Which new chisels?

[D_W]

I use half Japanese, half Western. Unless you know that you want Japanese chisels, I'd go with the iles or Lee valley chisels.

The ln chisels are OK, but they are a carpenter's pattern and the choice of a2 makes no sense in a chisel. They are nicely made for what they are, though, just sort of an odd duck.

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have a set of MK1 Ashley Iles that have served me well for 15 years or more, I have put MK11 AI in all our students tool kits and they normally end up buying these from us, some opt for the Narex which are great for the price.

I treated myself to a set of PMV11 before Christmas which I am loving.

Cheers Peter

 

[Jacob]

Why not get a selection of different makes/sizes? There's no particular need for a "set" as such. Start with 6mm, 13mm, 18mm, 25mm, each different make, then add to them as and when needed.
Avoid A2 by all accounts - and the top price ones don't give you much for your money.
Sockets are just an inconvenient retro feature - the handles come off!! LN have spare handles available :lol: (for sale that is - never give a sucker an even break!).

NB I don't think "PMV11" means anything - it's just an advertising thing like "new, improved" etc

 

[MBcarpentry]

I have a set of MK1 Ashley Iles that have served me well for 15 years or more, I have put MK11 AI in all our students tool kits and they normally end up buying these from us, some opt for the Narex which are great for the price.

I treated myself to a set of PMV11 before Christmas which I am loving.

Cheers Peter

Hi Peter
Both the AI and the veritas are lovely looking chisels and get good write ups, but I think I like the veritas chisels that little bit better just personal preference, out of interest are you now stocking the veritas pmv11 chisels now ?

 

[MBcarpentry]

Why not get a selection of different makes/sizes? There's no particular need for a "set" as such. Start with 6mm, 13mm, 18mm, 25mm, each different make, then add to them as and when needed.
Avoid A2 by all accounts - and the top price ones don't give you much for your money.
Sockets are just an inconvenient retro feature - the handles come off!! LN have spare handles available :lol: (for sale that is - never give a sucker an even break!).

NB I don't think "PMV11" means anything - it's just an advertising thing like "new, improved" etc

Hi Jacob
I think the PM-V11 is the name veritas has given the steel alloy that they use for the chisels. I know there is no need to buy a set of a certain brand as such and I already have other chisels I use day in day out but I'm only after a few sizes of nice beach chisels and as veritas only produce 5 sizes in this chisel range that is what I meant by a set.

 

[MBcarpentry]

I think my mind is almost made up at this point I'm thinking i'l be going with the veritas pmv11 chisels, but I still really like the Japanese style also so may add a couple of nice Japanese white steel dovetail style chisels to them over time.

 

[Graham Orm]

Thanks for all the replies guys, yeah I have a full set of marples split proof chisels I'v have for 20 years (actual marples not Irwin) which I use on a daily and will continue to do so, but I'm looking for some nice chisels for bench work mainly, I'v handled the lie Nielsen and veritas chisels and both seemed nice and I have also read good reviews for both but I like the looks of the veritas over the LN on an aesthetic level only but the steel of the Japanese chisels (white paper) seems to be the ultimate for taking and edge (again only from reviews I'v read) and the Ashley iles are more budget friendly but again have some good write ups so I'm still not sure which way to go.

Blue spruce are the sexiest, I have a set of Narex for the bench which are as good as anyone needs I reckon.

 

[MIGNAL]

A lot of the mid/expensive chisels look sexy when new. When I first bought my AI's I pampered them. Within a couple of week they were getting thrown on the bench because time was running out and orders had to be addressed. Sometimes (actually quite often) you forget about the tools and focus on the making. Now my AI's have picked up quite a few dings, the steel has oxidised and they don't look as sexy as they used to. They work exactly the same though.

 

[Corneel]

The Koyamaichi dovetail chisels have never chipped. The Iyoroi bench chisels have never chipped. Nor my Kiyohisa slicks.

I have Koyamaichi from the 80's. My recent Koyamaichi came from Stu at Tools from Japan. They are also available from Lee Valley.

Review: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReview ... isels.html

4 chisel steels: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReview ... pared.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

Then you are more carefull with them then me. I have five Koyamaichis and often at least one of them has a small chip in the edge (and needs work). That hardly ever happens to my western chisels.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Careful?!

I wack them into some of the hardest wood used for furniture with a steel gennou.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[iNewbie]

Why not get a selection of different makes/sizes? There's no particular need for a "set" as such. Start with 6mm, 13mm, 18mm, 25mm, each different make, then add to them as and when needed.
Avoid A2 by all accounts - and the top price ones don't give you much for your money.
Sockets are just an inconvenient retro feature - the handles come off!! LN have spare handles available :lol: (for sale that is - never give a sucker an even break!).

NB I don't think "PMV11" means anything - it's just an advertising thing like "new, improved" etc

Hi Jacob
I think the PM-V11 is the name veritas has given the steel alloy that they use for the chisels. I know there is no need to buy a set of a certain brand as such and I already have other chisels I use day in day out but I'm only after a few sizes of nice beach chisels and as veritas only produce 5 sizes in this chisel range that is what I meant by a set.

Seven, now - they've been breeding. :mrgreen:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/pa ... at=1,41504

 

[Bm101]

Theres some info on the pmv-11 metal here. http://www.pm-v11.com/Story.aspx It's published by veritas obviously. Take from that what you will.
What's interesting in the case of chisel steel is the claims on impact resistance in the graph. That combined with the edge retention should make them ideal. Shouldn't it? I suppose it would if you measured the world purely by graphs and statistics not experience. How well that impact hardness statistic translates into real use I will leave up to Bears of Bigger Brain than me to decide.
I think pmv-11 just stands for powdered metal (alloy) veritas. Can't remember the number. Year they released it maybe. Bit of a mouthful either way.
Might help you decide anyway.
Cheers
Chris

 

[D_W]

The way it sharpens, it reminds me of 440C, and it doesn't rust. It's been discussed on other forums that it's not 440C, but it is either stainless or close (the V11).

I've had two irons of it, and it's definitely very uniform, and the fact that it doesn't have large carbides means it will be sharp off of anything (still a bit of a nuisance to sharpen on oilstones, but it can be done without too much trouble or extra time if ground well).

I haven't used the chisels, so I'd defer to what derek says. My experience with japanese chisels is similar. Once they're set up the way you want them set up, you can keep them in shape only with a finish stone pretty close to indefinitely if you keep the stone close by.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Not that I'm a major chisel aficionado or anything, but I use a set of Narex 8116 bevel edged for most things in the workshop (Marples Splitproof for site) and Narex 8862 Mortice for making 'gert big 'oles in wood. I'm a bit of a beast with tools and tend to give them a hard life but they're all looking just fine after two years of being walloped with a monster Lignum Vitae mallet. More importantly they work just fine. It should be noted that my work is more joinery than cabinet making.

 

[Adam9453]

I bought one ashley iles chisel to test it, I have since bought a lot of them so I would highly recommend them. Workshop heaven sell pretty much the full range at fair prices, great service too.
They'll complement your 'hammer' filled workshop nicely :wink:

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have a set of MK1 Ashley Iles that have served me well for 15 years or more, I have put MK11 AI in all our students tool kits and they normally end up buying these from us, some opt for the Narex which are great for the price.

I treated myself to a set of PMV11 before Christmas which I am loving.

Cheers Peter

Hi Peter
Both the AI and the veritas are lovely looking chisels and get good write ups, but I think I like the veritas chisels that little bit better just personal preference, out of interest are you now stocking the veritas pmv11 chisels now ?

I don't carry the PMV11 in stock at present, I wanted to give them a thorough bench test before putting them on our website and wait until they had a good set of sizes which they now do. I have supplied them to a few students including one our current guys, he loves his too. Let me know if I can help

Cheers Peter

 

[yetloh]

I'm sure that PMV11 is deliberately meaning less so that LV don't have to reveal which particular alloy it is for commercial reasons. I have always taken PMV11 to represent Powdered Metal 7, rather as WD40 is the 40th Water Dispresant that NASA (or whoever it was) tested.

Jim

 

[MBcarpentry]

Why not get a selection of different makes/sizes? There's no particular need for a "set" as such. Start with 6mm, 13mm, 18mm, 25mm, each different make, then add to them as and when needed.
Avoid A2 by all accounts - and the top price ones don't give you much for your money.
Sockets are just an inconvenient retro feature - the handles come off!! LN have spare handles available :lol: (for sale that is - never give a sucker an even break!).

NB I don't think "PMV11" means anything - it's just an advertising thing like "new, improved" etc

Hi Jacob
I think the PM-V11 is the name veritas has given the steel alloy that they use for the chisels. I know there is no need to buy a set of a certain brand as such and I already have other chisels I use day in day out but I'm only after a few sizes of nice beach chisels and as veritas only produce 5 sizes in this chisel range that is what I meant by a set.

Seven, now - they've been breeding. :mrgreen:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/pa ... at=1,41504

Lol so they are! I don't think I'd be needing the 1/8 or 3/16 though

 

[MBcarpentry]

I have a set of MK1 Ashley Iles that have served me well for 15 years or more, I have put MK11 AI in all our students tool kits and they normally end up buying these from us, some opt for the Narex which are great for the price.

I treated myself to a set of PMV11 before Christmas which I am loving.

Cheers Peter

Hi Peter
Both the AI and the veritas are lovely looking chisels and get good write ups, but I think I like the veritas chisels that little bit better just personal preference, out of interest are you now stocking the veritas pmv11 chisels now ?

I don't carry the PMV11 in stock at present, I wanted to give them a thorough bench test before putting them on our website and wait until they had a good set of sizes which they now do. I have supplied them to a few students including one our current guys, he loves his too. Let me know if I can help

Cheers Peter

What are you sharpening them on Peter? Water stones, scary sharp system, tormek or something else?

 

[MBcarpentry]

Not that I'm a major chisel aficionado or anything, but I use a set of Narex 8116 bevel edged for most things in the workshop (Marples Splitproof for site) and Narex 8862 Mortice for making 'gert big 'oles in wood. I'm a bit of a beast with tools and tend to give them a hard life but they're all looking just fine after two years of being walloped with a monster Lignum Vitae mallet. More importantly they work just fine. It should be noted that my work is more joinery than cabinet making.

Hi I am a joiner/carpenter to and have used marples split proofs day in day out for 20 years they've had plenty of abuse and there still going strong, just wanting something a bit nicer/ more refined now I'm getting into a bit more bench work as more of a hobby. Think my mind is set on the veritas chisels now though.