What kind of chisels are these?

[Rorschach]

I have a few sorby and marples chisels (30+ years old I would say), 3 of them are 1.5" wide, and 1 is 3/4". They are all 8+ inches long though (blade). Would I be right in assuming these are paring chisels? The blades are bevelled and very thin for their size.

Never used them myself, would they have any value if I were to sell them?

Also have another sorby, 5" long, 2" wide, square edged. The handle has been broken on that one though so needs replacing.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Sash pocket chisels?

 

[D_W]

If they are relatively rust free and have very delicate bevels and a maker's mark, they'd sell well to the states.

I think those chisels are worth more sold to the US than they are sold within the UK.

You could check ebay.

The average ebay buyer isn't too inclined, so the one with a broken handle is probably not worth listing, and would probably be a wash if you spent the time or money to make or buy a handle and ferrule to refurbish it.

If they are parers, they're usually fairly thin at the thickest point in the blade and if full length (at that width - 1.5"), usually about 15 inches long.

 

[AndyT]

Pictures would help.
Do you mean I Sorby or Robert Sorby?
So much depends on condition, but I reckon anyone buying will understand that long paring chisels are more valuable than common firmers.
What's most puzzling is how you've not found them useful yourself!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I was presuming the lengths given were the total length not the blade length.

Though of course it does say (blade).

 

[Rorschach]

Added a picture, there is a 6" ruler in there for scale. As said before, blades are approx 8" long.

Never used them because I guess I never needed to pare a joint that deep. I have a small collection of chisels, the standard length ones have done everything I have needed. I use only one of these long chisels, it's used for scraping the bench as it has a nice wide blade, sorry #-o

 

[ED65]

Those will be stunners once they've been spruced up.

Don't be sorry about using a chisel as a bench scraper, it's not like you're going to ruin the thing. Even if you somehow managed to fully round over the edge there's what, 100 years more steel behind it?!

 

[AndyT]

The style confirms that they are mid to late 20th century.
On the tang between the end of the blade and the handle, older chisels have a square edged shoulder, made by hand forging. These have a rounded section, the result of drop forging in a pair of dies - as do nearly all modern chisels. I'm not saying one method is better than the other - drop forging is efficient and economical.

The plastic handles are another clue of relatively recent date - and definitely becoming collectible.

 

[Rorschach]

I think I'll probably spruce them up and sell them. They are sitting here unused and I really doubt I will ever have need for them.

 

[D_W]

Wow, I've never seen a long plastic-handled parer over here in the states. I could be off on my prices (as all of the chisels I've seen have boxwood handles) due to that, but you should still be able to find a buyer for them.

The metalwork on them is crisp and accurate. Make sure you don't round any of it off if you clean them. And cleaning should be less rather than more.

 

[Rorschach]

Wow, I've never seen a long plastic-handled parer over here in the states. I could be off on my prices (as all of the chisels I've seen have boxwood handles) due to that, but you should still be able to find a buyer for them.

The metalwork on them is crisp and accurate. Make sure you don't round any of it off if you clean them. And cleaning should be less rather than more.

Don't worry, I like to keep it simple on my tools. Unless rust is very bad or going to affect use I rarely use more than wire wool and some oil. Wire wheel for heavier rust, electrolysis in only the worse cases. If you look at the tools in my shop they are rust free but with a dark patina.

 

[ED65]

If the goal is to sell these on to US maybe reverse that thinking. The sector of the market these will sell best to, I think, will very much favour them looking really clean. So electrolysis followed by gentle wire wheeling and then a rub down with steel wool and oil might be just the ticket.

 

[Rorschach]

Is there any benefit aiming at the US market? I imagine shipping costs will eat into any profit significantly.

 

[ED65]

The benefit is presumably a higher selling price, although obviously there are no guarantees on that front. As to shipping costs, surely the buyer pays those?