Looking for Good Wood Chisel Set

[philly]

Any recommendations for a good wood chisel set? I don't want to spend of fortune, no more than $75.00, and I plan to use a plastic & rubber tipped mallet to work the chisels.

Philly

[Ba r r y]

Check out Hirsch chisels on LeeValley.com.

Barry

[Mike in Mystic]

here's the link to the hirsch chisels:

're $89, but the quality is definitely worth trying to swing the extra $14 over your budget.

These are exactly the same as "Two Cherries" chisels (same factory, same steel), just with a different label and/or different handle. I have a set of the 2 cherries (bought before I knew about the Hirsch) and they are very good chisels.

Now, if you ever get to go luxurious, buy the Lie-nielsen socket chisels (which I also bought recently). These are in a different league from any other chisel I've ever used (not saying much, really).

Mike

[Phisherman]

[Bob]

I thought the marples that are sold now and are reputed to be junk - not the same ones you could get a few years ago. \

Bob

[AAvK]

I recommend these Harris chisels, made in Costa rica. They are socket chisels (handle is mounted inside of a socket with an internal tang going up into the wood), and the handle is cocobolo wood, very hard. I do recommend using a proper chiseling mallet made of wood however. Believe me, these are a fantastic deal at this price. It is a dutch auction so you will get them at the price you see.

maker's site, then look for their carpenter's mallet for the right mallet idea, they have different sizes, but are pricey. The right price is around $20.

Alex

[Nate Perkins]

...

I've got the same experience as Mike with the Two Cherries, and I'd echo his recommendation for the Hirsch. The Hirsch are the same top-quality chisels at a lower price.

[SawDust]

I have a set of Marples Blue Chip bought from LV about a year ago. I honed with the wet stones, then polished with Veritas Honing Compound. They're razor sharp. I use them for pairing more than chopping, but I have tapped them several times. I also find them long enough and sized nicely to be held comfortably with both hands or in the palm of one hand (Which too me is a more important consideration).

In my opinion, they're a good starter set not only for wood working, but also for learning to sharpen them.

As a side note: In the LV Christmas Catalogue. They advertised a tool roll, on page 4. Aprox $12.50 CDN for the large one. I bought one recently specifically for my chisels. Best investment I have ever made. I plan to buy another for other tools.

Product # 68K42.10

Pat

[daryl1138]

I love my hirsch chisels. I thought I chiseling was a lot of work until I found these (~$80 for a set of six at LV). I am tempted to go try dovetails be hand now.

Daryl

>

[Larry Jaques]

On 31 Oct 2004 18:10:10 -0800, [e-mail] (daryl1138) calmly ranted:

If so, try one of the

Ryoba saws while you're at it. They're $25.95 shipped to your door. (See ad in Fine Woodworking and other mags.) I like it a lot more than Lee Valley's imported Franch dovie saw now that I've used it a few times.

[BD]

Just want to reiterate the learning to sharpen thing. I'd agree that it makes sense to get something that works well (such as the blue chips) that aren't too expensive. I've recently started to really take sharpening seriously and am trying to learn to sharpen my tools and knives.

There is nothing quite like getting a really nice sharp edge on your tools. My wife has been kidding me lately about my hairless forearms, as I have gotten a little carried away with testing the edge on my chisels and knives.

I have managed to make a complete mess out of some cheap v-gouges I got. Doesn't really bother me, since they are from a pretty inexpensive set of chisels I got specifically to practice sharpening on. If they were expensive, i may never have had the guts to really learn how to redo the beve angles and such.

There are lots of sharpening systems out there, so I'd suggest doing some reading and pick one and try to make it work. i've tried several, and the one thing I can really recommend is getting a good LARGE double sided diamond abrasive 'stone' I've got one of the nice big DMT's that was about a hundred bucks and all I can say is that it was worth it.

Also take an old belt and make a strop on a piece of scrap wood. it helps with the honing.

I found this article at the antique tool site to be very helpful in my quest to be able to make things sharp.

[Larry Jaques]

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 21:12:21 -0800, BD calmly ranted:

You should have ridges in your thumbnails instead, Brent. Once I learned that trick, my sharpening skills improved immediately. I have a ways to go, though. My copy of Leonard Lee's sharpening bible was picked up for less than half price. I really should read that from cover to cover some day soon. Now that I have a carving bench, I should be getting serious about actually carving some time soon. Shortly after my leaf-raking muscles have somewhat recooperated, eh? I used the blower to herd them last night, before today's rain. (Different muscles.)

Oh, the fingernail test: Rest the chisel/gouge vertically on your nail with no extra pressure. Now try to slide it across the nail perpendicular to the edge, just as you would carve. If it slips, it's not yet sharp. If the weight has caused it to dig in and you raise a shaving, it's sharp. I got that tip from Frank Klausz when he was giving his Dovetail lecture at the Anaheim WW Show a few years ago. I was his volunteer shop assistant.

Sure you would, once you got "the tip". You need to consciously put a bit more weight on the inside corner so the v doesn't get longer than the rest of the chisel edge. Then cut a piece of wood in the angle of your gouge. 320 or 400 grit paper will help you remove the wire edge you create by sharpening the bevels.

I really like Pfeil gouges. At $30ish, they're not cheap, but they should last me a lifetime. But even if they lasted only 10 years, that would be $3 a year for a precision tool. A good deal, IMHO.

I have both EZlap and DMT stones, both 600ish grit. I prefer the DMT (a bit finer) but both work well. I got the DMT used and it should outlast me.

Lee Valley green chromium oxide crayons work well to charge the strop.

I found this article at the antique tool site to be very helpful in my

for my edges.

[Sbtypesetter]

Forget what the others recommended. I have a nice set of Japanese chisels from Grizzly. I have a couple of high-end Japanese chisels ($82 for one) and while the Grizzly set is not as good as the very expensive chisels, they are better that the rest I have seen. The price is low and they run a close second to the fine chisels. BTW...I've used Marples. Save your money and frustration. Not worth it at half the price. Also, get a set of good water stones and order; "The double bevel Sharpening" booklet. -Rick