Let's see, for me paring is all about touch, so a light chisel feels right. Paring dovetails requires a chisel with narrow bevelled shoulders (to get into the angles). I have only seen pictures of the LNs, and my understanding is that they would fit this bill very well. So I'm surprised that you don't view them this way and want additional "thin bevel edged" chisels.
Ah, a terminological confusion. I was thinking paring more as in the use of long thin paring chisels for cleaning housings or trimming plugs. The LNs are, indeed, fine for dovetails. Although having compared the bevel edges with my old chisels, they're quite different in style.
Mortice chisels? What type suits you best? "The oval bolstered feel more natural" - but you obviously don't have enough of them to make up the necessary sizes! Time to go rust hunting!!
It's dawning on me that I've made a terrible error of judgement. It's like an alcoholic thinking they're going to an AA meeting, but actually winding up at a tour of a brewery... :roll: :lol:
In my limited experience the longer mortice chisels (such as the Witherby sash mortices and the long Ibbotsons or Wards I have chop more accurately than the shorter Japanese and Marples pigstickers. I love the feel of the Japanese but work better with longer chisels). What do you think?
Hmm, while the longer length is a Good Thing in that it better demonstrates when you're not holding the chisel straight, on the other hand I find shorter is easier to actually hold upright in the first place. But then I haven't used the socket ones hardly at all yet. So maybe they'll do just fine for the larger sizes I don't use so much :wink:
They put the condition of my mortice chisels to shame.
Of course I've managed to forget all about the gouges now. Does anyone else even use gouges any more? :?
Cheers, Alf
