I've been there, in fact I started off this way. Here is what I learned:
Nobody needs a set of thirteen bench chisels.
That's it.
I've written about this before. I think a set of more than three chisels is a marketing gimmick (that most of us have bought into) that puts more tools than you need in your toolbox, separating you from more money that you could use for nicer tools.
Here's why:
If you have a nice box with a graduated set of chisels from 1/8" up to 1 1/2", the one you will inevitably reach for is the sharpest one. You'll eventually feel guilty about not keeping them all of them razor-sharp, but at the same time you won't have time to sharpen them all.
One doesn't often need a specific width of a bench chisel. Mortising is different, but let's put that aside for a moment. I find I use bench chisels on every project I build, but only occasionally need a specialty tool like a mortise chisel.
You can get away with two chisels: a kinda big one, and a kinda small one. My favorite sizes are a one inch chisel and a 3/8 inch chisel. These two chisels work for about 85% of all my chiselling needs.
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| Here's my current set of chisels in my tool chest. The ones on the left are 3/8" and 1". |
Once you are happy with those, then you can (slowly) collect some more chisels for different uses. Sometimes you need something extra narrow, or sometimes you run into a wood that needs a lower angle honed on the edge than your daily beaters. If those happen to be around and tuned up, great! However, nine times out of ten, I could have gotten by with one of my two main chisels.
I would recommend in buying a premium chisel to start with, unless someone can show you how to tune an old chisel up to perfection. I've previously recommended Lie-Nielsen chisels, and I still do. Stay away from the ones that just look like Lie-Nielsens.
As far as my own personal preferences, I have moved away from the A2 steels in my chisels in favor of older O1 steel. To me it just "feels" better. It's hard to explain otherwise.
I also like to put a new handle that I've made on chisels with unsatisfactory (or missing) chisels.
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| I've chosen to use a different wood for each of my chisels. The one on the right was a replacement handle I had, and the next one was given to me. |
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| My chisels live here in my chest. |
What are your thoughts about the "perfect" set for the beginner?
What chisel do I use? I have had to go to the shop and measure them. The one I use 90% of the time is stamped 14 and is just a little wider then 14mm the other one is supposed to be 10mm but is a little bit narrower. I have bigger ones I practically never use and 3 pig-sticker bought on a flea market a few years ago that I even didn't try to sharpen. Now as here 19mm is a common thickness for boards, I may have to buy someting around 6mm or 1.4".
ReplyDeleteWhen I made my workbench, I made the tenon and mortises according to the chisel available ~14mm.
Those two chisels are no-name Chinese ones bought on a flea market for something like 5 EUR/piece but they work. I didn't spend money on them but I have spent money on diamond plates (used also for the plane).
Sylvain
Hey Sylvain, thanks for the comment.
DeleteI actually didn't describe the chisels I use, did I?
The big one is a one inch, or 26mm Finnish chisel made by Hackman & Co. Sorsakoski, and the smaller chisel (which is relatively new to me) is a 3/8" or 9mm chisel from Sweden made by Jernbolaget. Before I got that one working, I would say my smallish chisel was a 1/2" or 13mm firmer chisel from Finland, again by Sorsakoski.
These chisels were either given to me or were very cheap and required a little rehab to get tuned, but they work fantastic.
I did get to use a cheap Chinese chisel last year for a project, and while I wouldn't say it was in the same league as my current users, it did get sharp and worked fine for the project I used it on, so you never know.
Making mortises according to the chisels you have is a sound and time-tested strategy. While making a tenon exactly 1/3 of the size of the stock you are using would be ideal, a 1/4" tenon in reality is going to be just as functional as a 15/64" tenon. you might look for a long time to find a mortise chisel that size.
For wide mortises you can use the technique shown here :
ReplyDeletehttps://hyvelbenk.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/hovelbenken-i-mariestad-er-pa-fotene/.
I use the Paul Sellers Technique shown here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_NXq7_TILA
When looking attentively, one will see that it is the chisel deviation induced by the bevel that shears the wood. No need to exert heavy leverage effort and no risk to snap the chisel.
Sylvain
With the added bonus of not having to buy a mortise chisel!
DeleteAnother downside of buying a set it prevents me from buying something new that I'd like to try. I started out with a 1" and an 1/8" chisel and was all good but wished for greener pastures (Pre ATC), then I came across some old socket chisels (as an eclectic small set) great! then got a good deal on a "user set" (Narex's) now I really want to try a Japanese chisel or other high end maker chisel, but I feel guilt. I already have too many, but as sets they can't easily be given away to a good home or just squeeze in one redheaded step child... oh shoot, I forgot I just bought some of the ALDI chisels (though those are going to be giveaways.)
ReplyDeleteHi Jeremy! I find the best time to try out tools is at some kind of woodworking event like a class or something. It also helps that my house in Munich is a 15 minute walk from Dictum. Once, when I was there, I discovered that I absolutely didn't want a Lie-Nielsen No. 2. Sometimes you just have to hold the tool and put it to some wood.
DeleteThe good news, especially with quality tools like your Narex's, is you probably could get your money back if you sold them.
Cheers!
Brian,
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%, says a guy with a bad chisel jones, especially for pre-WWII Marple chisels. To work wood you just need 2 or 3 chisels for 95% of what you need a chisel for.
Balance is the most important feature of a chisel, how it feels in hand and when applied to wood. That is hard for someone to know if they haven't kissed a few frogs on the way to finding their prince of a chisel. I like tanged vs. socket and O1 vs. A2 but that's just me. One other aspect, unless you live in a desert, more tools just means more time spent fighting rust instead of working wood.
BTW, I like the style of your personal handles and the use of "color coding".
ken
Thanks, Ken! Bob Rosaieski has a great YouTube tutorial for making those handles. There's lots to like about this style of handle, most especially the ability to make it just the size you want.
DeleteLike you, I prefer tanged, O1 chisels, but there's lots of ways to go. I sold most of my LN A2 chisels a while back to a guy who couldn't believe I wanted to get rid of them. They were nice, but there's just SOMETHING about a Swedish chisel.
Also, like you, I have a bad chisel jones. I have a bucket in my Munich shop labeled, "Swedish Chisels." I'm trying to get through them, but it might take a while.
Cheers!
Beginners? Simply get a set of Narex (7 chisels?). Flatten the backs, sharpen the edges, and use them until they are no longer beginners and know what to get for a better set (and then sell the Narex to other beginners).
ReplyDeleteEasy peasy. Too much overthinking in the hand tool world.
Richard
Hey, Richard, Thanks for the comment. I agree there is far too much thinking. Mostly thinking you need something that you don't. Seven chisels is totally unnecessary. That's my point. Learn to sharpen with two, maybe three chisels. Seven starts to get unwieldy.
DeleteCheers!
Best beguinerse... hum... my money goes to:
ReplyDeleteSelf sharpen chisels :D :D
If you invent one, illI buy it!
DeleteI recognize the Bob Rozaieski handles - I bought a few carving gouges from him on eBay, some with those handles. Very nice to use. My main difference on chisels is that I like my shorter 1980's Craftsmans (set of 4) for dovetailing, and the longer Irwins (Rockler, blue handles, set of 4) for general work. And to prove I've been using more dollars than sense, I also like 2 or 3 of my Narex chisels (from a set of however many Lee Valley was selling at the time). The others are still in a box.
ReplyDeleteHey, Jeff! It's good that you know your chisels well enough that you have favorites for different jobs. It took me a long time to get there. I love the fact that you admit keeping some of your Narex chisels in their original box!
DeleteCheers!
Brian a spot on post. I followed the advice to buy a set of chisels when I first started. It didn’t take long to figure out my most used chisels were the 3/8”, 1/2” and 3/4”. Had I only purchased those three I could have saved myself a bit of cash and had much better tools.
ReplyDeleteAs a Chairmaker and a sometime cabinetmaker, I don’t reach for chisels all too often. But depending upon the project on my bench I find myself acquiring some specialty size chisels. The latest is a 3/16” mortising chisel. I must confess I ordered 3, a Lie-Nielsen, a Narex and a Ray Isles. I may have a tool problem. I may need a support group.
Hey, Ray! My guess is that more people will say, "I should have done that" than will take my advice, but we all go through it.
DeleteBTW, nobody needs more than one 3/16" mortise chisel. And I'm not saying how many I have. :)
You're absolutely right. I spend most of my time with a 3/4" or 3/8" chisel, only occasionally reaching for something smaller or bigger for a specialized task. Yes, you can easily get by with just two chisels. Mortise chisels are another matter, but most of them, unless you are doing really large work, can be done again with just two (mortise) chisels.
ReplyDeleteO-1 is the way to go too, as it is far easier to sharpen. Forget about those crazy exotics, just learn to sharpen your tools--it's such a pleasure to work with tools you've sharpened yourself.
Personally, I like older socket firmer chisels that can be found for $20.00 or hopefully much less. A certain old tool patina appeals to me.
Hey, Sal! Thanks for the nice comment. I think socket chisels look cool, but tang chisels are easier for me to make a handle for. Plus, they're less common over here for some reason.
DeleteCheers!
Hi Brian
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion subject.
I get by using mainly 3 sizes of chisels.
1/4" (6 mm)
3/8" (10 mm)
1" (25 mm).
It is possible to use a 3/4" chisel instead of the 1", so that will just depend on what chisel is available at the time someone needs to get a new set.
To me it is a bit more important that the chisels have reasonably thin sides, so I can use them for making dovetails.
At home I have many chisels that I seemingly never use. In the rare instances that I manage to make a dovetail lay-out that will fit the width of a special chisel perfectly, I will use it if I remember to do so. Mostly I will just continue with one of my regular users.
To me a wide paring chisel would be preferable to a complete set of 7 chisels in increments from 1/4" up to 1".
So my advice for the next chisel after a set of standard 3 would be to get a 1.25" or a 1.5" wide paring chisel.
The problem is that only displaying three or four chisels will not create much of a WOW factor with your friends, so instead you need to actually build something tom impress them instead :-)
Brgds
Jonas
Hey Jonas! Thanks for your input. I agree with you about the paring chisel, but I've never had one so wide. I re-handled a Berg chisel in my stash that was extra long with an extra long ebony handle, and sharpened it with a low angle. It works great, but more often than not, I could get away with a bench chisel if it was sharp.
Delete