[OP]
Member
I have several Ashley Iles bench chisels, but I do not have the 1/8" chisel. I keep looking at the 1/8" chisel thinking I am going to get one, but haven't yet. Does a guy really need a 1/8" chisel? Seems like I think I do, but can't seem to remember what I was doing when I thought that I needed one... Your thoughts?
Thanks!
Andy
Member
Do you do small work? I have made some of mine 1/64".
Member
Someday you will. The question is will you need it to make something or will you need it to complete the set?
Bob Lang
Member
I am with George. I do moderately sized dovetails, and have a Japanese 1.5 mm ( 1/16") and a LN 1/8" and 3/16". I use those three a lot, as well as a LN fishtail when doing half blinds.Originally Posted by george wilson
I would not mind something narrower, and have some 1/8" O1, but lack the skill to do it justice in a real narrow profile.
I may spring for a Blue Spruce 3/64" or 1/32" version though.
The narrower chisels can be trickier to sharpen, but if I can do it, anyone can.
IMHO, narrower chisels have their place, and are very handy one you get used to using them.
Good luck.
Member
My experience is that if I buy it I'll never need it, but if I choose not to buy it I'll need it almost immediately after I get the shipment.
"Live like no one else, so later, you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!"
- Dave Ramsey
Contributor
I use a 1/8" chisel on an occasional basis. Not every job but often enough that I'm glad I have it.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
I need mine. I bought an Irwin 1/8" chisel for about $8 delivered and I use it all the time. It's great for cleaning up tight corners like those in dovetails, picking out waste chips when chopping mortises and even paring along the back of a shoulder. I could honestly make use of a 3/16 and 5/16 as well.
The bigger question is do you need a matched set of chisels? I have 5 different types of chisels. They all get sharp and cut wood.
-- Dan Rode
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
Contributor
Holy cow, that's tiny. Was it made from a sewing needle and a toothpick for a handle?
-- Dan Rode
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
Member
I have an 1/8" chisel (actually, I have 2), and even a 1/10" mortising chisel from Lie Nielsen. 1/8" is too wide, believe it or not, for plane mouth openings, which I make every day, all day.
Depends on your work. It would be terrific to have when you need it, as long as you're not investing a lot of money. They're great for getting into tight corners and such for cleanup.
I was going to grind one of mine to the 1/10" size, but I just didn't have the heart to potentially wreck a great (greenlee) chisel, even though it cost me like $10. So, I dropped $75 to Lie Nielsen.....I know it's going to a great cause with a great American toolmaker.
Jeff
Guest
I've come across a variety of chisels. I use one ( or several - whichever of the glom is closest by ) slightly narrower than 1/8 for planes fairly often. I don't too often use chisels of that type outside of planes, but I have chisels down to a 16th and have occasionally used those.
The one I use the most was about $7 at a flea market in Fayetteville, PA - it is a very long socket chisel, thick in height like a mortise chisel. The reason I say that is that if you don't need one right now, there's no great reason you have to specifically buy a chisel to match a set.
Contributor
Hi Andy
If you cannot envisage using a 1/8" chisel, then skip it.
The time to buy a tool is when you (a) need it then, or (b) have a plan to use it later for something specific.
Otherwise it is tool collecting. Nothing wrong with that, except this is a choice and not a necessity.
I do use a 1/8" frequently. Most of the dovetails I make require a 1/8" dovetail chisel (not a flat sided 1/8"). I use a 1/8" mortice chisel for morticing drawer handles. I even have a 1/16" chisel, which gets used. As I mentioned above, if you are not thinking along these lines, then you are not going to find a use for one.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Member
I have the veritas detail chisel set which includes a 1/8" and 1/16". I don't use them heaps but every now and then I need them and they're nice to have. I have them set up with a 20deg bevel so they cut like a hot knife though butter.
Member
No, you don't need one. But! you probably don't need most of the chisels, planes and other doo dads you have now but that didn't stop you buying them did it. It will come in handy at some point so that's all the motivation you need.
Sent from the bathtub on my Samsung Galaxy(C)S5 with waterproof Lifeproof Case(C), and spell check turned off!
Member
I have both the Ashley isles and veritas small pairing chisel . 9 times outa 10 I reach for the veritas chisel because my work does not call for a beefy chisel at that stage and I prefer the control I have with the smaller vertas . Just something else to think about !!! These are the 1/8 inch ones
Member
I've had one for years. It is in reality a caning chisel, but I can chop 1/8" wide mortises with it.
Last edited by lowell holmes; 03-04-2014 at 6:27 PM.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote