If a 1/8” was offered I’d be more likely to buy one or a set..
I own the others or plan to purchase them and wouldn’t add a 1/8” if it were offered.
I have no interest in PM-V11 chisels.
How do you spell PM-V11 anyway?
[OP]
Member
Hi, all...
Like (I suspect) many, I've been closely eyeing the Veritas (Lee Valley) PM-V11 chisels; they look like a smart choice. I've been holding off on that path to date because they don't offer anything under 1/4", notably 1/8". I own a set of LN's and find the ones I use most are the 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2" and then the 3/4".
Am I the only one holding back from jumping into the PM-V11 world because there's no 1/8"?
Jim in Alaska
Last edited by Jim Neeley; 03-23-2013 at 1:02 AM.
One can never have too many planes and chisels... or so I'm learning!!
Contributor
Hi Jim
I do know that LV will be producing a 1/8" and, if I recall correctly, a 3/16". Rob Lee has already mentioned this. I don't think that they are far off production, so it is worth being patient.
I want these in PM-V11 as well. The sizes 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" are the ones I use most frequently for dovetail tails. While I wait, I ground one of the pre-production O1 steel 1/4" chisels down to 1/8" ..
The difficulty with such narrow chisels is that they are more vulnerable to flex. Design must account for this.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Contributor
Hi Jim -Originally Posted by Jim Neeley
We've made some 1/8 and 3/16 to prove out our process.... they'll be coming, but not until we're in better shape on what we offer now. We will need some additional new equipment for those sizes too....
Cheers -
Rob
Contributor
Though they are fine tools and will challenge any of my tools to an edge holding contest it is not likely for me to purchase a set of the PM-V11s.
One never knows, tonight's Power Ball numbers may change everything.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
I want a 1/8" for chopping out small dovetails. Today I use a LN 1/8" chisel for that.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Guest
What is it about the Lie-Nielsens you already own that has you shopping for a new set of chisels?
Guest
Charlie, I doubt anyone needs to justify their purchases to you, despite the fact that for at least 12 years, you've felt that they do.
Member
Not Jim, but I have purchased 1 LN chisel with the paring handle, and there are several things worth disliking about them.
First, the A2 steel is not that good at edge holding for the amount of work necessary to maintain the edge. I will take ever so slightly less edge holding ability of carbon steel in favor of lightning quick resharping any day. The object of a tool is for it to be just that a "tool" something to help you accomplish your goal quickly and efficiently, not add more work to an already full schedule, or create another job.
Second, the steel used, and size and shape of the socket combine to make a miserable experience of keeping the handle firmly seated in the socket. A short, steep, socket is far less than ideal, it needs to be a longer and shallower angle.
Third, the same chisel body is used for paring and chopping, so it is far less than ideal at least for paring, as the socket gets in the way when paring further than about 3 " from the edge of stock.
After receiving this chisel, I called and spoke with Deneb, who was very nice, but rather dismissive of my opinions. They see it their way, and I'm free to purchase a tool that I feel is better suited to everyday work in the shop, in other words, a tool that works with me instead of against me.
To that end, I purchased the set of 4 cabinetmakers chisels from Barr Specialty tools in Idaho- handmade, pricey to some, but certainly not me, and worth every penny!!! I used them for about a year or so, then called Barr up himself and asked if he would make me up the filler set for all sizes from 1/8" to 1" so I have every 1/16" from 1/8" to 1/2" then every 1/8" to 1". It took a few weeks and voila I have a full set of new handmade chisels from right here in the USA, and NOT mass produced.
The steel is beyond phenomenal, takes a very quick, very sharp edge that lasts quite a long time. I couldn't be happier, unless of course I got them for free!
I am about to call him back up to see about designing and making a set of 2-3 long paring chisels.
He makes everything in house, and it is a husband and wife team, which I am proud to support. Ginger usually answers the phone and fills orders.
Now, you have to take the above with a grain of salt, as it is MY opinion . I am a self employed professional woodworker, with a wife and 4 kids to support, so I have almost no time or patience to adapt myself to a tools way of working, but rather I need tools that can do their job without a lot of extra work or thinking to optimize them for the job at hand. If I were a hobbyist, my attitude would likely be more forgiving of a tool's shortcomings, but I'm not.
I do believe in the buy it once mantra.
Peter
Contributor
This is the main reason my advice to most people is to try and get to handle tools before buying.I have almost no time or patience to adapt myself to a tools way of working, but rather I need tools that can do their job without a lot of extra work or thinking to optimize them for the job at hand.
Tools should fit and feel good in one's hands while working.
The tool should be adjusted to fit the worker, not the worker making adjustments for the tool.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
Due to a one time infusion of money, I bought the full set of PM-V11 chisels. Of the chisels I was able to handle (LN, LV and BS) the Veritas chisels felt best in my hands (larger than average.) When the smaller chisels come out, I will buy them. Until then, when I need a 1/8" I'll buy something - probably a BS.
Guest
I doubt it to, but I'm not asking for justification.
I think it's the lack of a 3/16" chisel that has me hesitant to bail into a whole set.
Last edited by Charlie Stanford; 03-23-2013 at 3:29 PM.
Guest
Peter, what steel did Barr use in the chisels he made for you?
Last edited by Charlie Stanford; 03-24-2013 at 7:21 AM.
Contributor
I own a set of LNs and got a set of LVs (PM-V11). I had made new handles for the LNs because I felt the handles were too short (just a side note). The reason I bought the LVs is because they hold an edge longer so I don't have to go back to my sharpening stones as often. I find that the PM-V11 steel sharpens quickly on my Shapton stones - as fast as regular carbon steel. I use them mostly for chopping so I have a 35* secondary bevel on them (all of them).
I never tried to sharpen them to a very low bevel angle (say, 20*) so I can't comment on their ability to work as a paring chisel.
But for chopping applications, the LVs are the best available today (hopefully, there'll be even better chisels in the future).
Mike
[All this is not to say that other chisels, such as A2 or regular carbon steel, are not good tools. They certainly can be and we all did very good work with them before the PM-V11 steel became available.]
[I'll second Peter G. comment on the problem of handles coming out of the LN chisel sockets. I had a lot of trouble with that but I wrote it off to the sockets being to "perfect" (too smooth). To be fair, I used an oily wood (cocobolo) for my handles, but I finally had to epoxy the handles into the sockets. If I ever have to take them out, I'll cut them off, drill out the socket and turn new handles.
He's also right about the problem with using them as paring chisels. IMHO, a paring chisel should have the handle offset (angled) slightly so you can lay the blade flat on the wood. When the socket is "centered" on the chisel, you can't get the blade all the way down - it's always at a slight angle to the wood.]
Last edited by Mike Henderson; 03-23-2013 at 5:00 PM.
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Guest
...I was sure it was the "company moderators" (your description) that had you casting a pall in every LV related thread.
Member
I have the current V11 set and I will add the 1/8 and 3/16 when they are available. But I don't see the current lack of those sizes to be a reason to avoid the rest of the set.
Rob Lee -- add a 5/8" to your list while you are at it.
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