Which chisels to buy?

[Noggsy]

Ok, so I'm off to Harrogate this Saturday and one of the things I'll be looking for is a new set of chisels. I've got a twenty quid set of B and Q specials, which are fine for removing a lot of wood quickly and roughly, but need a hammer accompaniment about thirty seconds after each sharpen. I am wending my way down the way of the hand tool and I want to learn how to make decent joints and so I want to get a good set of 4-6 chisels. I don't want to waste my money, but I can't stretch to a set of LN either, so I am looking for some middle ground and I know that the good folks in here are the people to map out said ground. Budget of no more than £100 ish (£50 if SWMBO Is listening).

Any thoughts?

 

[Noggsy]

I forgot to ask...I have read the definitions of firmer, bevel-edge, mortise etc, but I'm not sure which of these to go for. Eventually, I imagine I'll end with a few different sets, but which kind will start me on the way without causing me to want to launch the chisels out of the window (a lá B and Q)?

 

[No skills]

Cant speak from experience yet but Ashley Isles and Narex are popular for new chisels of good quality - I'll be trying out some A.I's when I have the funds myself. For general work you will probably want some bevel edge chisels, If you have a lot of heavy duty mortice chopping to do then get some mortice chisels.

Hopefully one of the more experienced forumite's will be along shortly..

 

[Morse]

I have a couple of Ashley Isles MKI and a couple of MkII chisels as well as LN and Blue Spruce. AI are by far the best value for money that I have. No experience of the Narex personally though.

 

[jimi43]

Ashley's chisels are superb tools.

Great value old school stuff!

Jim

 

[Jelly]

In terms of chisel types, Bevel Edged are considered the all rounder; if you have some 'beater' chisels you can use for chopping out lots of waste quickly, and get some nice bevel edged chisels for tidying up and paring then you'll be adequetly equipped most things... I would warn against using 'normal' chisels for morticing though, drill out the waste and tidy up to a rectangular shape by paring down with the good chisels.

 

[Noggsy]

Cheers all, so a set of Ashley Iles bevel-edge it is then. Anyone got any in a drawer they don't want? I think I narrowly missed out on a set of exactly that with Marvin's recent clear out.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Jacob]

Which chisels to buy? If in doubt , buy the cheapest. Good for practice too - doesn't matter if you wreck them.

 

[Racers]

Read the first post slowly jacob.

Pete

 

[Jacob]

Read the first post slowly jacob.

Pete

Sounds like he could improve his sharpening technique.

 

[Racers]

There are only two ways, Jacobs way, and the wrong way.

I have told you this before......

Pete

 

[Dangermouse]

I rarely buy much modern chisels, except for a set from Workshop heaven, which I'm very pleased with. If starting out I would say get a selection of old vintage chisels from flea-bay and when you feel you have settled into hand tool work and have enough experience to spend some real dosh, then get a nice new set. But I really do belive you can rarely go wrong with old vintage chiesels. The steel takes a wonderful edge and they are a joy in the hand.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Dangermouse

Yep the old cast steel chisels can be very good, and very cheap.
These are some of mine mostly from carboots at a quid each.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

I think the advice on old chisels is good. There is no need to have your chisels in a matched set. Sizes depend on what sort of thing you are making. If you gather up some old ones you will find a wide range of different weights as well as widths which is hard to find in new stock.
Choice of different chisels in the same size can be more useful than just a choice of sizes. So you want to find some firmer chisel which you can use with a mallet for cutting joints and others in the same width but with a slender bevelled blade for hand paring cuts only.
You could even have a choice of sharpening angle for soft or hard wood. All easy to justify if the chisels are only a quid or two.

 

[o0dunk0o]

+1 for the old chisels

a good rule of thumb is to go for ones with boxwood handles as there are some bad old chisels mixed in with all of the good.

 

[Noggsy]

I think I'm pretty good at sharpening (chisels at least). They always cut the hairs on my forearm, having been sharpened and honed on a Tormek, they just lose their edge really quickly, which Is only to be expected I think for a cheap set.

Now, I love the idea of picking up old chisels and I might well do that, as well (I think Harrogate has boxes full from memory) but my OCD might demand a matched set as well

 

[Noggsy]

Just got a set of four (decent-looking at least) Footprint b/e chisels from Gumtree for £15...I'll let you know how they when they arrive.

 

[Jelly]

Good Choice.

 

[Sawyer]

Just got a set of four (decent-looking at least) Footprint b/e chisels from Gumtree for £15...I'll let you know how they when they arrive.

A good buy. I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

[dickm]

One minor point that folk haven't mentioned with regard to chisels is that it can actually be an advantage not to have beautifully matched handles. Much easier to grab the one you want if they all have different handles, so you can recognise them individually if the blades are in a rack and not visible.