chisels....lesson learned.

[Jim]

Buck Brothers for chisels . . . .

Diston for hand saws.

 

[RobertE]

How can you identify the older ones?

Kinda hard to make out sometimes, but look for Sheffield, either stamped on the tang or the handle label.
Bob

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I'm glad this post came up. I have been growing my collection of Pfeil chisels and gouges, but Woodcraft has been out of several sizes of gouges for months. I was tempted to try a cheaper brand but you guys got me thinking it will be better to stick with a quality tool that will last the rest of my life and can be handed down to my son. I perused ebay this morning and found two of the sizes I was looking for plus a vintage hand vise! Thanks for starting this post.

 

[44-henry]

When I first got started in this hobby I found myself looking for a set of palm chisels and happened upon a set of Chinese ones at a Cummins tool sale. Some of you probably remember the Cummins trucks coming through small towns and setting up shop. Think the whole set cost me something like $3-4 max. I quickly learned that these were as soft as butter and not only wouldn't hold an edge, it was darn near impossible to put one on them as the edge just rolled off. I thought at first about throwing them in the trash, but opted instead to do a little heat treatment experimentation. A propane torch, glass of water, and my kitchen oven provided everything I needed. After a bit of re-shaping and heat treatment I found myself with some excellent palm chisels that I still am using today. Whatever the steel they were using it wasn't too bad, why they never took the time to heat treat them I do not know.

 

[AFWilliams]

I have used a variety of chisels through the years. Some reasonable, many not too great. I recently purchased a set of Narex Richter chisels and found them to be excellent.

 

[Cpt Flint]

I bought one of the German chisels from Track and found it to very satisfactory. I also have a set of Pfiels. I just needed a 6 mm.

 

[JCKelly]

What brand should a guy be looking for as far as chisels?

NEVER ever Chinese. German or preferably Swiss made. Note they may well have German/Swiss TRADE names, just be sure they are actually made in Germany or Switzerland.

 

[rocullen]

Regardless of brand name, all chisels will need sharpening sooner or later and a man who knows how can get any “decent” tool steel chisel as sharp as any other. It may not hold that edge as long is the difference. Dollar store chisels of mild steel exempted.

decent being the key word.

 

[Whitworth]

About 40 years or so ago I received a set of Craftsman chisels as a gift. If you know how to sharpen them you can shave with them.

Yep, I sure miss the days when Craftsmen tools were all made in the USA.

 

[Whughett]

Stanley had a good line I thought. I’ve some Stanley bench chisels dating to 1970 when I bought my house and started buying tools.

 

[ord sgt]

Whichever brand you choose, spend some time polishing the blade. Get a small sheet of glass and different grip aluminum oxide paper, starting at 300 and up to 1000 grit. Do the underside as well as the angle, starting with the coarsest and work your way up to 1000. Maintain them with the 1000 grit as necessary.

 

[shorthair]

Glad you can tell the difference, cheap can be the most expensive thing to buy.

Granddad used to say that free is the most expensive word in the English language.

 

[Whughett]

Whichever brand you choose, spend some time polishing the blade. Get a small sheet of glass and different grip aluminum oxide paper, starting at 300 and up to 1000 grit. Do the underside as well as the angle, starting with the coarsest and work your way up to 1000. Maintain them with the 1000 grit as necessary.

I actually took 40 hours course in basic wood working at the North Bennett Street school in Boston shortly after I retired in 1997. Sharpening chisels and plane irons was one of the topics taught. Flattening and polishing the back of the chisel was the first step. We used stones, today I use my jointers cast iron table and abrasive papers instead.

 

[Alan Ruuska]

Please be aware that U.S. manufacturers of sandpaper seem to be adopting metric abrasive numbers. The numbers that we are accustomed to parallel the metric numbers (which are preface with the letter "P", such as P220) until about 220 grit. After that they gradually diverge until by the time you get to P2000 paper you are actually getting about 1000 in our customary system.

 

[deerstalkert]

Pfeil is the way to go. Get one or two every pay day and eventually you will have a nice set of them. The cheap chisels work great for stirring paint.

after you open the can with them!

 

[Joemolf]

What are the chisels to buy? I bought a set from TOW I figured they be typically what we would require. Are palm chisels a good idea? What do you all recommend for finish work?

 

[Cotton52]

Has anyone tried FLEX brand carving tools, I’m just about to start on a rifle and was thinking about getting a set of them.

 

[John May]

One thing I learnt quite early on from a friend who restores sash windows and wood mouldings (mostly in the local Oxford Universities) was we all have too many chisels, I'm sure I could get away with a lot less than I currently have but if I see an old chisel in an Antique Centre I feel compelled to buy it! Generally, whether I need it or not! Same goes for virtually any tool that's over 25 years old!

 

[John May]

Has anyone tried FLEX brand carving tools, I’m just about to start on a rifle and was thinking about getting a set of them.

I had a small spoon carving set gifted me for Christmas, they are very sharp and appear to be well made if a little "basic' looking. Just my 2 cents worth!

 

[FishDFly]

How are chisels correctly sharpened?