# Chisel me some info



## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi All,
I've been using my home depot $9.99 chisels almost everyday that I'm in the shop. It might be time to upgrade to a better quality product. Not too mention that gravity helped me ruin one of the freshly sharpened blades :thumbdown:. I'll be using the chisels for dovetails, dadoes, and cleaning tenon shoulders. 

So, whats the deal with chisels. They seem to be the simplest tool, right behind a mallet. What is the difference between the home depot $5 and woodcraft $67 chisel? Is it all the quality of the steel? Are vintage chisels worth looking into? What would be the metric for determining if one would be a good user? What are good brands to look for?


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

I've got a wide mix of chisels, some were inherited, some found and some bought. I've not really looked that hard at vintage as not a lot of flea markets around here, so I've purchased what I've needed for projects. Of the ones I bought, I have no problem recommending Narex chisels. I have two Narex mortise chisels and a pair of skew chisels. These are made by a company in the Czech Republic. IMO a good quality chisel and a good value as well. I don't remember who, but it was someone on this forum that originally mentioned these as an affordable option. I bought them from Lee Valley, but I know that Highland Woodworking also sells them and maybe others.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Narex are excellent for the price but good vintage is better. As a general rule if a chisel is a socket chisel it will be of decent steel quality.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Hey Tom, what's the best way to grind out the mushroom on the sockets? I have a handful of socket firmers that are mushroomed, fairly severly in some cases. I have been holding on to them hoping to someday repair them, but was unsure how to grind out the tapered socket so it would accept a handle again. ANy tips or idears would be much appreciated.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Adam, it depends on how bad they are. If they are mushroomed out just grind em down with a belt / disk sander. If mushroomed in use a tapered reamer to remove the excess steel inside the socket. In any case they usually need a bit of work in and out. 

The socket's steel is pretty soft to help prevent cracking so they are easy to work even with files. If you have cracks running in the socket you will have to either cut back to it - if very minor) or weld them.

There are also octagonal sockets! These are the OLD ones... as in Moxon's pals had octagonal socket chisels. Those are cool - don't own any though


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

nbo10 said:


> So, whats the deal with chisels. They seem to be the simplest tool, right behind a mallet. What is the difference between the home depot $5 and woodcraft $67 chisel? Is it all the quality of the steel? Are vintage chisels worth looking into? What would be the metric for determining if one would be a good user? What are good brands to look for?


Sorry to hear about the problem with gravity! It's a pain, isn't it?

Anyway: The difference between cheap and expensive chisels is fit, finish, and materials. So not much, really. 

The higher end chisels are better steel, more likely to be ground at the right angles, and tend (in my limited experience) to fit the hand better. They'll hold an edge longer, although they may be harder to sharpen, and they'll hold up under impact from a mallet better. (Well, OK, the plastic and cast steel ones will hold up great... they just won't cut all that well.)

I have a set that I got from WoodCraft for about $80 that's 8 chisels. Sadly, they no longer sell them as a set, but they do still sell the Wood River chisels. They're not bad, but they don't hold an edge all that long. I keep a strop on the bench while I'm working for frequent touchups, though I realized recently I may have put too low an angle on them. They're packed, so I can't check easily.

I got the chance over the weekend to work with some antique chisels, and they were great. The owner kept them sharpened much better than I've managed yet, which may have been part of it, but still... nicer to hold and easier to use. If you've got the patience, searching out some old ones may be a better way to go.


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## gadabout (Dec 21, 2012)

I've had a set of Marples Blue Chip chisels for a couple of decades. They have always worked well and were a good value. I've heard that the current version of these chisels (Irwin/Marples?) are not as good, but I have no first hand experience with that. The desire for wood-handled chisels (we are woodworkers, after all) has led me to pursue other options. I've recently collected some Crown bench chisels on ebay from various sellers and like them a lot. I think there may still be some for sale if you look around.


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Besides Marples, what are some good vintage chisel makers?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I do notice some difference in the steel quality of older chisels and newer ones. I have good luck with swap meets/flea markets/garage sales. If you see a box of hand tools, by all means go through them. Many times the vendor doesn't separate his tools.

I have always liked the old Stanley 60 series chisels for bench work. The old Stanley sockets are very good. Be on the lookout for vintage Buck Brothers. You can score very well. I lucked out on a few occasions in finding many crank neck paring chisels for less than $5 each.

I can't advise on some of the new ones, as I don't have a need for any. Maintaining edges allows a tool to work. If you sharpen a chisel to shave your arm, try it to slice notebook paper. If it does it without catching or tearing, you're pretty much there.








 







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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

As mike said, the bucks are good. I'm particularly found of the union socket chisels. I find they hone and hold and edge very well.


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## rhondesia (Oct 24, 2013)

*I Need Help!!*

I just recently inherited this and would like to know what it is. I think it might be some kind of vintage chisel but am not sure. I am hoping that someone might be able to tell me if this is a chisel or not. And if it is what kind is it and if it's not then what kind of tool is this. Also it looks like it says the brand is J.FRISCH but I know that isn't right because when I google that name it turns up nothing. So also if someone knows what brand it is that would be very helpful to me. Anyway thanks in advance to everyone out there for thee help, it is most appreciated!! Sincerely, rhondesia.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Not a clue what it is....but I'm intrigued...


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

My guess would be an ice chipping chisel.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

It's a stone or brick workers chisel, can be used for construction and sculpture.


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## rhondesia (Oct 24, 2013)

*Many Thanks!!*

Thank you very much Hammer1!! I really appreciate it! I had to trouble you further but do you happen to know what brand it is because I know that can't really say on it J.FRISCH? And possibly even a rough year as well? Even if not I very much appreciate all the help you have already given me. You have more than helped me! Sincerely, rhondesia.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

rhondesia said:


> Thank you very much Hammer1!! I really appreciate it! I had to trouble you further but do you happen to know what brand it is because I know that can't really say on it J.FRISCH? And possibly even a rough year as well? Even if not I very much appreciate all the help you have already given me. You have more than helped me! Sincerely, rhondesia.


Saying you have your questions answered - what are you looking to do with your new found information?


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## rhondesia (Oct 24, 2013)

*Hello!*

Well yes it's great that I know what kind of chisel it is but I was also really hoping to find out the brand or maker as well. The reason is because even though I would really like to hang on to it due to sentimental value unfortunately I have been hit very hard financially as of a few months ago. So I as much as I don't want to, I was going to sell it if it was worth something. And in order for a girl like me that doesn't know tools to be able to sell it at a fair price so no one gets ripped off, I really needed to also know the brand/maker of the chisel, so I could try to look it up on the internet to find out it's true worth. So if you can help me out firemedic, it would be much appreciated!! Sincerely, rhondesia. P.S. firemedic I have been told by other family members that it is supposedly as old as late 1800's-early 1900's but I don't know if that is true or not.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

It could be a 'pinking iron' for leather.

















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## rhondesia (Oct 24, 2013)

*Really??*

Hello cabinetman!! So you think it looks alot more like a pinking iron for leather than some sort of chisel, how so? Also I just added 1 more picture that's at the very bottom of my picture list and unlike the others it's alot more of a closeup picture of it verses at a decent distance like the others. So with that being said, do you think that you might be able to read and make out what it says way better than I could. Because like I had said before in some of my earlier posts about it. to me it looks like it says J.FRISCH but I know that can't be right because I spent alot of time on the net googling it and searching for that name for a possible brand everywhere and I turned up absolutely nothing. Anyways no matter what happens, thank you very much for trying to help me, I really appreciate it very much!! Hopefully either you or someone out there can also tell me what brand it is and or even better what it is worth if anything. Sincerely, rhondesia.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

That is a stone carver's chisel. I have several. You can see a good range of those in Micon Stone Tools. The TC ones last longer.

Most of my conventional wood carving gouges are Pfeil. By all accounts, about as good as they get.

For the prices, Narex steel is every bit as good. I use skews a great deal in some carvings, I can go better than 1/2 day between honings with chrome green. Not so long with Pfeil. So pleased with a pair of 1S/12 from Narex that I bought a second pair (Lee Valley).
Very clever edge protectors, too.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Robson Valley said:


> That is a stone carver's chisel. I have several. You can see a good range of those in Micon Stone Tools.


Can you post a link for that chisel?









 








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## rhondesia (Oct 24, 2013)

*Finally!!*

Thank you very much Robson Valley for all of your help. It's a very good feeling to know that not only do I finally know what kind/type of chisel it is & what it's used for, but it's an especially great feeling for me to also know what brand it is as well as a very good specific site in particular to go to that should be able to more than answer for me any other possible remaining questions that I may still have about this chisel, like it's monetary worth for example. Anyway I will let you go for now, but before I do I have to give you another very big and much appreciated thank you very much, you have really helped me alot. Sincerely, rhondesia.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Robson Valley said:


> That is a stone carver's chisel. I have several. You can see a good range of those in Micon Stone Tools.


I looked at their *online catalog* and didn't find a tool similar. If you have several, please post pictures of them. I still think that the tool in question is a 'pinking iron' or a 'pricking iron' both used for leather working.

















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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

I don't seem to be able to copy and paste the link.
NOT in the catalog = in the website = stone carving beginners set.

I suppose that the same tool might be useful in several applications.\
Such as my 2 pairs of Mora #171 Equus Hook knives = at 30 degrees, farriers use them. At 12 degrees, they are essential for carving deep & straight-walled dishes and boxes.


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## jamesicus (Nov 24, 2010)

Robson Valley said:


> That is a stone carver's chisel ..........


From an old Wm. Marples & Sons catalog:


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## jamesicus (Nov 24, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> .......... I still think that the tool in question is a 'pinking iron' or a 'pricking iron' both used for leather working ......


Is the following pricking iron (from an old Marples catalog) something like what you had in mind?
















My father used to repair shoes and leather goods during the Depression as an added source of income and I would sometimes help him (mostly sorting stuff and cleaning up). We had pricking irons similar to the Marple's here but I can't recall exactly how he used them. I think he mostly used a light wooden mallet or brass hammer, thus the tool end would not be mushroomed over.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks jamesicus. That brick cleaning axe would certainly do a chicken or two!


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## rhondesia (Oct 24, 2013)

*One very important question??!!*

Hello again!! I really hate to bother everyone again but I do have a very, very super important question about the chisel that I really need answered the most if at all possible. Can any of you read what it says in one of my pictures on my chisel? Because I really need to know what brand it is the most, even way more than what it is. So please tell me that one of you can read what brand it says it is in one of my five pictures of it!! Again,, much thanks and appreciation!! Sincerely, rhondesia.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

rhondesia said:


> Hello again!! I really hate to bother everyone again but I do have a very, very super important question about the chisel that I really need answered the most if at all possible. Can any of you read what it says in one of my pictures on my chisel? Because I really need to know what brand it is the most, even way more than what it is. So please tell me that one of you can read what brand it says it is in one of my five pictures of it!! Again,, much thanks and appreciation!! Sincerely, rhondesia.


I can't read the letters too well from that picture. It might be different if I had it in my hand. Maybe if you colored the letters with carbon paper, to make them more legible.








 







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## rhondesia (Oct 24, 2013)

*Thanks*

Thank you cabinetman for the advice but unfortunately I tried it and in this case the letters didn't seem to look any better as far as being able to read them. But I do still very much appreciate the help and advice. I guess if you can think of some other trick to do would be great. Otherwise if anyone else out there can read what it says and tell me the brand name so I can find out what it's worth would be very much appreciated!! Sincerely, rhondesia.


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