Slow review of Axminster carving chisel set

[Eshmiel]

Sculling about the various web sellers of carving tools, as a novice seeking tools for relief carving, I noticed the Schaaf tools - Chinese Pfeil copies sold in the US as Schaaf, only in sets (basic 12 plus a couple of secondary additons sets). They get good reviews for steel quality, design and handles. But they're made with at a level below that of Pfeil in terms of their factory shaping/sharpening, handle feel and other detailed delivery-conditions.

I couldn't find a set in Blighty and they cost far too much to import from the US (probably more, soon, if the customs rules and tariffs change because of you-know-who). However, in looking at Axminster offerings I noticed that their Workshop set of carving chisels appears to be identical to the Schaaf set in every particular. They're made in China so presumably the Chines manufacturer sells to other resellers besides the Schaaf brand.

£55 for 12 chisels. I took the risk as at the very least they'll serve as guineapig chisels as I learn shaping and sharpening of such things. And I hope to end up with some good quality carving chisels .... if the US review-praise is reflected in this Axminster set.

Anyway, perhaps a slow review here would be useful to others looking for that "inexpensive but serviceable" thing in carving chisels. It'll take me a while to practice (and hopefully achieve) a good commissioning skill; and even longer to compare the carving performance with some Ashley Iles and Henry Taylor carving chisels I have. But who's in a hurry?

So, next post - first impressions on receipt, which was today.

 

[Eshmiel]

Some attached photos show the chisels as-received. First impressions:

A tough canvas tool roll, well designed to hold the tools in their individual pockets with the (guarded) blades showing so its easy to see which chisel to pick out despite the handles being identical. The Pfeil system for identifying & naming chisels is used and can just be seen stamped on the handles peeping out of the pockets. Flaps prevent the chisels falling out of the roll when its rolled up.

The handles are very Pfeil-like (bulbous but with facets) but are spoilt a bit by the application of some sort of too-smooth lacquer or varnish. I'll be scraping and sanding that varnish off to leave bare wood (which I can't readily identify although it seems to be hardwood not unlike ash but without the pronounced bands of open grain). All the handles were well-located on the chisel tangs with no wonk or skew from the line of the blades.

The blades and handles are both similar in length to those Henry Taylor and Ashley Iles carving tools of similar sizes (20mm wide or less cutting edges). The blades are chunky rather than slim - thicker than Henry Taylors, certainly. They're glued into the handles, not just pressed-in, which would make changing the handles a bit of a faff. The wider chisels all have something of an Allongee shape. The inside of the gouges have no bevel and will need polishing as they have some manufacturing striations (smoother than those on the outside bevels).

The chisel ID numbers on the handles do seem to accurately reflect the Pfeil naming convention, with standard shapes in both the cutting ends and in any bend of the blade, short or long.

The grind of the bevels is "factory ground" with lots of rough striations and a raggy cutting edge. But the bevels aren't badly misshapen, just not-finished. The corners of the edge-ends are very slightly rounded as well. The bevel angles vary from 17.5 degrees (on both sides of the V-chisel) with the gouges between 20 and 27.5 degrees, most at 22.5 degrees. The #1 and #1S have 27.5 degree included angles (sum of the bevels on each side of the blade). They'll all need a full (re) shaping.

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Assuming the steel turns out to be good, that's not bad for about £4:60 per chisel (with a tool roll tossed in).

I'll post again when I've shaped, sharpened, honed and cut with two or three of them.

 

[mwinfrance]

Appreciate this ..thanks..I was looking at the Schaaf ones last year ( one can never have too many gouges, just as one can never have too many clamps ) .., but I wanted to phone them to see if they would ship to France.No matter what time I phoned, they would never answer their bluddy phone.So gave up.

Someone here ( might have been yerself ) linked to the Axminster site the other day, I clicked the link..it said hello in french..Oh ho thinks I ..they ship to France now..so I had a look at said gouges..Depending on your review, I might be ordering some, ( two sets maybe, one for me and as usual, one for son ) I'd make them leather tool rolls though as I have a half dozen industrial leather sewing machines, the big ones, that go through layers of thick leather here, ( one of a few businesses ) and a lot of leather.