Any Experience With Barr Chisels

[JohnM Martin]

I'm looking at buying some chisels - as one does. It seems that there is a wealth of commentary out there on the premium makers... e.g., Lie Nielsen, Veritas, and even a little bit on Blue Spruce. I'm looking to add a couple to my toolkit for some upcoming projects. I currently have a set of the new Stanley 750s and would like to invest in a couple of nice chisels. In searching the forums and the web, I just haven't found much on the Barr Chisels and/or the Blue Spruce (to a somewhat lesser extent). Anyone have any experience with those two makers, and how they compare to the other premium makers?

[Mike Henderson]

I have a couple of Blue Spruce chisels. It's a good chisel but I don't think it's better than the LN or LV chisels.

Mike

[Tony Wilkins]

I looked at Barr when I got started but I never got any. I do have a few Blue Spruce. The handles are amazing in appearance and feel. I like the balance of my Lie Nielsen better but I use the Blue Spruce a bunch too. The best part of is dealing with Dave Jeske - he's a real stand up guy.

[Roger Nair]

I have been using Barr framing chisels and slicks since 1990 in mostly green oak. The chisels are, I believe, made from A-2 steel and are more resistant sharpening than antique chisels. The chisels have no offset in the handles and the blades do not have any belly, therefore making them fine choppers but not suited for paring large surfaces. Edge retention is better than Henry Taylor and Sorby chisels of the same era. Since then, other framing chisels are being made by other concerns, which I have not used. I have a fondness for antique American chisel that have a more refined shape that makes the classic chisel a more versatile tool. However, as a general timber framing tool, Barr chisels are widely accepted as among the best of their kind. I have not used Barr bench chisels nor any of the competitors currently made.

As another way to gauge my confidence in Barr, is to look at the other Barr tools I have added to my kit since the first purchase ie 2 drawknives, 3 adzes , 2 scorps and 3 more framing chisels. Barr Quarton stands behind his wares without reservation.

[Allen Jordan]

Barr chisels are all hand forged and look really nice. I've never used them personally, though. Here is an interesting video showing how they're made:

http://www.diynetwork.com/video/barr-tools-75776

[Allen Jordan]

Here's another video of him forging a drawknife:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPWOdDHqLxM

[Mike Brady]

Barr chisels are extremely robust in build quality and price. You will see slightly used ones for sale here occasionally, which tells me that something about them is not justifying the investment. I suspect that it may be the design which makes them, as one poster said, more of a chopper than a paring chisel. To me they compliment the rest of the Barr line, which is geared to the timber framer, but probably go largely unused by those who do the kind of bench work that this forum features. This is a long way of saying that there are better places to spend your chisel dollars. I would love to have a set of Barr chisels, but I would never trade my Lie-Nielsens (insert your favorite brand) for them for the kind of work I do.

[William Fretwell]

I have been using Barr framing chisels and slicks since 1990 in mostly green oak. The chisels are, I believe, made from A-2 steel and are more resistant sharpening than antique chisels. The chisels have no offset in the handles and the blades do not have any belly, therefore making them fine choppers but not suited for paring large surfaces. Edge retention is better than Henry Taylor and Sorby chisels of the same era. Since then, other framing chisels are being made by other concerns, which I have not used. I have a fondness for antique American chisel that have a more refined shape that makes the classic chisel a more versatile tool. However, as a general timber framing tool, Barr chisels are widely accepted as among the best of their kind. I have not used Barr bench chisels nor any of the competitors currently made.

As another way to gauge my confidence in Barr, is to look at the other Barr tools I have added to my kit since the first purchase ie 2 drawknives, 3 adzes , 2 scorps and 3 more framing chisels. Barr Quarton stands behind his wares without reservation.

Barr tools are simply gorgeous. The framing chisels are not A2 steel but carbon steel. The bench chisels are the same. I see he now has cabinet makers chisels in A2. Some years ago I asked him if he had plans to use A2 steel for bench chisels but got no reply, now I see he has. I think that's a very recent change forced by competition.

But seriously if you want to hold a real tool that makes you smile and love using; his tools fit the bill.

[Allen Jordan]

That's surprising that he's using A2... it's difficult to forge using conventional blacksmithing setups as it wants to air harden (and will shatter if struck after hardening).

[Roger Nair]

My comment is based on a conversation I had 27 years ago, from the horses mouth, or that's how I recall. Things change and recollections can be embroidered. Sorry if I gave misleading info.

[Russ Webb]

I've had a full set of Barr framing chisels and a full set of Barr cabinet makers chisels. I also have full sets of Lie Nielsen chisels, Narex bevel edge chisels, and many vintage Swan, Buck Brothers, and others.

The Barr chisels are extraordinarily well made and of very, very high quality. They are tough and effective. I agree with what others have said that for many tasks I find the Lie Nielsen (on which I have replaced the short handles with the longer handles) better for paring. Similarly, I like the Swan paring chisels I have even better than the Lie Nielsen's for many paring tasks. But, and it's a big but, I've really never found a paring task the Barr chisels couldn't do - except for paring very fine dovetails. For paring in very tight places the Barr chisels are simply too thick.

I do not know what steel was used in my Barr chisels but I have found them very, very tough. I used the framing chisels in building my post and beam workshop and they were wonderful to use. All the Barr chisels I have take a very keen edge and hold it very, very well. Better, in my opinion, than my Lie Nielsens. I love both and use them for some of the same tasks and for some different tasks. Sometimes it's just a matter of how I feel at the time rather than the differences in the chisels themselves.

I have no experience with the Blume Spruce chisels but have heard nothing except praise from those who own them.

[John C Cox]

I have a couple Blue Spruce paring chisels.

Honestly for paring chisels - I wish that thet were a good high quality (mostly) plain carbon steel instead of A2. The steeper bevel required for A2 edge retention isnt really that desirable in a paring chisel. Its probably a much better choice in his bench chisels. They do have a very nice feel in your hands and his handles are fabulous, though. Best handles on chisels I have bought.

I dont own any Barr chisels.. The people who owned them that commented on my "favorite bench chisels" post really liked them a lot.

[JohnM Martin]

I know it has been a while since the last post on this thread. Since the original post, I have acquired 1 Barr bench chisel, and it is awesome. The only thing I would change is the overall size. It is much longer than the other Stanley and Like Nielsen chisels that I have.

Having said that, I am still interested in hearing if anyone else has had experience with the Barr cabinet maker series.

[Mike Holbrook]

I bought the basic cabinet makers set from Highland a few years back, at one of their sales. I tend to do more green and rough wood work than I originally thought I would. It use to be that Barr chisels would come up in most chisel threads here at SMC, with a fair contingent of people who were strong believers. That was a decade, more like two or more ago though.

Barr chisels are the standard for timber framing. The cabinet makers chisels are smaller versions of the same chisels. Smaller is a relative term though, the cabinet makers chisels may be the most robust bench chisels made. As has been said, the blades on these chisels are longer than other manufacturers too, making them suitable for larger joinery. I ran a thread many years ago, about “Chisels I could go ahead and whack”. If you want a chisel to strike with a mallet you will be hard pressed to find anything better. If you want to strike your chisels with a japanese gennou then you may prefer the much larger selection of shapes and sizes of Japanese chisels.

[Izzy Camire]

A couple summers ago I bought a set of Barr beveled edge bench chisels. They are great chisels very beefy. I am glad to have them.