which chisels do i buy

[weedsnager]

i have been looking at different dovetail chisles for over a month, the minute i think i have my mind made up, another option appears. everyone seems to really like the lie nielson, i'd buy the LN, i just think they are ugly looking....yes i know i sure be buying them for other reasons then their looks....but even when someone suggests a hot fishing lure....if it's ugly and i don't like the looks of it, i don't use it, call me crazy.... but if i'm gonna spend over $50 on a tool, i want to like the looks of it.....then i thought, well i could turn my own handles. so the LN are an option..other options i was considering are the blue spruce,czech edge, ashly iles, and the stanley 750. if i do go with the LN, which ones do most guys use the 01 or the A2 ?

[Darnell Hagen]

O1 take a finer edge, and are best used under hand power paring at low bevel angles. A2 is suitable for general purpose/ mallet work.

[Torch02]

I don't have a dog in the chisel fight, but I wanted to follow up on your comments:

If you don't like how something looks - that is a perfectly valid reason not to buy it. It is far better for you to pay more for a tool that is aesthetically pleasing to you that you use than to pay less for a tool whose "ugliness" keeps you from using it. I paid more for a LN dovetail saw than the LV equivalent mostly because I don't like the look of the reson backs on the LV saws.

If the appearance of a tool is enough to make you consider not buying it, it will be more than enough to make you consider not using it.

[Boatworks Today]

Don't mean to throw another option out at you, but I've always like Japanese style chisels. I have a couple of them and love'em. They can be honed scary sharp and I like the looks of them too ; something about a rustic black appearance on the steel.. Problem is that they CAN cost an arm and a leg (not all of them, but some do!!) Look over this site

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&dept_id=12758

there are some REALLY nice dovetail chisels for $50-$60 range... One of my fav chisels is their crank-neck which I use strictly for shaving bungs / plugs..

[weedsnager]

Japanese aren't in the mix, not interested in those, thanks

[mattvan]

I'm all about the results vs looks when it comes to tools. But believe it or not I can appreciate wanting something that looks equally good as well as equally work well.

Of the makers you listed, you're going to get a great tool regardless of choice. So the only question you need to ask yourself is, which one REALLY appeals to your taste.

[weedsnager]

Looking for more reviews on the Stanley sweetheart, anyone give them a good work out?

[PaulMarcel]

I have Blue Spruce chisels and like them a lot. Definitely they'll fill your aesthetic requirements (I have the same one... if it's all utilitarian and draconian, I'm at work... woodworking is my escape from work!)

You don't need a lot of sizes so big 8-chisel sets, while nice, fill your drawer with sizes you rarely if ever use. I use the 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" chisels the most; of those, I'd give up the 1/2" first, but it depends on how you work and what you work on.

Blue Spruces are A2; I prefer A2.

If you send David Jeske email, you pretty much can pick the wood you want for them. I got a 5-chisel set from an acquaintance needing to sell tools for mortgage so they all match. If I ordered directly, I would have had 5 chisels in 5 species. More eye candy and honestly faster to grab the right chisel when 3-4 are on the bench.

[Mister Pants]

I have some of the Pfeil Swiss made they're nice, but I find myself always reaching for this old Buck Brothers chisel (old socket, not some cheap new Lowe's one). It doesn't hold an edge as well, but the sides are better bevelled than the Pfeil and it's not in metric. When I bought them it didn't occur to me, and while they're really nice chisels I'd advise staying away from them unless you're in Europe or run a metric shop, they may be close but they are not in proper increments. Speaking of anyone want to buy some really nice hardly ever used chisels?

I have heard good things of the Lie Nielsen ones from a number of folks.

[Trip]

==> Japanese style chisels

Second that. One note for the uninitiated (after recovering from sticker shock) is that the blades are typically harder than their western counterpart -- very sharp, but can be brittle depending on Rc and steel selection (white, blue or lamination).

==> One of my fav chisels is their crank-neck

Agreed. I have a couple, and they are great. My favorite Japanese is the skew and/or the wide paring.

[JimB1]

Looking for more reviews on the Stanley sweetheart, anyone give them a good work out?

I'm using the Stanley Bailey chisels

http://www.stanleyworks.ae/product_detail/Wooden+Handle+Sculptor's+Chisels+-+Bailey®.ctlg

Less expensive but decent steel. They don't have the removable handles of the Sweethearts.

They needed a flattening and quick run over the water stones before use but generally they work quite well. I don't do as much hand chiseling as a lot of the guys here and mix up hand tools with power tools to get the job done so I figured for the price I'd give them a try. Money well spent as far as I'm concerned. They do a nice job.

I have to wonder though, if you don't like the look of the LN, why would you look at the Sweethearts that are almost clones of the LN chisels?

-Jim

[Joraft]

==> Japanese style chisels Second that. One note for the uninitiated (after recovering from sticker shock) is that the blades are typically harder than their western counterpart -- very sharp, but can be brittle depending on Rc and steel selection (white, blue or lamination).

Put me down as another big fan of the Japanese chisels. Get your hands on a set of dovetail chisels made by Akio Tasai and you'll never want any other:

However, I also have a set of Blue Spruce chisels, and I can't argue with anything Paul-Marcel said. Plus Dave Jeske is just a helluva good guy.

[Boatworks Today]

Aaaaggghhhh (drool, drool... )

[ChetlovesMer]

I use the stanley baileys as well. I don't know if they can be beat for the price.

I also have an ancient set of craftsman chisels which are surprisingly good. I got them at a garage sale for almost nothing and they cleaned up well. Surprisingly they hold an edge like crazy. You wouldn't like them, weedsnager, they are ugly as a mud fence.

[nateswoodworks]

I agree with Matt, with the ones you listed you can't go wrong. I have new Stanleys, old Stanleys, and new Narex and I really like the Narex but new curly maple handles are in their future!!

[Skunkeye]

The Blue Spruce chisels are works of art, they look too pretty to beat on, so all of my Blue Spruces are fishtails, skews, etc. I have a set of Lie-Nielsen's, they aren't quite as pretty, so I have no qualms about beating them with a mallet...also helps to seat the handles in the sockets.

[SamV]

I've been using my Hirsch set that I bought from LV for a few years now and have been happy with them. However...I just bought two narex mortice chisles and had an aha moment putting them into use. They make that big of a difference. So my advice is to make sure you pick up at least one mortise chisel for the size work you do. Coincidentally the Narex mortice chisles would also be good for hand to hand combat in home defense against zombies.