buy direct

[Anonymous]

Hi all

To help me in my convalescence :wink: I have just ordered something I've dreamed of for quite a while (note to self, must get out more) eight Ashley Ilses chisels - some of us can't get away with buying LN chisels unlike certain other members :mrgreen: not that I'm jealous Chris.

Reason I am posting this is to say phone Ashley Ilses and order direct!! 01790 763372

Online prices from various distributors for my 8 was about £25 more than from Ashley.

Also, I spoke with their production manager. Happily answered loads of questions and described how the make 'em. He told me that I can have custom grinding carried out to my specification and offered 4 types of handles to choose from (not available on websites I visited).

They have a lifetime guarantee - send 'em back for regrinding/sharpening anytime too!!! oh, and if the handles split, they will replace them for free provided there are no mushroomed heads from a 4lb hammer :wink:
Offered a full refund or regrind if not happy which is quite a bonus when one considers the recent threads

I mentioned LN chisels and he had gone to their launch - he was clearly blown away by them and said they were far better than anything else he had seen. Nice to hear a manufacturer speak so highly of his competitor.

just got to wait for the posty now

 

[Chris Knight]

some of us can't get away with buying LN chisels unlike certain other members

Can't think who you mean but a nice one anyway Tony, I am sure that the AI chisels will please you. The folk whom I have seen commenting on them all speak highly of them. I shall be interested to hear your opinion in due course.

Meanwhile, you had better think of something else to stock up on whilst you have a positive balabce of sympathy in the books - it evaporates in any case if you don't use it.

 

[Alf]

Tony,

This could turn out to be the most expensive convalescence in history... :lol:

Very nice. Must admit I had a hankering after the Iles chisels myself, but the curse of the freak hand struck again, and I just didn't like the handles when I tried them. I would claim that's saved me money, but I'm still hankering for those L-Ns instead... :roll: So did you go for beech or bubinga? Butts or standard? Large or small handles? Nosey parkers want to know. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

Who noticed someone-who-shall-remain-nameless managed to slip a chisel-of-a-certain-sort into the background of one of the pics in a-certain-magazine-article... :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Alf, Chris

I think I just emptied the sympathy store with these

Standard bevel edge chisels. Went for standard length Bubinga handles with only one ferrell and asked for the bevel to be ground to give a small edge. So nice to have a choice.

I will use the two cherries for whacking and the AI for fine work


Alf, I'm sure that they would make slightly smaller handles for your delicate digits if you ask. Go on, you know you want to :wink:

 

[dedee]

Eight in one go now that is being greedy.

These were ordered direct and the missus swears she could here the lady on the phone add up the order on an old fashioned adding machine with the crank handle on the side. A real old fashioned business that I do hope survives long enough for me to take a factory tour.

I can only compare mine with the Footprints in the picture but the difference was staggering. I like the big chunky handles as there offer a large target to aim at! About half of the DTs on the cabinet were knocked out with these chisels and I am itching to use them some more.

Completion of the set will have to wait until after Xmas - Heh another bonus of having 3 kids now is that they each will want to buy me something.

AndyP

 

[Alf]

Alf, I'm sure that they would make slightly smaller handles for your delicate digits if you ask. Go on, you know you want to :wink:

It's no good, and unpatriotic of me to boot, but I've lost my heart to those L-Ns I keep telling myself it's a ridiculous amount of money for a chisel, I already have lots of chisels, I'll only find some way to ruin them, it's a ridiculous amount of money for a chisel, etc etc but all to no avail. Curse that Thomas Lie-Nielsen for putting the darn thing in my hand to keep me occupied while he signed my block plane - I could have managed to stand there without a distraction, honest I could.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Philly]

That T-L-N is a sneaky one-did he flutter his mustache at you as well Alf? :shock:
Oh yes, he's a ladies man!
Mind you, the pipper managed to flog me a Dovetail saw so maybe he has Universal appeal. (to sad toolies :lol: )
regards
Philly
(so would you go for the Hornbeam or Rosewood?)

 

[Alf]

That T-L-N is a sneaky one-did he flutter his mustache at you as well Alf? :shock:

Couldn't say - I was otherwise occupied with more important things. Viz: tools. :lol:

(so would you go for the Hornbeam or Rosewood?)

Definitely the Hornbeam. Rosewood chisel handles are for c*ll*ct*rs... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Philly]

Alf,
You honestly did'nt notice his mustache? Sure? :lol:
How dare you mention the "C" word.
Philly

 

[Alf]

Well obviously I noticed the 'tache; just can't comment on fluttering or absence thereof. :roll:

 

[Philly]

:lol:
Phily

 

[Anonymous]

oh come now - you've got those luvverly japanese chisels now - what on earth would make you move away from them? except better japanese chisels!

 

[Anonymous]

Though I love my japs to bits and use them constantly, I often find the blades are too short and resort to 'english' chisels

Same goes for my jap saws, I use them all the time except for tenons and dovetails when I prefer English saws again. Mix 'n' match :lol:

 

[Bean]

Really Tony
I bought my Jap saw specifically for dovetails and tennons, i dont seem to get on with european saws for these joints.
Maybe my tenon saw is just not up to it.


Bean

 

[Alf]

oh come now - you've got those luvverly japanese chisels now - what on earth would make you move away from them? except better japanese chisels!

Well I'm still not totally enamoured of the hollow in the back, to be honest. No logic to it, it just bothers me. And anyway, who can explain why any particular tool should strike such a chord with someone? I can't help it, I just fancy those chisels something rotten :wink: Hmm, maybe a pin-up poster for the workshop... Where was that clever link to do that anyway...?

Funny thing about Japanese saws. I went down the whole "these are fabulous" route myself, thought they were the bee's knees. But I had this awful nagging doubt that I was missing something with the western ones, and they just kept throwing themselves at me at car boots too, so I kept trying them off and on. One day I tried a sharp one. Never looked back since and the poor old saw-of-the-rising-sun resides unloved and unused in the upper reaches of the tool board. My theory is that Japanese saws aren't actually so wondrously fabulous, it's just the western ones have got so lousy and few people understand how to sharpen them properly any more. Not that I mind; just means more backsaws throwing themselves at me at car boot sales... :wink: :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Philly]

Alf
Agree with you on the saws-I just can't straight with the Jap ones-must be a technique thing
Since getting my L-N dovetail saw my opinion of western saws has recovered, too! :lol:
Philly

 

[Alf]

Since getting my L-N dovetail saw my opinion of western saws has recovered, too! :lol:

I should hope so too. :shock:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Really Tony
I bought my Jap saw specifically for dovetails and tennons, i dont seem to get on with european saws for these joints.
Maybe my tenon saw is just not up to it.


Bean

I can't quite cut as straight with the backed jap saw as with my european style counterpart. Also, the jap dovetail saw has crosscut teeth rather than rip. I have seen some new Jap DT saws with rip teeth but they cost £60-70 which is approaching LN and Adria territory

Philly, do you think the LN dovetail is a 'good buy' at £95 then?

I am struggling to choose between an old DT saw, an Adria an LN or a PAX.

 

[Bean]

Tony they do take awile to get used to and I suppose i dont think of them as better just different, it pays to find one thats suitable for hardwoods as most japanese saws are for softwood and tend to struggle with hardwood. I am intriged to try a combination saw(Rip and Cross) I have seen advertised. I should also try a good european saw I may well be missing something.

Bean

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Bean

Its an odd thing really. I have used european panel saws since helping my dad (a carpenter) out during the school hols when I was 10. I always got on fine until, about 2-3 years ago, I bought some jap saws as I had tried one and loved it. There is no doubt that my japs are superior to euro panel saws and I thought the jap backed saw was superior too. UNTIL I got my current tenon saw

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... ight=tenon

I now find that I reach for this every time rather than the jap backed saw.

Next time you're over, give it a go.