[OP]
Contributor
There are many inexpensive sets of ordinary chisels in stores and on the web, but I have never seen an inexpensive set of pairing chisels for sale. I don't see any pairing chisels for sale at Sears or Harbor Freight, inexpensive or otherwise. Anyone know where I can get a cheap set of "crank neck" chisels?
[I tried to post a similar message a few days ago, but I don't see it on the forum today. Pardon me, if this is a repetition.]
Posts scroll down as they get older. Any replys bring them back to the top. You can find your old posts by going to your profile and clicking on either of the two choices for all thereads started by you or all posts made by you. Your older post is here: ChiselsOriginally Posted by Stephen Tashiro
Lee Schierer
USNA '71
Go Navy!
My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute
Member
Most inexpensive crank neck chisels I've every seen are the Crown:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=1831
but I can't vouch for their quality. I did have the Crown skews and they were...eh.
The reason you don't see these types of chisels inexpensively is because there is no demand for them. The average homeowner who buys his tools at Sears or Home Depot has no use for these. Cheap (as in inexpensive) tools sold by these outfits usually mean cheap (as in quality). Crank neck chisels are specialty tools designed for cabinetmakers & patternmakers who are not looking for low quality tools. Similarly you don't see cheap (as in price and quality) mortise chisels, or jointer planes, or plow/combination planes, or spoon bits in these types of stores. There is no demand for these types of tools from the average do-it-yourself handyman that these stores cater to. The folks who are looking for these types of specialty tools are special trades/craftspeople/hobbiests who don't want cheap (as in quality) tools, and quality tools aren't cheap (as in inexpensive).
Contributor
You need to define "inexpensive". I have a set that I bought from Sears several years ago, which has 5 or 6 chisels that have composite handles, and fairly good steel in the blades, that I bought on sale for probably $30. Woodcraft has a sale on right now for some Swiss-made Pfeil Chisels for $130. I also have a set from Harbor Freight, that are excellent at opening paint cans and such, but I would not use for any particular woodworking project. Maybe use them to chop out a mortise where you might hit a nail, but that is it.
That said, I do have one criticism about the Sears chisels. I prefer to sharpen them with a Veritas Mark II jig, and their tapered blades make that difficult. I am going to have to get a side-clamping jig to hold them better. Other than that, I have been pleased with their quality.
Doc
As Cort would say: Fools are the only folk on the earth who can absolutely count on getting what they deserve.
Contributor
Crank neck chisels are not for everyday paring.
What are you trying to accomplish?
Inexpensive is a very relative term. If a relative dies and leaves you million$, then who cares if a good modern chisel costs $50 - $100?
My first chisels were Sandvik (sp?) now Bocho. They are very nice chisels. They did change the style and then the brand name before my being able to buy the whole set. I was buying them one at a time, since we were relatively poor at the time.
Since then, I have bought a lot of chisels, mostly from eBay.
Having multiples of many sizes that can be a plus when working and one doesn't want to stop to hone an edge. Some chisels also seem to be better suited for situations than others. My Buck Bros. 3/4 & 1 inch chisels are particularly thin even for bevel edged chisels. This sometimes makes them great for getting into tight places to pare away a little wood. They are two of my favorite chisels.
If you do go the used route, be ready to have to do a lot of work to get rid of the pits that all the sellers will try to tell you are patina. Mostly, this only has to be done on the back and maybe the sides.
jim
Member
Affordable but not cheap, I have heard good things about these paring chisels.
diefenbacher tools....google that, not sure about linky's.
Also ones I have been eyeing.....
Blue Spruce Tools has paring chisels now, aprox. 65-88 respectively.
Sometimes Luthier catalog/sites have paring chisels.
I know these are not cranked neck. Not sure your application, if you must have one then I would look at the Japan woodworker, Iyori cranked necks are there. The good news is that you really do not need a set, just a good single size (or two) so you maybe you can justify the extra cash for one.
I would spend a little extra since this tool really has a specific job & design and needs to be wielded as such. Without flex, a dead flat back plus good steel, less force more finesse. IMHO.
Last edited by Michael Hammers; 04-14-2008 at 4:35 PM.
"Simplicity is at the heart of so much that is fine"
James Krenov
Guest
Make a couple. You will need a grinder, a cup of water, an old straight chisel, and some time.
If it's cranked you crave you can dip the first inch or so of the cutting end in oil or water and take a torch to the place where you want to impart a bend. Lower the temper on that spot. Don't make the metal red. Just heat it to about 500 Deg F. - heat it past blue. When it's cool, lay the chisel on a chunk of soft wood bevel up. Lay a steel rod at 90 deg to the chisel shaft ( where you heated it) and whack the steel rod with a hammer a few times.
Last edited by Cliff Rohrabacher; 04-15-2008 at 9:19 AM.
Member
Diefenbacher has a 3 piece set http://www.diefenbacher.com/paring.htm. This is about as inexpensive as you will get. Paring chisels are a more specialized tool that don't have a place in the mass market so makers like Irwin/Marples don't produce them. You probably don't need a set. I suggest that you buy just one paring chisel for the specific project that requires it, maybe a 3/4" or 1" paring chisel. Add more chisels to it later as you need them.
Member
Diefenbacher Chisels
I've got about 9 of Ron's chisels, three of them paring chisels and 6 of hid firmer chisels, and I think they're great. Besides normal use, I've tried the 1/2" paring chisel on some pretty hard woods (like lignum vitae on a plane sole) and they performed really well. They were a little tough to get the initial edge on them, but after that, hooboy. FWIW, I'm one satisfied customer.
Brian
[OP]
Contributor
As to what I am trying to accomplish. It seems that in ordinary carpentry (as opposed to fine woodworking) you often need to chisel off some projection that is "proud" with respect to the surface of a wide board like a 1x12. The handle of an ordinary chisel prevents your putting the bottom side of the chisel blade flush with the surface of the board. So it would be handy to have the "crank neck" that lets you do that. Of course to accomplish this task you can turn an ordinary chisel upside down and hold it at an angle or you can chisel rightside up at a very shallow angle. I just want to see how the crank neck chisels would perform the job without making "an investment".
My idea of expensive is $40 (US) and up for a single chisel.
Member
You will find a very large selection of English made cranked paring chisels at this link. I think they are made by henry taylor:
http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...ath/39_171_215
Member
You may be interested in these by Henry Taylor
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...504,41539&ap=1
or these curved chisels
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...504,41539&ap=1
These are available through Lee Valley. Two Cherries makes curved neck chisels too, but in general they cost more than the Hirch.
Member
stephen, that is what a chisel plane is for. Some router planes might fit the bill also.
Contributor
Keep checking the auction sites. These do come up often. I got lucky on a set a while back. Be patient, do not get carried away.
jim
Contributor
Well, thanks to this thread, and my OCD with nice tools, I just ordered a set of....
My justification is.... these long neck crankers really are multi-purpose.... "long pairing chisels", Crank Neck chisels, as well as Planing Chisels. If they were only "long" pairing chisels, I could not justify them :-)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
