Chisels

[Mikegtr]

I am about to buy a set of decent chisels---I have a few chisels, old, worn, 'odds & ends' time I bought a decent set. Can you recommend a make that is not to expensive?

Anybody tried the 'Rider' chisels--around £35 a set of 5?
Is it really worth buying a more expensive set? I am a hobbyist not a pro.

Where can I buy small blade 1/16"--- 1/8" --- 3/16---1/4" chisels?

Many thanks.

 

[Petey83]

Not tried the Rider but have had Narex 8116 bevel edge bench chisels and they were decent for the money.

If you want to spend a bit more I highly recommend Ashley Iles as a good entry level "premium" chisel. I have 6 of the American latter butt chisels and I absolutely adore them (and I've owned LN chisels before)

Don't stress a set to much if you know what you use. A set us great of you want a selection and don't have a really formed idea of the sizes you use most.

Also don't discount the older chisels. Whilst all of my chisels are new I'd not fear buying vintage now I've got a bench grinder.

 

[sunnybob]

Bear in mind that only the very best new chisels will have steel as good as the 50 year or older chisels you already have.

New handles will add greatly to the appearance of "worn out" oldies. :roll: 8)

 

[MikeG.]

Yep, buy some suitable old ones, or fix yours up. It will cost less than buying a new set, and like as not be substantially better.

 

[sunnybob]

Hey Mike, are you impressed? :shock:
A sensible contribution to a chisel thread =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> 8)

 

[MikeG.]

:lol: =D> Yep, very. Threats obviously work...

 

[sunnybob]

Only for as long as my memory retains them :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[woodbloke66]

I am about to buy a set of decent chisels---I have a few chisels, old, worn, 'odds & ends' time I bought a decent set. Can you recommend a make that is not to expensive?

Anybody tried the 'Rider' chisels--around £35 a set of 5?
Is it really worth buying a more expensive set? I am a hobbyist not a pro.

Where can I buy small blade 1/16"--- 1/8" --- 3/16---1/4" chisels?

Many thanks.

As stated below, I have no affiliation of any sort with Axminster, but the 'Rider' chisels are one of the best (IMO) hand tool products they make. They're made by Narex but have a much better handle which is made from hornbeam and lightly oiled; the original Narex handle(s) is a nasty, clunky thing.
The ferule is stainless steel and there's also a leather shock absorbing washer fitted; for a moderately priced set of chisels, they're very hard to beat - Rob

 

[That would work]

I would look out for a set of either marples blue chip or Stanley.
Used obviously. I've got some and also others including older makes and I can say without doubt they are as good.

 

[user22161]

Paul Sellers says - "I have used four chisel sizes made for the Aldi food chain for over five years and found them to work as well as the best I own. They cost £8 per set of four".
https://paulsellers.com/2014/08/which-c ... d-you-buy/

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Neither Aldi nor Lidl have stocked them for about four years.

 

[Hornbeam]

Think about handle shape and what you like and also how they will be used (hand, light mallet, serious force)
For general bench chisels I would recommend buying bevel edge chisels. Many manufacturers dont seem to go smaller than 6mm / 1/4 inch.
Better to buy less but better quality as you can always add to them later
I use mainly Sorby and they go down to 1/8th
Ashley Isles are a bit cheaper and they go down to 1/16th but they are very fragile
I also have a couple of old unbranded chisels about 2mm which are much stronger
For most work you wont need less than 1/4 inch
Ian

 

[Max Power]

I've never seen a 1/16th chisel, what would you use it for ?

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I've never seen a 1/16th chisel, what would you use it for ?

They're certainly not common, but they do exist. Vintage 'firmer' chisels were made down to 1/16" (nominal), and Bristol Design used to offer a 2mm chisel when they still supplied their own make of bevel-edged chisels. Ashley Iles currently offer a 1/16" 'dovetail chisel' - and a fine and delicate thing it is, too.

https://www.ashleyilestoolstore.co.uk/c ... ail-chisel

Used for fine work (obviously!) on such items as tiny drawers for jewellery cases, cleaning up sinkings for inlays, grooves for stringing and such like. Model-making too, most likely.

Edit to add;

The 1909 Edward Preston catalogue lists Cast Steel Firmer Chisels, 1/16" unhandled, at 4/3 per dozen, 6/9 per dozen for handled with ash or beech handles, and 9/6 per dozen if fitted with octagonal London pattern boxwood handles. They offered the same bevel-edged at about 4/- per dozen more than firmers, too - though how you put a bevelled edge on a 1/16" chisel without pretty much grinding it out of existence I'm not sure!

 

[D_W]

Paul Sellers says - "I have used four chisel sizes made for the Aldi food chain for over five years and found them to work as well as the best I own. They cost £8 per set of four".
https://paulsellers.com/2014/08/which-c ... d-you-buy/

that's fun for a gimmick, but those chisels were sold by harbor freight here long before aldi sold them (and then HF switched to much worse chisels, probably because they're cheaper)...

they're not "as good as the best paul owns" if he has any older or good chisels. For the cost, they are great, but I don't understand the need to exaggerate how good they are. They're usable and perfectly capable when generally for the price, you'd be surprised if they are even hardened.

Somehow, paul seems to miss in another blog post, he mentions some old chisels that he's never found a match for. I guess it's whatever you want to say any given day when you're pressed to make blog posts to promote your online content.

 

[Ttrees]

For regular chisels, as long as the steel is somewhat alright then I would be spending my money on some other tools that you need.

Don't bother buying a set if you already have some as they will hopefully do the same job,
just as long as they are not half the length they used to be, and get sharp.
As long as the handles are not loose...
As long as the handles are in line with the blade, be it cranked or not.
I have a Stanley set of 5 I think, and I only use two of them...these have cranked handles more suited for paring 90 precent of the time.
(one handle is loose in the set that I know of)
I use the same(ish) size narrow chisel but a Tesco brand for hitting, as the handle isn't cranked which transfers the force more than the cranked.
I don't use any of the other non cranked set.
Not saying that I would go out and find a non cranked chisel if I lost this one though.

What's wrong with the ones you have?

I am a bit sceptical of graduated sized handles being that desirable.
I was paring the walls of a mortise the other day and it was slipping about in me hands...
Was thinking I would have to get some hurley tape for the job.
That could mean the handles might be too thick...
I wouldn't have an issue grinding the handles on these ones if I really needed to.

Only put a big nick on my wide parer recently, honing on the edge of the stone, its tricky not to!
That might hurt if it were a fancy brand.

If I ever see the day where I were to use fancy stuff only, then I would need to get a better system for keeping my oilstones flat.
I aint keen on flattening them without a tool getting sharp in the process.
Surprised that I haven't seen someone try the possible solution that I'm thinking of...
An adjustable height oilstone :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

Proper faffery!
All the best

Tom

 

[thetyreman]

the original Narex handle(s) is a nasty, clunky thing.

not wrong there :lol: that's why I recently re-shaped all of mine, it's a shame because the steel is pretty good especially for the money.