Lie Nielsen Chisels

Surprise surprise two weeks ago I ordered a set of chisels from Lie Nielsen thru their web site. The web site said there was at least a 2-month wait to get these chisels. Well to my delight the chisels showed up a couple days ago only after about a two-week wait.

According to the literature the backs are already flat and hand honed to 400 grit. I assume as I have done with my other cheaper chisels I should go thru the grits until I get a mirror finish on the backs of the chisels? Am I correct in my thinking? I believe I am but at $250 a set I seem to be a little paranoid about grinding on them with some reassurance.

Richard, I am only a wannabe neander who won't slow down enough to get there. But... you won't hurt the chisels going through the finer girts on the backs.

I go higher than 400 grit on chisel backs though not to a full mirror. I don't think the water stones that many neanders use will even do that. The idea, from what I understand, is that the higher grits leave larger "grooves" in the edge. Any iregularity in the edge stands against the "perfect edge" being a molecule thick. The flatter and smoother the back, the finer the edge. Of course, I suspect that there is a point where it doesn't matter in our use.

Interestingly, I saw some time ago that a molecule of hard flint is much smaller than of surgical steel. An Arkansas flint knapper cuts scalpels for some doctors across the nation. They are suppose to be very cautiously handled to avoid damage to them or the user.

If someone contributes a set of LN chisels to me, I will polish the backs of those suckers through my finest grit of diamond paste! I would love to see how they would do.

David

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Originally Posted by Richard McComas

Surprise surprise two weeks ago I ordered a set of chisels from Lie Nielsen thru their web site. The web site said there was at least a 2-month wait to get these chisels. Well to my delight the chisels showed up a couple days ago only after about a two-week wait.

According to the literature the backs are already flat and hand honed to 400 grit. I assume as I have done with my other cheaper chisels I should go thru the grits until I get a mirror finish on the backs of the chisels? Am I correct in my thinking? I believe I am but at $250 a set I seem to be a little paranoid about grinding on them with some reassurance.

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A couple points, gentlemen...oriented toward the beginners listening.

I'm sure L/N makes a lovely chisel, but if you need other tools in your arsenal, why spend the dough?

1) I been buying handleless Bucks, Swans, Witherby, Pexto, Union, Stanley and other chisels and gouges just as good as anything out there for 3-5 bucks each all year on Ebay and rehabbing them to make complete sets for my boys.

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/r...cles_366.shtml

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1...7/61866115.jpg

2) Aftermarket iron makers these days seem enamored with blade hardness. Hard blades make some sense in a plane because planes take longer to dismantle and reset, really interrupting your work day. In a chisel, extra-hard blades make no sense, because any pro worth his salt has the sharpening stones right out there on the bench and touches those chisels up several times during the course of a working day.

I can train a newby to outfit himself with complete sets of bench and firmer chisels, gouges and even some carving tools for the price of a few L/N bench chisels. Mortise chisels are harder to come by but are there with patience....the smaller mortise chisels like the two in my pile are common as mud.

i have to agree with the previous poster. i would love a set of LN bench chisels, but for the dough, i could do a whole lot better. really its like your paying for the name.

I think the question was should he mirror the backs... just spending all that money I don't think he needs naysayers (sp?) User preference... I go higher with my chisels, but I strive to take off half pencil lines :)

As long as you've got a good flat surface or stone, I'd at least give 'em a few swipes to verify they're flat. For what they cost, I'd want to know. Plus they'll sure look purty polished up.:D

30k Shaptons will produce mirrors.... almost as good as 1/4 micron diamond paste.... mirrors really do cut better

Chris,

You replied to a nearly 4-year old thread!! :) Yes, Shaptons are nice but that 30k one is mighty spendy!! I stopped at 15k....

funny how we never look at the dates of threads.....

I thought the 30k Shapton was spendy too.... I actually thought I was going to be very disappointed with its improvement over my 15k Shapton...... as so many books state 8k stone is we need....

As usual, new technology, new products, can make old wisdom invalid. The difference between stopping at 8k and 30k is night n day. Even the jump from my 15k shapton to 30k is VERY noticeable. If they sold a 60k stone, I would probably buy it... although, I have good luck with 1/4 micron diamond paste when I want to go higher...

When is the Memphis stop on the Bob Smalser Chisel Rehab Tour? Sign me up!

I used my LN 1/4" for the first time over the weekend. What a sweet tool!

I have the Lie Nielsens and don't regret spending the money at all. I didn't get the 3/4", 1/4", or 3/8" because I have a Stanley 750 for those. I took them through 8000 on water stones. I have the 3/8 and 1/4 mortise chisels.

I think those Lie-Nielsens look real nice! I use chisels a lot in my guitar building hobby. When I carve spruce guitar braces, I only use hand pressure and hold the chisel facing back towards me. I think the extra weight and the long design of the tang would make those very comfortable and effective. I currently have a set of Pfiel chisels that I got at Woodcraft a few years ago and I'm thinking about unloading them. They just aren't as comfortable or heavy enough. They seem more like a mallet-only type of design. They do hold their edges well.