There is a "new" manufactor of high end forged chisels from the north.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks for bringing these to our attention Lasse.
They're more than I could ever afford, but I wish them well.
Fred

[lowell holmes]

I want chisels to work, not to admire. I don't understand the concept.

[Patrick Chase]

I want chisels to work, not to admire. I don't understand the concept.

It's not exactly a new thing. At least they've built at least one set of these, as evidenced by the picture. John Economaki at BCTW will happily charge you $4000+ for a plane that appears to have never been prototyped (or else he wouldn't be using ray-traced renders from CAD instead of, you know, pictures of the real plane). That's about as pure a collectors' item as you'll ever find.

[Stewie Simpson]

I want chisels to work, not to admire. I don't understand the concept.

Its a return to the values of traditional tool making Lowell. Handcrafted vs CNC. How difficult is that to comprehend.

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

I delibrately didnt mentioned my own oppinion on them untill people had a chance to comment.
I think they are beautiful made. I love the look of the steel that is only shiny at the areas where its needed. Although Im unaware if palisander is a prober material for chisel handles at least they look good. When that is said im suspicious about the steel that is used. In another thread Stan from Tools from Japan is writing about a bespoke japanese toolmaker who alledgibly now is using Rikizai as steel for their chisels. Rikizai is apparently rolled and not forged which makes a difference in the quality of the steel. That is supposed to be a much cheaper alternative to old school forging.
The info on the Northmen chisels states that laminated japanese blue steel is used. That makes me think that they also used rikizai and I have not yet been able to unconfirm that suspicion because all of my attempts to get in contact with them has been ignored. If rikizai has been used I believe they have cut corners and then the pricetag is absolutely ridicilous and I think they are cheating!

[Stewie Simpson]

I delibrately didnt mentioned my own oppinion on them untill people had a chance to comment.
I think they are beautiful made. I love the look of the steel that is only shiny at the areas where its needed. Although Im unaware if palisander is a prober material for chisel handles at least they look good. When that is said im suspicious about the steel that is used. In another thread Stan from Tools from Japan is writing about a bespoke japanese toolmaker who alledgibly now is using Rikizai as steel for their chisels. Rikizai is apparently rolled and not forged which makes a difference in the quality of the steel. That is supposed to be a much cheaper alternative to old school forging.
The info on the Northmen chisels states that laminated japanese blue steel is used. That makes me think that they also used rikizai and I have not yet been able to unconfirm that suspicion because all of my attempts to get in contact with them has been ignored. If rikizai has been used I believe they have cut corners and then the pricetag is absolutely ridicilous and I think they are cheating!

http://northmen.com/en/creating-process/making-the-tool

[Frederick Skelly]

It's not exactly a new thing. At least they've built at least one set of these, as evidenced by the picture. John Economaki at BCTW will happily charge you $4000+ for a plane that appears to have never been prototyped (or else he wouldn't be using ray-traced renders from CAD instead of, you know, pictures of the real plane). That's about as pure a collectors' item as you'll ever find.

Collectors can also look forward to their soon to be released hand forged watches. (I am not making this up.)

[Graham Haydon]

Hipster framing slicks, passed off as bench chisels . Joking aside it would be nice to see some genuine bench chisels, made to old patterns, using only traditional methods. They would be expensive, but an interesting addition to what's offered at the moment.

[Brian Holcombe]

Very striking ...



.. and designed to be struck.

Full marks for a beautiful presentation.

Hard to say more than that without a closer inspection and a review.

What are the alternative in a similar price range (around $200 per chisel)? Something Japanese?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Konobu, Kunikei, Kiyohisa, Funahiro, and similar.

[Derek Cohen]

As you are aware, Brian, I do have a set of Kiyohisa slicks. They were a 6 year wait (now about 10 years, I believe). I have my doubts that Northmen are in the same class. I suspect that you will agree.

Collectors can also look forward to their soon to be released hand forged watches. (I am not making this up.)

Fred, I wonder what Rolex will make of their badge? Do you suppose that Northmen will argue that they have one dot while Rolex have three (below the crown)?

http://northmen.com/en/creating-process/making-the-tool

Stewie, I very much doubt that the slick in that video has a laminated blade. That video was a sales pitch. It has little to do with reality.

Regards from Perth

Derek (not knocking Northmen - just commenting on comments made)

[Stewie Simpson]

This set of bench chisels is hand forged from a laminated Japanese Blue Steel.

http://northmen.com/en/products/wood...ench-chisels-2

[Stanley Covington]

If you google Northmen Guild you will find their website, they produce lots of stuff not related to woodworking also but im sure some creekers will find them interesting anyway.
However I would like some comments on their set of chisels. There is only limited info on them available on the website and I have i three different ways tried to get more info without reply. Anyway if someone like Stan would look at it and tell me what his first thougt is I would appreciate it. Comments from others are ofcourse welcome too :-)

http://northmen.com/en/products/wood.../bench-chisels

Lasse:

Laminating a layer of high carbon steel to a low-carbon body was the standard way of making chisels, including socket chisels, for a very long time prior to the availability of more affordable, and usually better quality, factory steel. But I can't tell from the webpages what the process of lamination is, or even if it really is laminated. But a laminated socket chisel is something I have tried to develop in the past, so I know what it takes.

Pre-laminated Rikizai? Can't tell, but that would explain a lot.

That he chose (really?) Hitachi Blue Paper steel is no doubt a marketing ploy. After all, there is no lack of fine tool steel up North. Indeed, the base iron Hitachi uses is Swedish. But getting a batch of Hitachi product to their forge far from Shimane Prefecture would not be easy, since Hitachi produces relatively little Blue Paper steel nowadays, and if you want to place a solo order, it will not be a small, tidy, inexpensive amount. Rikizai is easier to buy in small quantities.

If I am kind and accept the premise that he really did import Blue Steel strip stock from Japan, it would help explain the ridiculous price. But it was money wasted without significantly improving performance.

I have friends that own Neeman's axe products. They tell me their performance is unimpressive. But he is a good marketer (maybe he has an MBA from the University of Phoenix) and makes a great video. So I suspect he has analyzed the market, done some "rube" calculus, determined a price point, and then developed a product with the right features, and appearance, and used the right buzz words (laminated, blue steel, socket) to satisfy the uneducated the rube while hitting the price point. Perhaps I am being too harsh, but that is not a professional tool, more like Disneyland version.

The leather-wrapped handles will give the user terrible blisters. The leather will vibrate loose. The grooves for the leather weaken the handle needlessly. The box is pretty, but securing the blades inside little leather straps tacked to the wood? Sexy looking, like a warrior princes in a leather bikini in a Conan movie, but not practical.

I think he will sell lots of them.

Stan

[Stewie Simpson]

Perhaps I am being too harsh, but that is not a professional tool, more like Disneyland version.

Stanley; I would suggest your being extremely harsh within your description. Just my opinion.

regards Stewie;

[Derek Cohen]

http://northmen.com/en/products/wood...ench-chisels-2

Gad, what a bunch of hooey.

Sorry, not my cup of tea.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Stanley Covington]

Stanley; I would suggest your being extremely harsh within your description. Just my opinion.

regards Stewie;

That may be. I have been wrong before.

I am confident about the price, availability, and practical benefits of Blue Paper steel versus Swedish Steel. But I did suggest that using pre-laminated Japanese materials would mitigate the cost and procurement difficulties, and would require a lesser-degree of skill.

I am confident about the leather-wrapped handle. Have you ever used a socket framing chisel that has been wrapped to keep a split handle usable for a little longer? I used one to build a 2 span timber bridge for the US Forest Service back when I had a full head of hair. Try it for an hour of heavy cutting (not furniture making but timber framing) and your hands will confirm if I am exaggerating or not.

I am confident about the leather retention strips. Rust. Not a good idea.

I am confident about the marketing calculations employed, and the target rube. It's simply too obvious.

I may have been too harsh with the Disneyland crack. A Disney product would be made from pot metal. But on the other hand, it would be priced at $68.99 for the set.

Stan