Chisels n planes help!

[JWD]

Hi everyone

looking to up my hand-tool game with some new gear, specifically a good block plane, No.5 plane and some chisels.
my current research has lead me to this:
-LN no 601/2 rebating block plane
-probably a no.5 stanley or record from the bay
- Either the fujikawa japanese chisels from w/shop heaven or the Pfeil chisels from rutlands

Anyone with any experience in these areas i would very much appreciate any advice/amendments you could make to my list
many thanks in advance

Joe

 

[ro]

I can't help with the block plane or chisels, but I have an old record #5 which after a bit of TLC and a new blade is wonderful.

I got mine for a song (about a fiver) at a car boot sale. Much cheaper than the bay.

 

[El Barto]

I can't help with the block plane or chisels, but I have an old record #5 which after a bit of TLC and a new blade is wonderful.

I got mine for a song (about a fiver) at a car boot sale. Much cheaper than the bay.

Agreed. I picked up a Record 5 1/2 off eBay for about £25. It needed a bit of work but only took an hour or so to get it looking respectable. It quickly became my favourite plane.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

IMO I would not get a rebating block plane, if it is your only block plane. Get a 60 1\2 or equivalent, and a couple of blades. Nor would I get some Japanese chisels if they are going to be your go to tools; unless you want to specifically explore Japanese woodworking. Ashley Iles are about the best Western chisels for reasonable money that I have come across and would be my recommendation.

Mike.

 

[Racers]

If you are carbooting for a No5 look for "Cast Steel" chisels usually about £1, and I haven't found a bad one yet.

+1 on the LN 60 1/2 its a very nice plane.

Pete

And +1 on the non Japanese chisels.

 

[MattRoberts]

You might want to consider a no. 62 low angle jack plane - very versatile in its use

 

[MikeG.]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Oooh, I dunno - I paid £4 each for three Wards once .........

 

[woodbrains]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

Hello,

If you can't tell the difference, then it doesn't matter to you. If you can, then it makes all the difference in the world!

If anyone ever takes the trouble to see the process that goes into making an Ashley Iles chisel, then reasonably, it should make them wonder how they can be so affordably priced.

Mike.

 

[D_W]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

What's expensive?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

Hello,

If you can't tell the difference, then it doesn't matter to you. If you can, then it makes all the difference in the world!

If anyone ever takes the trouble to see the process that goes into making an Ashley Iles chisel, then reasonably, it should make them wonder how they can be so affordably priced.

Mike.

That's slightly off tack, really. I can see the work that goes into a Rolex - but I get the time from a £15 phone, the bottom right corner of the screen or the clock on the cooker.

 

[Jacob]

A 'rebating' block plane is a very specialised tool - might be just the thing if you make a lot of small things with rebates, but the LN is extremely expensive. For most rebates a Stanley 78 is the ideal hand tool.
On the other hand if you just want a block plane the Stanley 220 is the essential basic bog standard. Get an old one with the wooden knob - they are a bit lighter and better to use compared to the new ones.

 

[Graham Orm]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

Better quality steel, which should hold an edge longer. That's the only difference that matters.

I just sold a set of current Stanleys that have laid dormant for a couple of years. I use Stanley 5001's for work, (black handles). I've picked up a couple of sets one at a time from eBay for a few quid. All are over 50 years old and have the best steel I've found. I also have some Narex for the workshop that are nice to handle and look at, as well as doing a good job.

 

[MikeG.]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

Better quality steel, which should hold an edge longer. That's the only difference that matters.......

Exactly.

And when old chisels are cheap, and easy to find, I can't see what the incentive is to buy expensive new ones. The cheap set I bought new in the 70's are brilliant, every bit as good as any Ashley Iles or whatever (but not as pretty), and when my grandchildren inherit them they'll still be good for their own grandchildren in time.

 

[MikeG.]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

.....If you can't tell the difference, then it doesn't matter to you. If you can, then it makes all the difference in the world.........

Nice little dig. I'll take a bet that I've used a chisel more hours in the last 3 years than anyone on this forum.

 

[MattRoberts]

My chisel is bigger than your chisel!

 

[Beau]

So these would be my choices.

A Record 5 1/2. Super versatile plane that is my goto plane for most work. Mine has a Hock blade but not sure it's that much better than than Record blade just different.

For a block plane I find I reach for the Record 9-1/2. The adjustment has a lot of slack in it and it's not slick but it works very well once fettled. I have a little Lie Neilson 60-1/2 but it's so narrow it's awkward to hold. The blade on it does hold it's edge a fair bit longer than the Record though. I just like the extra width of the Record as it sits better in the hand.

For both the planes I am sure one of the good Chinese brands make a better quality version, certainly easier on the eye but not tried them.

I going to go against the grain on chisels and say get some Japanese Oire Nomi similar to these https://www.fine-tools.com/stemjap.html

 

[D_W]

I'd love someone one day to tell me what difference they think expensive chisels make, other than to their wallet. If they ever do, I'll argue with them!

Better quality steel, which should hold an edge longer. That's the only difference that matters.......

Exactly.

And when old chisels are cheap, and easy to find, I can't see what the incentive is to buy expensive new ones. The cheap set I bought new in the 70's are brilliant, every bit as good as any Ashley Iles or whatever (but not as pretty), and when my grandchildren inherit them they'll still be good for their own grandchildren in time.

Ahh, you're not talking about cheap chisels, you're talking about old chisels that weren't cheap but that are inexpensive now. Entirely different. When you talk about cheap chisels, you'll have a lot of people thinking you're talking about a 5 quid pack of chisels from aldis.

I've got chisels that were a dollar each (they're actually quite useful for some things) and I have a chisel that was about $225. And a whole lot of stuff in the middle. I think the Ashley iles chisels are lovely, and in the land of no VAT, they were about $26 each. I think that's a bargain if you just want to get a set of chisels and use them, and they have real bonafide first world people making them. That's not too bad.

I like the acetate handled (red) bevel edged footprint chisels, too, but they're getting tough to find.

In terms of the chisels you're thinking about, maybe, the stuff 125 years old that shows up at boot sales there - we don't have that here in the states. Gobs of construction chisels, but not a whole lot in terms of stuff without a socket and a heavy blade.

I have at least 10 times as many chisels as I need. You could ask why I'd keep the $1 chisels (they came from harbor freight), and the answer to that is you can grind them or do whatever you'd like (along the bevels) or even sharpen the perpendicular sides if you'd like. they're a dollar. Sure, they're soft, but that's solved by learning to sharpen quickly. And for the time once in a while when your spouse wants to hack away at something in the house or bang apart something that's got grout on one side, no problem. I'd rather have three times as many really cheap chisels as I needed than one set of good ones. A $5-$10 mediocre chisel makes for a great trimming chisel when you grind it down to sharp on the bevels on the side.

 

[MikeG.]

I'm not exclusively talking about old chisels. There are some great mid range chisels available new. Hell, Paul Sellers sings the praises of a pack of Lidl or Aldi chisels, and they cost £12 or £15 for 4. No, they're not soft....they're good steel apparently. My basic point is that people buy expensive stuff thinking they are getting something better than what they've already got, or something which is readily available much cheaper, and generally they get something prettier, but no more effective. You can apply that to all sorts of tools, although I was talking specifically about chisels when I said it.

Oh, and my chisels were cheap when I bought them new in the 70s. They're great.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

£8 - they're brilliant for the money and they'd be good at three times the price.