Chisels

[MY63]

I have a little more time on my hands at the moment and as ever I have turned my attention to tools that I will require for my new workshop when it is finished.
As the title suggests I am looking for some chisels I have always used bevel edge as my go to and had a nice set of maples with the blue resin handles but they have been borrowed and not returned or lost over the years.
I have found with leather working tools that older tools hold an edge better than newer tools, I dont plan on making huge projects a set of 3 or 4 would be sufficient.
If anyone could point me in the right direction of a good maker or seller I would appreciate it.

 

[9fingers]

From time to time Aldi and Lidl sell sets of 4 up to 25mm and generally get favourable reviews on various forums. They have gone up a bit over the years but are now about £7 a set. Decent wooden handles and ferrules

I have an aldi set and well as an old Stanley set with blue plastic handles that I got for my 21st birthday 44 years ago.
I would say that both hold an edge equally well.

I am not much of a hand tool user so maybe not the best judge but I think the Aldidl sets are very good value and not made of "cheese" like some cheap tools.

Bob

 

[Rod]

Narex are another cheap make with a good recommendation available from Workshop Heaven and others.
One of my favourites ( apart from my Japanese ones) are Ashley Iles, British made by a small family firm using traditional steels.


Rod

 

[RogerS]

If you fancy a wee trip then why not pop down to Penrith where there is the best kept secret in the NW ...G & S Specialist Timber Tools and Machinery The Workshop, Stainton, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0ES, UK

https://www.toolsandtimber.co.uk

They have a good range of Narex chisels and others. I like the Narex.

You could always pop in for a cuppa.

 

[MY63]

If you fancy a wee trip then why not pop down to Penrith where there is the best kept secret in the NW ...G & S Specialist Timber Tools and Machinery The Workshop, Stainton, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0ES, UK

https://www.toolsandtimber.co.uk

They have a good range of Narex chisels and others. I like the Narex.

You could always pop in for a cuppa.

Thanks everyone I like the look of the Narex ones
Roger that would be a good idea unfortunately following the surgery on Thursday I am not allowed to drive. Are these the same thing?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Narex-Bevel-Ch ... +set&psc=1

 

[RogerS]

If you fancy a wee trip then why not pop down to Penrith where there is the best kept secret in the NW ...G & S Specialist Timber Tools and Machinery The Workshop, Stainton, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0ES, UK

https://www.toolsandtimber.co.uk

They have a good range of Narex chisels and others. I like the Narex.

You could always pop in for a cuppa.

Thanks everyone I like the look of the Narex ones
Roger that would be a good idea unfortunately following the surgery on Thursday I am not allowed to drive. Are these the same thing?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Narex-Bevel-Ch ... +set&psc=1

No, these are the ones that I bought

 

[MY63]

Thanks for the pictures Roger does the handle shape make them easier to use?

 

[RogerS]

Thanks for the pictures Roger does the handle shape make them easier to use?

I think so, yes. The handles are wider than the norm and fit in the palm very snugly. My CMC joints are getting a bit dire in both hands which means that gripping things with the thumb more difficult. These chisels help. They're not that expensive so maybe just buy one from G&S and see what you think ?

 

[MY63]

Ok decision made Narex well these ones it turns out someone was looking for an item to buy me for Christmas problem solved and I get a set rather than one or two.

Watch out for a leather wrap/case to keep them in

https://www.workshopheaven.com/narex-ch ... -of-6.html

 

[Mike G]

Those are very pretty looking chisels, Michael, and if they're recommended by Chris Tribe, they're going to be decent quality. It shows again that you don't have to spend a fortune to have decent tools.

 

[MY63]

Thanks Mike I always enjoyed making boxes and really wanted to use dovetail joints which I tried using a coping saw useless with my hands. When I read your thread and saw the dovetails cut with a chisel so I think I will have a go. I did buy a cheap dovetail jig years ago but it is still in its box

 

[MY63]

Chisels arrived this morning I have to be honest they are way better than I was expecting.

2018-12-06_11-20-31 by my0771, on Flickr

2018-12-06_11-28-05 by my0771, on Flickr

The pictures show some grinding marks which I cant actually see even with my close up specs a quick run over the water stones and a polish on the strop will sort that.

 

[TrimTheKing]

They are good chisels.

Matthew at Workshop Heaven saw the originals which were a little rough and ready, liked them, then contacted the Chinese factory and went out there to get them to do a more refined version, to his more exacting specs, which are, I believe, exclusive to him.

I think they cost a couple of quid more than Narex you can buy elsewhere but he had the ferules upgraded, slightly better steel, had the edges ground down to a slimmer edge etc.

Enjoy.

 

[MY63]

They are good chisels.

Matthew at Workshop Heaven saw the originals which were a little rough and ready, liked them, then contacted the Chinese factory and went out there to get them to do a more refined version, to his more exacting specs, which are, I believe, exclusive to him.

I think they cost a couple of quid more than Narex you can buy elsewhere but he had the ferules upgraded, slightly better steel, had the edges ground down to a slimmer edge etc.

Enjoy.

Hi Mark
The chisels I have are made in Czechoslovakia rather than China.
I like the look of workshop heaven their service is very good so far they have some very nice Japanese hand saws that will be my next purchase.

 

[Rod]

Apart from buying a few things from WH, I’ve met Matthew a few times and he’s a very nice bloke.

Rod

 

[TrimTheKing]

They are good chisels.

Matthew at Workshop Heaven saw the originals which were a little rough and ready, liked them, then contacted the Chinese factory and went out there to get them to do a more refined version, to his more exacting specs, which are, I believe, exclusive to him.

I think they cost a couple of quid more than Narex you can buy elsewhere but he had the ferules upgraded, slightly better steel, had the edges ground down to a slimmer edge etc.

Enjoy.

Hi Mark
The chisels I have are made in Czechoslovakia rather than China.
I like the look of workshop heaven their service is very good so far they have some very nice Japanese hand saws that will be my next purchase.

I may have got that wrong, it was probably nigh on 10 years ago when I read his post about it.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Apart from buying a few things from WH, I’ve met Matthew a few times and he’s a very nice bloke.

Rod

Couldn’t agree more. I’ve only met him once but thoroughly nice chap and passionate about what he does.

He did, for a while at least, on UKW, do tool passarounds where he would take a new product and hand one out to a forum member who would test drive it then pass onto another an so on before eventually getting it back.

I always thought that a great way to generate interest and new custom.

 

[MY63]

I like his store and prices.
New Japanese handsaw next

 

[Woodbloke]

Lots of nice stuff said about Narex chisels and they are pretty good, but they do have very clunky handles which I find cumbersome. Folks may not appreciate it, but the Rider chisels from Axminster are also made by Narex and are sold with much better, lightly oiled hornbeam handles.
I have no affiliation in any way with the firm now, but for anyone seeking a decent chisel at a reasonable price, I reckon they're pretty hard to beat - Rob

 

[MY63]

Thanks Rob
I have rather large hands and the Narex handles fit quite well.
I don’t actually get them until my birthday but I only have six days to wait now.
Michael