Anybody use Narex Japanese style dovetail chisels?

[JSpill]

I've never used Japanese chisels.These seem like a good way to get started. They are available at Highland Woodworking. Infinity Tools sell a set of three 1/4", 1/2",3/4" for about $90.00. They are also available at Amazon. I know high quality Japanese chisels cost much more. Narex has developed a good reputation for decent chisels at a moderate cost. I'm wondering if anyone here has used these Narex Japanese style dovetail chisels and what they think of them.

[brofessor]

I have the narex dovetail 1/2 and 3/4. and for comparison I own veritas pmv11, lie nielsen, stanley 750's and the European style narex with the hornbeam handles. I find the steel to be about equivalent to the newer style stanley 750's. the handles are what I don't like. my preference is a sleeker handle like the 750s or lie nielsen. the Japanese dovetail chiseld have a handle between the stanley 750s and a ray iles mortise pig sticke, probably leaning closer to the pig sticker. it's just a bit too big. maybe some people prefer the big handle for chopping dovetails. second point, I like the veritas chisel for dovetailing as there's no squared edge on the sides. the narex dovetail chisel and the lie nielsen chisel have about a 2mm edge to them and the stanley 750s have a 3-4mm beveled edge. so the veritas wins in that category. when I bought my set over a year ago there wasn't many reviews or comparisons so I hope that helps.

[Mark A Smith]

I have not tried them, but I'd be tempted if I needed some dovetail chisels. $90 for three imperial width chisels is a great deal if the edge sharpens well and holds up. They are OOS right now, but Highland is taking back orders.

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

The Narex chisels look OK. If it were me, I would rather have the Iyori dovetail paring chisels from toolsforworkingwood. They do cost more, but I think you could get by with just the 1/4 (6mm) and 1/2(12mm). The pair is just $91--about where your budget is. Just an alternative to ponder.

[Steve N]

I have Narex bench chisels, traditional, they are well built, however the steel isn't the best they can be made very sharp, but don't hold that edge for very long, short term actually. No idea if their Japanese style have different steel. The Japanese hollow seems to be designed for a longer lasting edge. If you get them you'll have to report back on them.

In terms of Japanese chisels, seems there are numerous that aren't highly priced, but have been stated to keep a good edge. I have a few of the ones Grizzly sold several years ago, and they are good. The current ones look just like the ones I have, but they do swap suppliers often, so it could just be the look.

A friend has this set from TforWW, Joel usually sells a good product my friend speaks well of his.

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

My go to chisels are the Grizzly set. I love those things. I have a few nicer Japanese chisel sets but they are just too pretty to use. I can pound on the Grizzly's guilt free.

[hbmcc]

My go to chisels are the Grizzly set. I love those things. I have a few nicer Japanese chisel sets but they are just too pretty to use. I can pound on the Grizzly's guilt free.

I have new old stock, too: Veritas. 
 And I prefer beating up the typical Japanese bench chisel instead of one at four times the cost. However, I picked up one--my first--from Grizzly a few years back which immediately made me suspicious of any chisel called "Japanese chisel". Sorry Wilbur, but knockoffs are very prevalent, and very bad. 

To the OP: .... Jeeze, man, you have been here since the stone age! Are you from upper New York? How was it here, back then, in 'o1?  


Do not compare, or even try to compare the Narex with a Japanese-made laminated steel chisel. If you hear good things about a Japanese laminated steel tool, get that type, made in Japan. Not a common HC steel fashioned in a Japanese style, made in Czech. Republic. 

The Noire style I have are, I believe, what came from Highland a few years back. I think mine were simply shuffled between owners with odds introduced to keep the 10-set status. I paid $20 each, and they are good. A solid "good". I prefer using them. But! ...

But, it takes a while to get each tool set up and fine tuned before use. If you don't, you will hate them. It's best to start with one or two Japanese chisels. Including setting hoops, I think it took a day on diamonds to get the bevel of a larger one flat, then honed. I probably lost a pint of blood in the process. I only hate them while sharpening and honing. They use a flat bevel but some people save blood and send them to a grinding wheel.

Know that mixing metric, almost-metric (Japanese), and Imperial tools can turn into multiple nightmares. I had a mess until I decided to use my Jap. tools for clearing out wood only; never establishing socket size with them.

Cheap tools are really dead weight. Jim likes his Grizzly lam. steel tools. Mine chips if you look at it, and the hard steel is so thin and short on the business end, I keep it for a lesson in what not to accept. Seriously, I needed a magnifying glass to see the hard steel.

Hobby workers have used the standard chisel shape for so long it is dumm to complain about it. But, we are all suckers for something new. The new triage shape is a gimmick, so call it a specialty toy, like all that makes-life-easier-stuff  "Honey" gets from the TV stores.

[rwe2156]

I have Narex bench chisels, traditional, they are well built, however the steel isn't the best they can be made very sharp, but don't hold that edge for very long, short term actually.

I've found this to be true, also.

They sharpen up quickly, so best to not wait.

I keep a touch up plate and strop handy on the bench.

[Steve N]

Yeah I use a a worksharp 3000, and have a PILE of chisels. I work till they stop slicing right in, lay it down, use the next in that size, and keep going till they are all just not quite right, run the WS for about 5 minutes, and back in bidnezz.....

[AHill]

The only thing "Japanese" about the Narex dovetail chisels is the pyramid type shape of the bevel with the lands intersecting like a roof top.  The steel is no different than their bench chisels.  There are plenty of decent, affordable chisels with small lands that have better steel and can do dovetailing better.  One example is the Ashley Iles Mk 2 bench chisels.  AI chisels have some of the best steel out there.  They are easy to sharpen and hold an edge a long time.  I bought a couple of Narex bench chisels and wasn't all that impressed with their edge holding capabilities.  The flats on the Narex chisels were slightly out of alignment with the edge, so that it was more difficult to register them to a line when chopping or paring to a line.