Narex Chisels
#31
Lie Nielsen only has a handful (like maybe 2 or 3) retail dealers. I think Highland is one. Otherwise you have to order them. Their handles will be slightly smaller or the same size as the Stanley ones you held at Rockler. It may be sacrilege to suggest it, but if you have large hands, it's not a sin to wrap the handle with grippy tape like for tennis rackets. All that really matters is the edge and the comfort in your hands. Who cares what they look like?
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
Reply
#32
(01-24-2019, 08:05 AM)AHill Wrote: Lie Nielsen only has a handful (like maybe 2 or 3) retail dealers.  I think Highland is one.  Otherwise you have to order them.  Their handles will be slightly smaller or the same size as the Stanley ones you held at Rockler.  It may be sacrilege to suggest it, but if you have large hands, it's not a sin to wrap the handle with grippy tape like for tennis rackets.  All that really matters is the edge and the comfort in your hands.  Who cares what they look like?

Or since both are socket chisels (also goes for vintage ones), make a handle.  But I find the LN handles and the new 705 handles to have good balance.  Had 3 of the new 705s, sold them to fund purchase of LNs several years ago because personally like O1 steel over A2.  I believe A2 is the standard choice for LN chisels now with a waiting list for O1 should they ever decide to do a run again.

To the OP :
LN may have already had their Denver road show.  Check their website for locations and dates.
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things. -- G. Carlin
Reply
#33
I don't think you'll convince many people that hardness doesn't matter LOL.......
Reply
#34
The measurement we use for hardness doesn’t directly correlate to edge holding, especially for steels like A2. Woodworking for as long as I’ve been involved has been full of a combination of half truths and downright myths, a significant percentage of which apply to tool steel.

I dont want to argue about this with anyone, let alone you guys, who I respect and consider to be my hand tool ww brothers. So I’ll just say this and shut up about it: I recommend against using edge retention as a deciding factor in the purchase of a chisel. Better factors include:

Do you trust the maker?
Do you like the pattern?
Do they offer the sizes you want?
Does the handle make sense to you?
Reply
#35
Have a set of Narex Mortise chisels....jury is still out on them.....my  other "go-to" chisel sets came from Aldis...one set up to chop, one to pare...after that, mainly a lot of vintage chisels ,most are older than I am...

Have been know to trim a tenon for size,  using an Aldi's chisel, powered by pushing with my chin....instead of driving with a mallet.   To include shoulder cuts...and getting end grain curlies....YMMV

More about HOW a chisel is used (or abused
Rolleyes ) than by what name is stamped on a tool....
Show me a picture, I'll build a project from that
Reply
#36
Suffice to say this:

A highly skilled chisel user can produce better work with a sharpened screwdriver than a lousy-skilled chisel owner of a prestige set of (fill in the brand name your dream chisels)!

Simon
Reply
#37
Bob Smalser, a former WN member, very well-respected boat builder, and frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking, made a post several years ago about the vintage chisels he recommended.  It was a long list.  If you don't find a modern chisel you like, there are literally thousands of vintage chisels out there to be had.  A few years ago, it was a crazy market for vintage chisels, but I think the market has softened somewhat.  Some of the brands I remember him recommending:

Swan
Witherby
Greenlee
Buck (vintage - not modern)
W. Butcher
D. R. Barton
Stanley (Everlast, 750)
Berg
Pexto
Lakeside
Craftsman (vintage - not modern)
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
Reply
#38
(01-29-2019, 08:17 AM)AHill Wrote: Bob Smalser, a former WN member, very well-respected boat builder, and frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking, made a post several years ago about the vintage chisels he recommended.  It was a long list.  If you don't find a modern chisel you like, there are literally thousands of vintage chisels out there to be had.  A few years ago, it was a crazy market for vintage chisels, but I think the market has softened somewhat.  Some of the brands I remember him recommending:

Swan
Witherby
Greenlee
Buck (vintage - not modern)
W. Butcher
D. R. Barton
Stanley (Everlast, 750)
Berg
Pexto
Lakeside
Craftsman (vintage - not modern)

I love the tanged Bergs.  So light, the balance is great (at least in the two narrower ones I have, I haven't tried any of the wider ones).

Reply
#39
(01-29-2019, 10:14 AM)msweig Wrote: I love the tanged Bergs.  So light, the balance is great (at least in the two narrower ones I have, I haven't tried any of the wider ones).

I have two 2” Bergs. One is a real bruiser, tanged, wood handle, very robust and about a foot long.  The other is a Shark-o-lite, the one with the plastic handle that can take a real pounding, too.  It is about 7” long.  It stays on my bench, I find it so useful for many things, including marking, because it has a wide face to register against a straightedge.
Reply
#40
(01-28-2019, 10:42 PM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: Suffice to say this:

A highly skilled chisel user can produce better work with a sharpened screwdriver than a lousy-skilled chisel owner of a prestige set of (fill in the brand name your dream chisels)!

Simon

----This is so True-----
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 2 Guest(s)

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.