LV Special Buy carvers

[RB61]

I just received an announcement from LV regarding a Special Buy on carving chisels that they are offering. I was interested because they might be a good starter set for me. Anyone recognize these?

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...tsrc=Email

Here is the response I received when I ask about the manufacturer.

Thank you for your email.  Unfortunately we are unable to provide our vendor information to anyone in order to protect our supplier list after a considerable investment in sourcing different products from around the world.  The only exception to that rule is when the supplier name is on the product, or the packaging material.  In this case, unfortunately this information is not on the packaging. We can tell you that the 7-Piece Carving Tool Set (99W7664) is manufactured in China.
Should you require any further assistance, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Thanks,

Ray

[Timberwolf]

I just received an announcement from LV regarding a Special Buy on carving chisels that they are offering. I was interested because they might be a good starter set for me. Anyone recognize these?

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...tsrc=Email

Here is the response I received when I ask about the manufacturer.

Thank you for your email.  Unfortunately we are unable to provide our vendor information to anyone in order to protect our supplier list after a considerable investment in sourcing different products from around the world.  The only exception to that rule is when the supplier name is on the product, or the packaging material.  In this case, unfortunately this information is not on the packaging. We can tell you that the 7-Piece Carving Tool Set (99W7664) is manufactured in China.
Should you require any further assistance, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Thanks,

Ray

..................
They look to be a very good value..My only concern is there's quite a range of hardness between Rc57/62..I would prefer 59/60 for better edge retention. I have found that to be true with most Chinese chisels but I have hardened them and they worked out pretty well....There ARE some really excellent Chinese carving chisels available but the price reflects their quality.

[Admiral]

..................
My only concern is there's quite a range of hardness between Rc57/62..I would prefer 59/60 for better edge retention. 

My thought as well, that's almost a 10% variance (math wiz's out there can correct me, not my strong suit), so QC might be an issue.  There's a reason why they are priced so reasonably.

[Handplanesandmore]

I just received an announcement from LV regarding a Special Buy on carving chisels that they are offering. I was interested because they might be a good starter set for me. Anyone recognize these?

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...tsrc=Email

Here is the response I received when I ask about the manufacturer.

Thank you for your email.  Unfortunately we are unable to provide our vendor information to anyone in order to protect our supplier list after a considerable investment in sourcing different products from around the world.  The only exception to that rule is when the supplier name is on the product, or the packaging material.  In this case, unfortunately this information is not on the packaging. We can tell you that the 7-Piece Carving Tool Set (99W7664) is manufactured in China.
Should you require any further assistance, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Thanks,

Ray

Unless carving is your primary interest, this set looks good enough for those who do carving on the side -- that is general woodworking is their core activity. I like to tell people the Stanley or Narex chisel set is more than good enough for general woodworking and no handwork requires a $80 or $150 chisel to do the job. It is your skills and not the tool (as long as it passes the basic requirements: sharp and holding the edge reasonable long) that will determine the results. I'd rather spend the money on learning the skills from someone in person than spending the same money on a great tool with lousy skills.

If I was looking for an economical/beginner set of carving chisels, this set would come as an easy choice. I am never bothered by where a tool is made as long as it is backed up by whoever sells it. I bought a few of this kind of limited offers from Lee Valley (combo squares, for example) before and was not disappointed.

Simon

[Rob Young]

This set was offered several years ago. I bought one at the time on a whim.

Generally OK chisels, they will take an edge and they held it in African Mahogany, walnut and basswood as I piddled about with them. I can't recall if the original ad had the same sort of wide range on the hardness scale. But honestly, they are hard enough. Or at least the ones I got are.

They are a bit shorter over-all than Dastras and Pfeil. And don't feel quite as sturdy in the hands. So two-handed gripping might be a bit fiddly for some.

Warren commented at the time that the shapes and geometries were a bit "off" as compared to tools he uses. And I can vouch that some of them are a bit half-done in their copying of a "real" tool. But they can be reshaped, etc without much difficulty.

If you just want to dabble and get a feel for things, I imagine they are fine. Especially if you want to experiment with reshaping a tool. At the posted price, you are essentially getting a lot of tools for what 1-1/2 "good" ones from Dastra or Pfeil would cost.

[hbmcc]

I am positive I replied to this last night, but was doing a bunch of stuff in my panel.....

I bit, finally, after debating good ones vs this for several years. I will see how things go....

[Timberwolf]

I am positive I replied to this last night, but was doing a bunch of stuff in my panel.....

I bit, finally, after debating good ones vs this for several years. I will see how things go....

,,,,,,,,
It's hard to go wrong for the price...Here's what I do when I buy a new knife or any edge tool other than a saw, I grind the edge to a low bevel {like ~20* and lower for a carving knife} to see just how well it will hold that sharp edge. {the tool will tell you what angle it works best at}...I then test the edge in soft wood taking a cross grain cut..I want to see a "polished" look to the wood where I sliced off a piece of it...If the edge folds over or dulls, I try a micro-bevel, increasing the angle slightly each time until the edge stands. If the edge does not feel sharp enough to me at that point {I like it crazy sharp}, I know the steel is not hard enough.. I will break out the torch and harden it....after that, if it still wont hold the edge very long, I know the steel is not going to harden any more so no use wasting any more time with the tool...Working in hard woods requires a higher bevel angle....

The chisel in that kit that is most likely to disappoint you is the "V" tool..Cheaper V tools are seldom sharp enough {to suit me} with their factory edge..It's also the hardest one to sharpen correctly. When you master sharpening that one, all the rest will be a snap.!!!!!

[Dave Diaman]

I ordered a set for my son. I have been teaching him to carve but I would rather him use a cheap set than my Swiss Made tools. He will also like the idea of having his own carving tools and will be more inclined to take good care of them.

[hbmcc]

,,,,,,,,
It's hard to go wrong for the price...Here's what I do when I buy a new knife or any edge tool other than a saw, I grind the edge to a low bevel {like ~20* and lower for a carving knife} to see just how well it will hold that sharp edge. {the tool will tell you what angle it works best at}...I then test the edge in soft wood taking a cross grain cut..I want to see a "polished" look to the wood where I sliced off a piece of it...If the edge folds over or dulls, I try a micro-bevel, increasing the angle slightly each time until the edge stands. If the edge does not feel sharp enough to me at that point {I like it crazy sharp}, I know the steel is not hard enough.. I will break out the torch and harden it....after that, if it still wont hold the edge very long, I know the steel is not going to harden any more so no use wasting any more time with the tool...Working in hard woods requires a higher bevel angle....

The chisel in that kit that is most likely to disappoint you is the "V" tool..Cheaper V tools are seldom sharp enough {to suit me} with their factory edge..It's also the hardest one to sharpen correctly. When you master sharpening that one, all the rest will be a snap.!!!!!
 

Wow! Thanks! I will do exactly that. My normal process is try and smile; or, try and cry. Or, just set the thing off somewhere to be forgotten.

I will attempt the propane forging if necessary, but it will be a first.

[Timberwolf]

Wow! Thanks! I will do exactly that. My normal process is try and smile; or, try and cry. Or, just set the thing off somewhere to be forgotten.

I will attempt the propane forging if necessary, but it will be a first.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It wont be "forging",,hardening is much easier...There are plenty of Youtube videos on hardening ordinary tool steel..If the tools are large you may need more heat than a propane torch can deliver..There are at least two easy ways to offset that..One is make a charcoal fire and hold the tool over the charcoal while you apply heat with your torch until the hot steel will not attract a magnet..Then quickly quench it in any type of oil...Another way is to hold the tool close to the surface of a clay flower pot..The pot will reflect the heat back onto the steel, allowing the torch to supply enough heat...Quench when non-magnetic....If after hardening the tool, try filing the edge..if you can cut it with the file, the steel probably wont get any harder with an oil quench..You will then need to temper the steel..Do this by applying heat from the torch starting high up from the edge until it turns a straw yellow...Let this color run all the way down to the edge at which time you need to quench it in oil again. You should not be able to file the edge...I would not give up on the tools until I have tried this..You may be surprised at how well it can work.