Narex Chisels - lots of photos

[Modernist]

A thread beset with unexpected twists and turns - but at least the OP has identified the route to good quality, sharp chisels.

 

[Jacob]

stop it! you're all confusing me :lol:

i don't know which is the back, front, face or side now :roll:

That (sadly) probably means you've understood correctly!

"flat side" and "bevel side" are a little long, but not prone to misunderstanding.

BugBear

Just remember "Face/Flat Back/Bevel" and you need never get it wrong again!

 

[woodbloke]

Ah well, change of plan - after looking at them for a while and comparing them to my Pfeil carving tools, I've decided to return them. At the end of the day, i just didn't like the look of them and the machining seemed a little rough and ready. They probably are the best tools in this price range but I think I'd rather pay a few pounds more per chisel and get something nicer. I'm keeping the 6mm as I'd used it on a test piece.

Workshopheaven have been good about it, and I've ordered an Ashley Iles 1" chisel to have a look at.

Now this I find odd. I don't doubt for a second that the machining was a little rough, in fact in one the pics the ground surface looks little better than a ploughed field. What's odd is that some time ago, Matt asked me to review the mortise chisels for F&C which I gladly did for him and the finish on the blades was superb...far better than the ones shown in your pics and I couldn't really fault the chisels in any way (at that price, which was under a tenner each) Clearly something untoward has happened with the manufacturing process so it would be interesting to see if future chisels from Narex display the same poor finish - Rob

 

[knappers]

I don't know my "back side" from my elbow!

Si.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I bought some Narex cabinetmakers chisels from Classic Hand Tools at Cressing Temple last year and the finish on them was superb.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[RogerP]

I bought some Narex cabinetmakers chisels from Classic Hand Tools at Cressing Temple last year and the finish on them was superb.
Cheers :wink:
Paul

My Narex chisels are also just fine - I was wondering if I was the only one.

 

[woodbloke]

Maybe the OP got a Friday afternoon set? :duno: - Rob

 

[Dodge]

Well my Narex are excellent, they have held their edge fantastically whilst working on the exceptionally hard burr oak I am using for my current project.

No doubt a certain forum member will dispute this though

 

[scubadoo]

Like I said, I think the photos make it look worse than it is, I think it just highlights the machining patterns, are they ground back and forth? I wonder if the striped effect is just that?

 

[GazPal]

I think you'll find the majority - before the interweb and americunisation - commonly called the flat of a blade/iron it's face and the bevel was applied to it's back. This was primarily due to the fact the flat of a blade/iron faces the direction of work, whilst the bevelled back of the blade/iron faces away from the work. (In addition to this, knives don't have a face side unless sharpened from one side of the blade and creating a flat face on the other. The area behind a knife or sword's sharpening bevel is called the back or spine of the blade).

The last time this was discussed, I actually checked a large number written sources. The usage is as I described, although it is not 100% uniform, depending on period.

It wouldn't surprise me if the odd workshop and/or training colleges had a local convention - how would one know wether it was universal or local?

BugBear

One ventured farther than his own workshop or region during one's career as a cabinetmaker. This is how one would knew whether descriptions were localised, regional, or universal.

One drawback with referencing books is that many authors source material from elsewhere (Read other books and rely upon discussion) and don't necessarily base their information upon first hand experience. This can create a cascade effect in so far as potential misinformation is concerned and especially so if several authors share a common root source of information/translation.

 

[Alf]

Maybe the OP got a Friday afternoon set? :duno: - Rob

Surely they don't manufacture them as "sets" though, do they? What I mean is, to get a Friday afternooner in each size in the set, wouldn't that suggest there had to be more than a few out there that are a little on the rough side? Dunno. Anyway, not familiar with the Narexes, and as the OP sez, the camera can lie, contrary to the old saying.

Meanwhile if Gary and BB would like to take their exchange of sweet nothings to PMs, I for one, would not object. Just sayin'.

 

[scubadoo]

So two Pfeil Carpenters chisels arrived today, around £17 each.

First thing, i like the look and feel of them. I might be tempted to sand the handles a little finer and Tru-oil them but they're fine really. The steel/bevel really thickens as you get back towards the handle.

Where it meets the shaft, the round section sticks down below the flat of the underside, if you know what i mean, so you have just 97mm of flat before you would hit the shaft on the workpiece, i guess that's normal? but different from the english chisels i've seen.

My god they're sharp, they seem to have a secondary bevel on them and the underside is polished, more so at the tip.

 

[Bigdanny]

Hi Folks,
I've been trying to decide on chisels over the winter and I'm looking to buy a range of sizes. I think I am still happy to buy Narex, but this discussion yesterday led me to finding the full Narex catalogue on Gogle. This confirms that all the blades are essentially the same, just have different handles. The do a range with Polyprop handles which I have managed to find a local supplier for. So Im very happy.
My question is does anyone have experience of Narex with plastic handles. Are they tough enough for general use and occassional whack with hammer or mallet. 10 chisels from 6mm to 30mm for the equivalent of 36 quid.
I guess at that price its not worth worrying too much if they do break.

 

[Modernist]

So two Pfeil Carpenters chisels arrived today, around £17 each.

First thing, i like the look and feel of them. I might be tempted to sand the handles a little finer and Tru-oil them but they're fine really. The steel/bevel really thickens as you get back towards the handle.

Very nice although they need honing on said waterstone to a proper edge. Your great grandchildren might not share you view of the thick edge but let them worry about that.

The Swiss think of everything, even an arrow to show which way to push :lol: :lol:

I wonder if our Bulgarian friend has opened the Pandora's coffin on a certain marketing plan?

 

[scubadoo]

So two Pfeil Carpenters chisels arrived today, around £17 each.

First thing, i like the look and feel of them. I might be tempted to sand the handles a little finer and Tru-oil them but they're fine really. The steel/bevel really thickens as you get back towards the handle.

Very nice although they need honing on said waterstone to a proper edge. Your great grandchildren might not share you view of the thick edge but let them worry about that.

I'm gonna wait to see the Ashley Iles that arrives tomorrow before deciding on keeping them. but for the price, i like them.

Better decide soon though, there's a 2 yr old girl waiting for a bed!

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Is there a difference in quality of finish between Narex bevel-edged chisels and Narex cabinetmaker's chisels?

Broader question - does anybody make B/E chisels with proper, fine bevels? Most modern ones seem to be more like firmers with the edges of the top face removed. (For the avoidance of doubt, I'm assuming the chisel is lying on the bench with it's edge in contact with the bench-top, so the top face is the face is the one you see as you look down at it.) The few 'old' B/E chisels in my possession have very little metal between the chisel's face (flat bit you're supposed to flatten and some people love to argue about the polishing of) and the bevel edge slopes. The only modern ones I have that come close to this are a couple of Sorby paring chisels, of which I'm rather fond. All the others seem to have about 1/16" to nearly 1/8" square to the face before the bevel slope starts - so they don't get right into the corners of dovetails.

I see that Ashley Isles have started making specialist 'dovetail chisels', but why should they need to? Why not just decent blade cross-section on B/E chisels?

 

[scubadoo]

I've seen some Pfeil dovetail ones that aren't bevelled in section but are elliptical.

 

[Bigdanny]

:lol: I wonder if our Bulgarian friend has opened the Pandora's coffin on a certain marketing plan?

Nooo , I did think it briefly but Im sure WH would spot this and order some themselves for sale. Postage from here to UK would kill the profit. Its surprising what a range of stuff Narex make though.
Still curious about the handles though.

 

[Jacob]

.......
One drawback with referencing books is that many authors source material from elsewhere (Read other books and rely upon discussion) and don't necessarily base their information upon first hand experience. This can create a cascade effect in so far as potential misinformation is concerned and especially so if several authors share a common root source of information/translation.

Absolutely right. My favourite is the 1/6 or 1/8 incline for dovetails. If you look at old furniture good or bad you find that hardly anybody followed this rule, but it's stuck and just won't go away.

 

[scubadoo]

Has anyone else used these Pfeils? Any opinions?