Old Chisels: Any good?

[againstthegrain]

I inherited these two sets of old chisels when my father died ten years ago. They have been in the workshop ever since, but when I need to use a chisel I use my trusty, sharp Marples chisels with plastic handles.
Are these ones any good? The largest of the first set has G P Preston stamped into the blade: they were Sheffield Tool Merchants. I also show the label on one of the handles. The second set are Robinson Hall and from the state of them, my father did not look after them... which might mean he did not rate them!

 

[Inspector]

Oh that is such garbage I'll pay the postage to here just to throw them away for you.

Seriously they are likely decent but why not sharpen a couple examples and try them out? If you like them keep and enjoy and if you don't flog them to the next guy.

Pete

 

[Ollie78]

I suspect the will sharpen up nicely.

Ollie

 

[D_W]

Absolutely.

 

[AdrianUK]

Anvil brand are Ward & Payne, def worth putting back into service

 

[Sachakins]

They might look tatty, but I'd certainly be putting an edge on them if they came my way, I find a lot of the older steels more forgiving when it comes to sharpening, may need to hone them a bit more often, but usually like razor in no time at all once you got the bevel sorted.

 

[againstthegrain]

Thank you. Good advice.

 

[Cooper]

I had to buy a set like the ones in the first picture when I went to college over 50 years ago. I still find them the best I have and as mentioned sharpen well and even more important retain their edge.
Keep them, cherish the, use them and pass them on to the next generation, when the time comes.
Martin

 

[Limey Lurker]

I inherited these two sets of old chisels when my father died ten years ago. They have been in the workshop ever since, but when I need to use a chisel I use my trusty, sharp Marples chisels with plastic handles.
Are these ones any good? The largest of the first set has G P Preston stamped into the blade: they were Sheffield Tool Merchants. I also show the label on one of the handles. The second set are Robinson Hall and from the state of them, my father did not look after them... which might mean he did not rate them!

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The condition of the second set suggests, to me, that they were the ones he preferred to use: perhaps the first set were bought, or gifted to him, as an investment?

 

[Sheptonphil]

The condition of the second set suggests, to me, that they were the ones he preferred to use: perhaps the first set were bought, or gifted to him, as an investment?

My thoughts as well. I don’t have a full set of them, but the three I do have identical to those take a superb edge and the 3/4 one now has a blade three inches long it’s been used and sharpened so much.