chisels

[chippy1970]

I managed to lose one of my set of Stanley butt chisels last week. I ve had them a while now I think they were imported from the US as all the sizes are in inches. I want to get some new chisels preferably butt chisels and I need ones the you can hit with the side of a hammer. The stanleys I have have the metal caps.

I've spotted a few decent looking butt chisels ie AI and pfeil etc but I'm not sure that they would take a hammering.

These chisels will be used for usual site sort of stuff ie hinges, locks housing out etc etc.

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

IMO for site work don't spend to much.

I have a couple of sets of cheap chisels for site only which some are new marples, stanley and even wilko's. The wilko ones are the first set I ever brought some 10 year ago and still are in good order and cut well today.

Anyhow a would recommend a set of irwin marples http://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-marples ... 5-pc/48419

 

[chippy1970]

I've never liked marples I bought a set of the red and yellow handled ones years ago and took them back and swapped them for the stanleys I have now. I never liked the feel of the marples and the steel looked cheap.

 

[artfu1d0dger]

Sorry to 'butt' in on this topic but im new to woodworking. Its something ive always wanted to do but never had the time, now ive pasted 40 i decided enough was enough therefore im getting together basic tools to start simple projects.

Please can someone explain what the difference is between butt chisels and bevel edged. To my untrained eye they look more or less the same apart from Butt chisels have a smaller handle!

Also as a beginner can you recommend a set for me, ive looked at the Narex post and there is mixed reviews

Ive also seen a set of Marples on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180669469016? ... 1438.l2649

or

Crown

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260964155669? ... 1438.l2648

A point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated

Neil

 

[Pete W]

Subject of much confusion, chisels. Bob Smalser wrote a good guide to the essentials a few years ago. There's a version here:
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f13/wood- ... ers-13082/

Some of the pictures are lost to the sands of the internet but it should get you started.

As to the two sets you link to, I'd say they're very different beasts. The Marples look designed to be hit, but I'm not sure I'd want to be hitting the Crown set. Depends on what you want to do - furniture-making or general DIY.

In general, I'd recommend you not get a set anyway - buy something for getting in tight spaces (6mm-ish) and something for a bit more heft (18mm-ish). If you're going to be cutting mortice and tenon joinery, you'll need something designed for the purpose. Then add extras as you need them. This way you can get better chisels for your money.

And I think you're fairly safe buying old (pre-war) chisels from eBay - not much can go wrong with a chisel that you can't see in the pictures, and you'll get good-quality steel.

 

[Alf]

Subject of much confusion, chisels. Bob Smalser wrote a good guide to the essentials a few years ago. There's a version here:
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f13/wood- ... ers-13082/

Try this version, which is all there. I don't think everyone agrees with all of it, but for the general gist it's not bad.

 

[Pete W]

Thanks, Alf - I thought there should be a complete version somewhere.

 

[Jacob]

Sorry to 'butt' in on this topic but im new to woodworking. Its something ive always wanted to do but never had the time, now ive pasted 40 i decided enough was enough therefore im getting together basic tools to start simple projects.

Please can someone explain what the difference is between butt chisels and bevel edged. To my untrained eye they look more or less the same apart from Butt chisels have a smaller handle!

Also as a beginner can you recommend a set for me, ive looked at the Narex post and there is mixed reviews

Ive also seen a set of Marples on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180669469016? ... 1438.l2649

or

Crown

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260964155669? ... 1438.l2648

A point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated

Neil

Butt chisels traditionally were just worn short chisels and could be bevel edge, firmer etc. They are useful but I doubt they were often, if ever, made to that design on purpose, as there were plenty of worn out chisels around.

I wouldn't spend too much time contemplating starting your chisel collection - just buy one, or the other, or both of the ones you've linked to. They are both very cheap and no doubt excellent. The marples would be a lot more durable - if heavy handling and site work was an issue.

 

[Tony Spear]

A neighbour of mine asked me if I would look after his dog whilst he was away with his Wife in their Camper van.

In order to thank me, he gave me a four piece chisel set that he'd bought on his holiday.

They're by Abraham Dietrichs & Co. of Wuppertal (good sign there!) and the packaging describes them as "Ripping Chisels". They're bevel edged but very thick below the bevel, and although the blades are tapered in thickness, they're much thicker than my Marples . They've got Ash handles and lower and upper ferrules.
I've measured the width and they are all pretty much spot-on, they've only got a primary bevel of about 30 degrees and all the surfaces are very good, the face is absolutely spot on and highly polished. Although I don't have the accurate metallurgy The markings on the back say they are "Chrome Vanadium Steel". I'm assuming that these are somewhere between a conventional chisel and a mortice chisel and should be honed and used for chopping out duties.

Anybody know anything about these?