Butt Chisel Recommendation

[Kent Adams]

I'm really trying hard to get into using hand tools, but its a bit frustrating as the skill required is a magnitude higher than power tools, not to mention the patience.

I bought a 1" Robert Sorby butt chisel and I wasn't too impressed. The brass ring around the strike area immediately fell off after pulling out the chisel the first time. It didn't seem sharp straight out of the package. Maybe this is normal. I'm using the chisel to make a mortise for a hinge. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good sharp chisel straight from the factory and a preferred hand sharpening method/stone for a first timer to learn on? Price is not a consideration for me so please recommend as you see fit. I'd like something well made, high quality steel and easy to sharpen. Thanks in advance.

BTW, I'm looking at these but want other's recommendations as well:

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

[Matthew N. Masail]

Hi Kent,

No chisel except maybe Lee Valley and or Lie Nielsen will come sharp enough for use, because there is little benefit for this. you'll need to sharpen soon enough and people also prefer to set-up the chisels the way they like them.

if I were buying butt chisels I'd get these https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/...m/IL-100-20.XX

also get 1 or two decent but cheap chisels off e-bay so you can practice your sharpening.

for sharpening equipment, I's suggest a shapton 1000 grit + Naniwa Snow-White 8000 grit + Atoma 400 diamond plate to keep them flat. glue the shapton to a piece of tempered glass and you'll have a fantastic setup. also throw in a 500 and 1000 dual stone diamond plates, the small ones are about 12$ and are great for many tools and the 500 grinds steel very well. don't buy too much it will just confuse you! you could always add more stones in the future.

check out this channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsw...pdxvepK7zDpcow for really good sharpening pointers.

edit: the sharpening stuff can be had at "tools from japan . com:

[Mike Cherry]

Matthew gave some great advice. I would just mention that in my experience, the chisels that you are looking at require very little(if any) flattening required to get to work. Essentially they are ready to polish as soon as you get them. LN chisels sometimes require slightly more prep. I have a 2" butt chisel from Lee Valley with pmv-11 steel and it is very nice and I use it quite often.
The chisels that Matthew linked to, the Ashley Iles, have been on my radar as well. I might buy just one chisel to try out. The better I get at sharpening, the more I find myself leaning towards O1 steels. Those chisels are all O1. Food for thought. Good luck!

[Kent Adams]

Matthew, thanks for the advice and links. I think I'll buy one of those chisels you linked to as well as the stones. It appears like they have my size in stock. I'm going to throw in the Veritas one as well for comparison.

[glenn bradley]

I've been very happy with the Lee Valley PM-V11 butt chisels but, rarely strike them; usually just a tapping effort. If I am doing hinge mortises that required a kind of hogging-out where I need to mallet them home I have some Lee Valley "regular" butt chisels for that.

[Kent Adams]

I've been very happy with the Lee Valley PM-V11 butt chisels but, rarely strike them; usually just a tapping effort. If I am doing hinge mortises that required a kind of hogging-out where I need to mallet them home I have some Lee Valley "regular" butt chisels for that.

Glenn, would you say the V11's are a cross between a striking chisel and a pairing chisel? Please excuse my ignorance on this. Maybe this is a useful bit of info, I'm using the chisel to mortise out small hinges on boxes. I have literally no learned technique, just learning to use along the way.

[bob blakeborough]

Glenn, would you say the V11's are a cross between a striking chisel and a pairing chisel? Please excuse my ignorance on this. Maybe this is a useful bit of info, I'm using the chisel to mortise out small hinges on boxes. I have literally no learned technique, just learning to use along the way.

A butt chisels is absolutely made for striking. The LV PMV11 will take a serious beating on and beg for more! The thing is they are really sweet and beautiful tools and some people just can't bring themselves to beat on such a nice tool. I personally think a tool should be used for what it was made for or you might as well have gotten something you are comfortable using to its abilities...

[lowell holmes]

A butt chisels is absolutely made for striking. The LV PMV11 will take a serious beating on and beg for more! The thing is they are really sweet and beautiful tools and some people just can't bring themselves to beat on such a nice tool. I personally think a tool should be used for what it was made for or you might as well have gotten something you are comfortable using to its abilities...

As will the Lie Nielsen chisels. You pay your money and take your choice.

I have tools from both vendors.

[Mike Henderson]

I bought a set of the Woodcraft butt chisels and have been satisfied with them - I think they go under the trade name WoodRiver. I rarely use them, just when a regular chisel won't fit into the space.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

Kent,

If you are buying new, the Lee Valley chisels are a good investment, likely to keep you happy for years to come.

My butt chisels are a bit of a contrarian group. Mostly they were inexpensive finds on ebay, junk shops and antique stores. With a half dozen chisels there are about 6 different makers.

jtk

[Kent Adams]

Thanks for the recommendation Mike. Can you tell me what a regular chisel is?

[Dave Parkis]

Personally, I doubt you'll find any chisel 100% ready to go when its delivered. The LV are probably the best value, but the LN chisels are also very good. If money isn't an object, I suggest you look into the Blue Spruce chisels. They are exceptional. There are also some excellent Japanese chisels available from Stu at Tools from Japan. HTH.

[Bill Houghton]

Me, I'd look for Stanley No. 60 butt chisels - the yellow-handled ones - at yard sales. They're under-respected chisels, very good steel. Look for the older ones with the steel cap on top of the handle.

[Matt Radtke]

I recently picked up a set of Narex Butt chisels from eBay...well, I guess several months ago by now.

I found the lands to be ground better than the comparable WoodRiver line, which were also on my list. I want to say you can find them for $39.95 on eBay if you just search for "Narex Butt chisel."

[Tom M King]

The reason they are called "butt" chisels is because you need a short one to finish the bottom of the top mortise, and top of the bottom mortise on a door jamb for hinge butts. I don't have any other use for a butt chisel, so one no. 60 1-1/2" completely fulfills the need.