I have been using some cheap plastic handled bevel edge chisels for years, and the results I get are not terribly good, as well as not being able to get a decent edge on them any more. I know a bad workman shouldn't blame his tools, but you can't shave finest Scottish smoked salmon with a panel saw and get restaurant quality results! I have decided to splash out on a new set of chisels but am overwhelmed by the range of makes, models and prices. It always used to be the more you spent, the better the quality but that doesn't always apply now. Can anyone recommend a good set that won't break the bank, and do I really need more than 5 or 6 sizes for DIY use?
Covers most sizes you need, hunt around you may find them cheaper, very nice chisels, had mine years. http://www.sealantsandtoolsdirect.c..._P26732.html?gclid=CJzhlf7DgckCFUcUwwod_AEM5g Maybe these. http://www.dibranto.co.uk/ProductIn...Type=Product&gclid=CP6nmb_EgckCFcHGGwodtcgGpg
I'm not a "chippie" so only need a chisel occasionaly. I have a 12mm & 38mm Marples chisels and a 20mm Bosch chisel that fits in my SDS drill. These usually meet all of my requirements.
I have used the Irwin Marples. Great chisels and makes your standard of work better. The second link KIAB sent
If your doing heavy or rough work, get yourself a couple of additional 'Firmer' chisels,these have a thicker, strong blade & can take the abuse more than a bevel edge chisel.
Malkie, Get on Ebay and look around for chisels under something like old joinery tools. You'll get some absolute beauties. Just need regrinding and you'll get a set that will last you and the next generation for pennies.
I picked up some beautiful old sash & mortice chisels,off Ebay only tenner,& their steel quailty is better than some chisels today. The one thing I'm trying to find cheap is Mortising Attachment for my large bench drill.
Axminster has one £27.46 http://www.axminster.co.uk/morticing-attachment I had a medium weight dedicated morticer for a few years, never found it that accurate as it used to wander off the vertical, It went via the auction site. Every so often have a sniff around about the ex-workshop ones but never end up parting with the cash
I have a large bench drill has a 25mm chuck, & it can take a mortising attachment, I'm just intrested in how well it would work.
Thanks for the recommendations. I have been looking at old used ones on Ebay, but until you have bought them and tried using them you don't know if they have been overheated when sharpening in the past and and are now soft as butter. My dad was a cabinet maker (passed away many years ago) and he always said that Footprint used to be one of the best, but manufacturing changed in the 60s and they became rubbish and he wouldn't buy them any more. As far as I remember his last set were Marples (without Irwin), but they disappeared when he died. I have suspicions as to where they went along with a lot of his tools, but that is another story! Probably going for the second set KIAB suggested; just looking around for the best deal!
Malkie, That's a fair point about temper going out of the steel due to overheating. I went for 2 sets that a chap was selling that had been his dad's. Many years ago now but they were brilliant and it was easy enough to nip over and have a look. I would have paid twice the asking price if pushed, real quality, stamped cast steel -Sheffield- and one set were 1889. Now I'm nearly retired I've seriously thought about buying and selling old tools.
Trouble is, how many people could use the old tools ? - brace and bit, a smoothing plane etc. Even overheard someone complain recently about having to drill pilot holes, counter sink them manually and then put in the screws by hand !! as he put it a real "b@lls ache".
Sad isn't it. Probabley never heard of combined drill & countersink bit. I had a neighbour complaining about his wood chisels otherday, when he showed me, they never seen a oilstone in 10 years or so he had them, & he wonder why they wouldn't cut,& to make things worse, he didn't know what a oilstone was,& didn't have a clue how to sharpen them. Soon put a edge on them with my Scheppach Tiger, but again he never seen one before.
I got a morticing attachment that came with a new pillar drill, tried it once and then binned it and bought a morticer.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/...LGMB2b5CX6JzJhgsA7NJMTE7Kiw1Xg4V5hxoCs53w_wcB It was OK for occasional use but no good for full time production use. I think I paid £100 for it and it certainly paid for itself but at work we have a machine that cost over 10 times that and a dedicated tenonner.
I use a set of Marples splitproof chisels for work. Had them for probably 10 years and they hold an edge reasonably well, though no where near as well as some of the old steel chisels you can pick up. Pretty bomb proof, (never had one split on me and they have taken a pounding on occasions like today trying to remove the head of an old window frame that wouldn't budge). Only issue I had with them when new was the plastic handles smelt like dog **** for weeks. Don't know if the latest ones also have this *feature*.
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