New tool advice

[Anonymous]

Hi there, i'm new to the forum and have been looking at the reviews etc before buying my first decent set of tools.

I'm starting a traditional making and restoration course and have been given a list of tools i'll need to start with and a pretty good buying guide.

I just have a couple of questions i hope can be answered before i buy all my tools, probably from axminster.

Are the Kirschen 1101 chisels in the box different to the 1002 chisels available separately? http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... e=1&jump=0

What would be the best size beechwood carpenters mallet to use with these?

I think i'll get the Clifton no4 smoothing plane to start off with and can buy more after a bit of experience.

I think it's best to go with these midrange/priced tools but would appreciate any advice.

Thanks, Chris

 

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, Chris*

Are the Kirschen 1101 chisels in the box different to the 1002 chisels available separately?

Yes. The set have round handles while the individual ones have octagonal. The blades are the same I believe.

What would be the best size beechwood carpenters mallet to use with these?

Pass. I just pick up whatever's handy. With the metal hoop I suppose technically you could use a metal hammer, but if you let on to anyone else that I said that I'll deny it... 8-[] :wink: You could always make a few of differing sizes...

I think i'll get the Clifton no4 smoothing plane to start off with and can buy more after a bit of experience.

Are, already planning for future expansion. You'll fit in splendidly round here, Chris. You wouldn't like to swap that bevel-down for a..., no, forget it... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

*Could have been worse; could have been another Mike :lol:

 

[edmund]

welcome to the forum!

I'm sure everyone will have loads of advice about what you should or shouldn't be getting. You;ll be bitten by the bug for tools before you know it

As a relative newbie to the fine arts of cabinet making, the approach I've taken to buying tools is work out what I need for my next project and get the best tools I can as I need them, especially as they can be quite expensive.

I don't have any experience of the chisels you mentioned. Looks like the only difference is the octagonal handle made out of hornbeam. You could check out Robert Sorby chisels (bit more expensive than the one's you're looking at) but I understand they are quite good. I personally use Japanese chisels which are great, even if expensive. Axminster do a nice set of 4 chu-usu nomi for £90.

On the mallet front, the bigger the mallet the less the chance of missing the chisel :lol:. Think you should try some out and see what feels comfortable. Obviously if you're planning on excavating huge great mortices the more weight in the mallet the better. Would think a 1lb mallet should be good for most things.

You should also think about what methods you are going to use for sharpening plane irons and chisels. Oilstones, waterstones, diamond stones, wet and dry paper, combinations of the foregoing? Good sharpening won't improve the metal used for the blade it will allow you to get the best out of what you've got.

Hope this helps, E

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks very much

I think i'll go for the set of Kirschens as i've not enough experience to know which i prefer and the set comes in a nice box :wink:

Most chisels i've seen have a rounded handle so should be fine.

Chris

 

[tim]

Welcome to the forum, Chris.

been given a list of tools i'll need to start with and a pretty good buying guide.

These would be interesting to see. Any chance you could post them. I imagine it would start a very interesting thread.

Cheers

Tim

 

[Anonymous]

Sure, i will do that but don't really want to type them all out.

I'll have a go at getting my scanner to work again, i think that'll be the best way.

Chris

 

[Taffy Turner]

I read a review of chisels from the major manufacturers recently (I can't seem to find it again at the moment - I think it was on the woodcentral website if anyone fancies helping me out here), and the Kirschen chisels came out joint top, FWIW.

Regards

Gary

PS - Found the article - here's the link: -

http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/chisel_review.pdf

 

[AndyC]

Hi,

Surely the guy doing the chisel comparison should have used the same width chisels as this would make quite a big difference in all the cutting performance tests, a narrower blade being easier to pare through the wood etc.

Sorry to moan but i have a very sciencey background and there are way too many variables in this test!

Right, anyone got a ladder so i can climb down off this massive soapbox i seem to have got on! :roll:

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Chris

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Alf]

Surely the guy doing the chisel comparison should have used the same width chisels as this would make quite a big difference in all the cutting performance tests, a narrower blade being easier to pare through the wood etc.

I think that may have been brought up at the time but unfortunately I don't have the relevant bit of the Badger Pond forum archive to check - someone on the handtools board might. I think the problem was he was doing the "test" as a private individual and he really didn't want a dozen chisels the same size. :lol: Things have moved on a little since that article in the wunnerful world of chisels; it be interesting to see what came top now.

Cheers, Alf

 

[cambournepete]

From reading his review it seems that the way he works - "tip held" - influenced his review most of all. Nothing wrong with that , but we don't all work in the same way...

It's very much a personal preference rather than an overall review, IMHO.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the welcomes.

I guess lots of these buying decisions come down to personal preference.

When i've used different tools for a while i'll have my own opinions to confuse others :wink:

Chris