it a bit you already know which sizes you would like to use. I'd say quarter inch and 3/8 would be a good choice for me.

Or then buy a bit of history and get something from the antique tool dealers. Apart from the odd electric tools I have, I guess mostly all of my tools are older than me.

Pekka

 

[pam niedermayer]

I agree with Joel's advice.

Pam

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I have a bunch of vintage Oval Bolstered Mortice Chisels (or English Bolstered Chisels, as Joel terms them), but recently had the yen to get one of the modern D2 Ray Iles versions. Having heard so much about their durability, I have been curious to see how they hold up in Aussie hardwoods.

Ray Iles 1/4" in the middle, flanked by 1/4" and 1/2" Wards...

The short test run of the two 1/4" chisels in some hard Jarrah produced super performance from both. In this very brief time (half a mortice each), I could not tell the difference.

Time will tell which edge lasts longer, and by how much.

Thanks Joel!

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[EdK]

Thanks for all the help and advice.
Got a price for the 5 x LN's (£143) so will go with them for a start and rein back on the rest of my lemming like purchase strategy (or lack thereof).

Joel and Derek - hadn't thought of that - thanks and nice pictures Derek.

I inherited a Sorby cast iron chisel (I think cast) but it is in really rough condition... will have to dig it out and see if it is worth repairing.

Joel - yes, I know it sounds like madness but I live on an island and the nearest they have to chisels are about £5 each with plastic handles in one of the three shops here. So will be buying unseen and unhandled... crazy I know but what can you do...
Thanks Philly, PaulO, pam, woodbloke and everyone else - good advice.

Cheers
Ed

 

[AndrewP]

Hi Ed
As someone else with limited experience, I too was tempted to throw money at woodworking in an attempt to get great results, I forgot the one key limiting factor . . . ME.

I have since found it much more useful to go the more measured route, while still buying great tools when I do buy. As an example I bought a LN low angled Jack (which by the way is the dogs dangley bits) using it is teaching me how to plane (even the best tools don't do the job by themselves) and I am getting to know exactly what it can do. When I find out what it won't do so well, I will know exactly what I want to buy next.

I like to think of it as being respectful, being able to give the time and attention to develop a relationship with each of my new tools, just as great tools deserve.

Hope this helps

Andrew

 

[Joel Moskowitz]

Joel - yes, I know it sounds like madness but I live on an island and the nearest they have to chisels are about £5 each with plastic handles in one of the three shops here. So will be buying unseen and unhandled... crazy I know but what can you do...

Cheers
Ed

I live on an island too (Manahttan). When I was buying tools I bought loads of stuff from England, paid top dollar too. I have never regretted it. I bought sight unseen from reputable dealers who if I didn't like something let me return it.

 

[EdK]

Good point AndrewP, I was forgetting the basic laws of the world (can't buy skills).

I emailed Ray Iles to see if he would sell me a couple of his fine oval/english bolstered mortise chisels but no reply. Is the only place to get them from toolsforworkingwood?

Happy to buy from there (Joel's shop ?) but am not sure about the logistics of this and ideally happier to buy them from England (rather than bounce them across the pond and back).

Going for the LN 5 set with toolroll and a one inch LN extra one.