Best bang for buck chisel

[Bob Jones]

I am looking to upgrade to a good set of chisels. I want SAE sizes, a good all around set. I guess bench chisels. What is the best bang for the buck out there?

Are there any makers that pre-lap the backside? That would be worth a premium to me, as I hate lapping the back of a blade.
I look forward to the opinions!

FYI - I also hope to buy mortise chisels sometime in the future.

[Sean Hughto]

I'd go for these in your shoes:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/M...gory_Code=TBBC

[Casey Gooding]

I second Sean. I just bought a set. They are really nice. The backs are slightly hollow ground, so it's easier to polish the backs.

[Joel Goodman]

+1 on that -- I have the original model and my only gripe is that the handles are too big -- the Mk 2 fixes that issue. Flatten easily and good steel.

[Larry Williams]

I just got one of the AI chisels Sean and Casey mention. For the price, they're hard to beat. Very easy to get tuned up and sharpened plus the added benefit of very fine grained O-1 steel. There are a lot of things that are right about these chisels and I'm pretty picky when it comes to steel, shape, thickness with the proper amount of taper, and even bolsters. I'd prefer traditional bolsters and tangs but these chisels are, I think, about as close as you can to right in a contemporary chisel.

[paul cottingham]

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...504,43500&ap=1
They certainly aren't Ashley Iles, but they are much cheaper and
I am pretty damn pleased with mine.
Bear in mind that they are the first decent chisels I have owned, so I don't know what the heck I'm talking about.

[James Ogle]

I have Blue Steel Chisels for Japan Woodworker along with a couple of mortise chisels from them and a couple of pig stickers from the bay.uk. I have been really happy with the chisels. I understand some people don't like the hoops. I also have no idea if they are true SAE sizes or not.

[Callan Campbell]

Alot of people seem to like the Narex Chisels for a starting value set, but they're metric, with 'close' to SAE/imperial sizing. Available from highlandwoodworking.com- or other places.
I like my set from Traditional Woodworker, it's their house branded set of chisels, made in Germany. You can get straight Imperial sized chisels from them. You may want to get over the lament about flattening chisel or other tool backs. You really only have to do it once, and it's the only way to get a truly sharp edge that's easy to also maintain with bevel honing as needed. Look at what method you're using to get a chisel back flat, then ask around the old SMC to see if someone has a faster way. Learning to properly sharpen your tools will pay you back for life, you just pay for the tools once.

[James Taglienti]

i just use vintage chisels, they seem to work really well... i started with a pile of around 100 and then whittled it down to a set of 12

[John Sanford]

The only true quality Imperial (I'm not sure if the Society of Automotive Engineers, i.e. SAE, is really interested in woodworking chisels) chisels I can think of off the top of my head are the Blue Spruce Toolworks chisels, and Lie-Nielsen. There are likely others out there, I'm simply not aware of them. The Imperial measurements of the LV chisels are "nominal", i.e, they're a metric chisel.

[Jim Koepke]

Dang, I am lost here. I haven't bought a new chisel in years.
My set of chisels is alway getting new (old) recruits.
My current set that is getting recruits is a set of Witherby chisels with short blades. It may take time, but sometimes a short chisel is preferred over a long one. Actually, there are only about 4 missing if I want a set by 1/8ths from 1/8 to 1 inch

Any Buck Brothers in sizes smaller than an inch that are not already in my set would likely get my wallet warm. So would a couple of sizes of long Witherby paring chisels.

jim

[Mick David]

I have the Narex set and while they're metric, it's not so far from English that it makes a difference for me.

I did have to spend some time lapping the backs of mine, but I got them right after the FWW article naming them a 'best value.' Perhaps they do a better job of that now.

I'm digging the ones on Lee Valley.com -- the darker handles look nicer than the light-colored wood on the ones I got from Highland Woodworking.

I also have the Narex mortise chisel set but have not yet put it through its paces -- so far, they seem to be pretty good.

[Orlando Gonzalez]

Bob,

I have a set of the AI Mk1's that Joel mentioned that I was going to post in the Classifieds. They have never been used and in fact they still have the wax on the blades. I have from the 1/4" to the 1-1/2" + the 2" chisels. These chisels have never tasted wood and have been kept inside the house in a chisel roll. Like Joel said, the handles are kind of big. I also have a pair of their skewed chisels in the 3/8" size.

There is nothing wrong with AI. I tried some japanase chisels one day and liked their feel and decided to go in that direction. In fact I am keeping my AI roundback DT chisels because they are good for paring.

If you are interested shoot me a PM and I'll take some pictures and hold off putting them in the Classifieds.

Orlando

[Jeff Farris]

These seem to fit most of your requirements:

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...oducts_id/3819

I have some made to the same German specs that I have had for over 20 years. They're good as new. Take an edge well, hold an edge well, stand up to a mallet and as I remember were pretty well flat when received.

[Richard Niemiec]

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...504,43500&ap=1


These got a good review in the FWW survey in '08. The narex just edged them out IIRC. Not a bad value if you can live with the plastic handles.