Stanley Fatmax chisel, much better than expected.

[PalmRoyale]

Last Friday I was given a brand new Stanley Fatmax 32mm chisel, the model with the tang that runs all the way through the handle and it's actually a very nice chisel. The handle is very comfortable and the steel is also very nice. I'd even say it's every bit as good as the steel used for the new Sweetheart socket chisels. It sharpens like a good quality carbon steel, it takes a very sharp edge and it stays sharp quite a long time. The back of the chisel wasn't completely flat but it has a very shallow hollow in the middle, just like I like it. The side flats were a bit large though so I ground down the side bevels to almost nothing so I can get into tight corners with it. All in all the Fatmax chisel surprised me in a very positive way.

 

[marcros]

the fatmax range is generally speaking good value for money. I have a few bits that I am happy with- toolboxes, hard point saws and similar, and would buy again.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

That would seem to me to be top class design and marketing. Millions of people pay a reasonable amount for a reasonable product that does its job reasonably well, and millions would be reasonably likely to buy the same brand again. Can't get much better in mass market terms, can it?

 

[Rhyolith]

As a modern general DIY brand I would say Fatmax is only superceded by Bahco in Hand tools. The only thing I don't like is the oversue of plastic on many of their products, the above a quality with a wooden wooden would be neat.

 

[PalmRoyale]

As a modern general DIY brand I would say Fatmax is only superceded by Bahco in Hand tools.

This isn't the case with Bahco chisels imo. I have experience with the Bahco 434, 424 and 414 chisels and they are of a lesser quality than the Fatmax chisel.

 

[bugbear]

The side flats were a bit large though so I ground down the side bevels to almost nothing so I can get into tight corners with it.

Good man!

BugBear

 

[PalmRoyale]

I'm glad you approve. That was actually the whole point of this post

But seriously, I wish Stanley and other manufacturers would take a lesson from MHG for example. They have a line of chisels with the side bevels ground down to a very tiny flat. The only chisels I didn't have to modify are my MHG chisels and it saves a lot of time.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

To be fair, most chisels are sold with the DIY and trade markets in mind, intended for house and commercial joinery and carpentry tasks. For such duties, a fairly strong chisel with sides square to the flat face is eminently suitable, rather akin to the firmer chisels of old. The only task that really needs bevelled edges is the clearing of waste from dovetails, for which the more delicate cabinetmaker's bench chisel is better adapted. The current Ashley Iles chisels are a good example of the latter.

It's not really clear why manufacturers bevel the tops of chisels intended for carpentry and joinery duties. It may just be a matter of fashion. The result is not fine enough for cabinetmaker's work, and unnecessary for carpentry work. However, if they do what you need, what the heck!

Edit to add - one advantage most modern chisels have over vintage ones is that they're much stronger in the neck and tang - the thin shoulders and necks of vintage chisels was the point at which many breakages occurred. So modernity is not all bad!

 

[PalmRoyale]

The only task that really needs bevelled edges is the clearing of waste from dovetails

Not for me as a shipwright. Boat interiors have a lot of corners that are less than 90 degrees and for cleaning up such corners a chisel with side bevels that go all the way down is very useful.

 

[Rhyolith]

As a modern general DIY brand I would say Fatmax is only superceded by Bahco in Hand tools.

This isn't the case with Bahco chisels imo. I have experience with the Bahco 434, 424 and 414 chisels and they are of a lesser quality than the Fatmax chisel.

I did mean in general, I have not tried either Fatmax or Bahco chisels so cannot comment on those specifically.

 

[ED65]

The Fatmax chisels are an interesting current-day example of name-brand and unbranded tools made on the same production line, a practice that we know has a long history.

I've seen at least four versions of these chisels in various colourways, three known brands and one unmarked. All look absolutely identical other than colour (yellow, red, green and blue) and the presence or absence of logo on the blade. Whether they're all produced to the same standard is an open question though.

 

[ED65]

The side flats were a bit large though so I ground down the side bevels to almost nothing so I can get into tight corners with it.

Good man!

BugBear

Speaking of tiny lands, I lucked upon a beat up old chisel with long bevels and small lands for peanuts at the car boot this morning. I don't really need another chisel at that width but couldn't overlook the chance to get one with this geometry.

 

[D_W]

My first ever set of chisels is (i still have them) stanley fatmax. My father in law got them for me when I started woodworking. A set of 6 was $55 back then, and they were made in sheffield, and have their own case. They're really quite nice to use - they sharpen easily and hold their edge fine. The only thing they're lacking is a comfortable handle and a little bit more work on the grind, but for $10 each and made in the western world, you can't really complain about them.

I haven't used an imported version, so I can't comment on any of those.

Living in the states, I generally won't buy anything branded Stanley because they left us in the lurch here and they cost quite a bit more than other tools (with the others sometimes being US made, like acetate handled buck brothers chisels that are also fairly good).