Lets talk chisel sizes

[Brian Ashton]

like everyone else, start off with a basic set and add as you build experience and learn about how you work. 36 years ago I started out by buying cheap but vary durable Stanley chisels. So the first set assembled was a 1/2, 1, and 1 1/2 inch, and added a 1/4 later when I started chopping mortices. At present I have 36 that range from 1/8 up to 1 1/2. They include the original 1/2, 1, 1 1/2 stanleys I first bought (the 1/4 died a premature death by getting snapped off in a mortice).

A basic range that I could easily get by with are 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1. The 1/4 will fill the shoes of a 3/8 and the 1/2 fill in where a 5/8 would be more suited... It's nice to have a 1/8 and a 1 1/2 but I could easily taylor my work to avoid needing the 1/8 and the 1 would not be quite as good as the 1 1/2 in certain situations but would be adequate. In 10 years you'd most likely have triple the number you started out with...

[Roy Lindberry]

I'm in the process of looking for some new chisels. Most chisels are offered in sets that usually range from 4 - 10 chisels. Now I can't see myself ever wanting a set of 10 chisels, but it got me thinking. What would be the minimum number of chisels you think you could get by with and what sizes would they be? If you were forced to I'm sure you could make due with just one, but that wouldn't be very practical. But could you happily get by with say 3? Lets assume these would be bench chisels used for working on furniture type projects, not building log cabins or anything like that. So lets hear it. What's the minimum number and sizes of chisels you could be content with?

I would say I use 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 the most, followed by a 1".

[Jim Koepke]

I know the answer will probably be different for everyone. My question really has nothing to do with me. What I'm interested in is what others consider the minimum number and size that they (not me) could be content with for the work they (not me) do.

My question is why limit oneself with the minimum.

If one wanted to limit the kind or size of work they are planning to do then maybe keeping the tools limited would be a good way to go.

My accumulation of chisels has about 10 in the 1/2" size, my most represented size. There are two flat/square sided chisels, two other flat sided chisels that were made into skew chisels, a mortise chisel and and 5 bevel edged with different degrees of side bevels and edge bevel angles. Most of my sizes have duplicates or other chisels of the same size set up for a different use. Some sizes are woefully underrepresented.

My 1/8" chisel doesn't get as much use as my 1-1/4" chisels.

If someone was planning on only doing London style dovetails, they may only need two chisels.

For my chisels there are basically 5 sets:

Paring chisels with thin blades and a shallow bevel angle.

Bevel edged chisels with heavier sides and longer blades.

Butt chisels are my short bevel edged chisels.

Firmer chisels or flat/square sided chisels.

And mortise chisels.

Then there are a few odd ball chisels that do not really fit in the above groupings.

jtk

[Andrew Pitonyak]

The answer is so strongly skewed towards what you will do with them.

When I do small dovetails, I like this set of 5, amazing (Veritas detail Chisels):

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...35&cat=1,41504

Normal size dovetails to even a bit larger ones, here is a more standard set of 5 (Veritas Bench Chisels):

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...47&cat=1,41504

I expect that you could pretty easily get by with the standard set of 5 listed above, especially if you added an 1/8" chisel, say from this Stanley Sweetheart set

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...89&cat=1,41504

I occasionally use a chisel larger than 1", but I am not cutting mortises or similar. I will admit to having three mortise chisels, however, nothing larger than 1/2".

[Joe Mioux]

Five or six

[Jim Matthews]

I have acquired a few more (1/16". ) each gets used for a particular task or two. My advice, start at 3-4 and get more when you have identified a need to yourself. Only you can define what your need given the way you work.

Good advice, lest you end up with a drawer full that are never used, but you "Can't bear to part with".

I don't work so fine as this - what is the 1/16th chisel for? How do you get a predictable edge on something so small?
I'm merely curious, here.

[Shawn Pixley]

Good advice, lest you end up with a drawer full that are never used, but you "Can't bear to part with".

I don't work so fine as this - what is the 1/16th chisel for? How do you get a predictable edge on something so small?
I'm merely curious, here.

The 1/16" chisel was purchased to help clean out 1/16" saw cuts that were a reveal in some project. Now, I use it to clean up miter feathers or get in small places - clean up a small stopped dado, a small inlay cavity, or a small groove to house a small tongue.

Sharpening is a bit of a trick. I use a jig to get reproducability on the stones. It is easy to rock it to one side if only using hands to guide / sharpen.

[Ryan Baker]

3/8 and 5/8 (or 3/4) cover most all of my needs. Occasionally I need something larger (like 1.25") and something smaller -- 3/16 would be great if I had one (1/8 is too small and 1/4 is often too big). I've never been a big fan of the standard sets of four or five chisels on the quarter inches.

[Curt Putnam]

Minimum number ~ 60 ( have a problem)
Minimum size = 1/16"

[Jim Koepke]

Minimum number ~ 60 ( have a problem)
Minimum size = 1/16"

Does that include the cranked necks? If so, that is a bit on the low side...


jtk

[Adam Cherubini]

I have a few hundred chisels in my shop but I regularly use somewhere around 20 chisels. For cabinetry I think I could get away with:
firmers in 1/16th increments from 1/8th to 5/8".
wide firmer/parers 7/8", plus one larger size. I really like having something over 1" to pare.
Mortisers- I mostly use 1/4" and 5/16, tho I used 3/16 on my last case project. If I could have only one, I'd choose 5/16".
I probably wouldnt be happy with less than 10 or 12 chisels.

I think chisels are misunderstood and under utilized tools. I enjoy using chisels. For me, they are fun to use. And good chisels are more fun to use than poor chisels.

[Jim Matthews]

I have a few hundred chisels in my shop...

This illustrates the principle of gravitational attraction.
Ferrous bodies exert a strong pull on others of the same era.

I believe that has something to do with the magnetic field generated by the spinning core of the Earth.
Rust seems to amplify the effect.

One must be careful not to have too many, lest a cravat become a required accessory for proper dress.

****

It's one of my great joys to have Big Dogs like yourself come play in the Creek.
Any articles in the works?

[Mike Holbrook]

I ask a similar question in a thread over a year ago. It seemed the smaller chisels were more popular then too. 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and quite a few for 1/8 and 3/16. There also seemed to be a contingent who liked a wide short "buttish" chisel for cleaning larger tenons, marking lines...1 1/2> 2".

[Derrell W Sloan]

Thanks everyone, I'm enjoying seeing all the responses. Adam, since you have so many chisels to choose from, which are your favorite?

[Roy Griggs]

Let's see, 1/8", 1/4", 3/8" & 1/2" mortice chisels.

3/16", 1/4", 3/4" BE socket (750's)but I'm keeping both sets I have!!

1/4", 3/4", & 1 1/2" sq. side paring chisels...harlequin set of old makers.

1/4", 3/8", & 1/2" true butt chisels (set of 4 Woodrivers, better chisels than I expected)

R & L 1/4" Skew chisels, I don't really use the bigger sizes.

Those are the ones I use regularly. I also keep a set of 1/4" thru 1 1/2" Stanley #60's that I consider carpenter chisels. A set of blue plastic handled Marples for rough work (I pound on these with a mallet rather than on my Kingwood handled 750's).

No, I don't have a problem with chisels...