Tool Review: Narex Dovetail Chisels
Affordable dovetail chisels
If you’re considering a dedicated dovetail chisel at a moderate price and don’t mind a large handle, consider Narex’s new dovetail chisels. Their sides are acutely beveled at 35°, ideal for working in confined spaces. While the 1⁄32-in. flats on the sides are not as small as I’d have expected for a dedicated dovetail chisel, the tools still get the job done.
With their hollowed back, the blades are strikingly similar to Japanese chisels. The hollow makes it particularly easy to produce a flat, polished back by minimizing surface area along the 2-1⁄2-in. blade. Unlike the laminated blade of a Japanese chisel, though, the Narex blades are entirely chrome-manganese steel. Hardened to Rc59, the blade sharpened to a keen edge with no trouble using waterstones. In use, the chisels held up well.
I like the high-quality fabrication and steel, the hollowed back, and the reasonable price, though I didn’t care for the oversize handle. For a finesse tool like a dovetailing chisel, I found the handle clunky and long, and its balance problematic. If you don’t find this an issue, though, these dovetail chisels will work for you.
—Chris Gochnour builds furniture
and teaches in Salt Lake City.
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Marking knife: Hock Double-Bevel Violin Knife, 3/4 in.
Comments
Chris,
Thanks for the review. I have somewhat larger hands so most chisels seem small to me. I have been contemplating purchasing a set based on your opinion but I will most likely try and find someone that stocks them so I can put a hand on them.
CW
I have a set of Narex mortising chisels and they have larger handles. I have hands that fit them just fine, although I am also 6'6" tall so not tiny hands. They hold an edge fairly well and sharpen back up quickly. Stropping them puts a really nice shine on the edge too.
On the basis of this review - albeit rather brief - and a trust in Mr Gochnour's opinions & estimations, I bought a set of these chisels. They are indeed very functional for dovetailing, partly because of the fat handles rather than despite them. I find them easier to grip with finger and thumb-tips, as well as with the whole hand, when pushing carefully to make teeny-weeny final paring cuts.
They're easy to sharpen to a very fine edge (I use a 30 degree micr-bevel on the 25 degree main bevel) with paper-on-glass, although it did take ten minutes to remove the grinding marks from the back of the largest chisel to get it flat/mirrored, despite the Japanese-style hollow. The edge also seems just as tough as A2 ... for the lighter work of dovetailing at least.
Those fat handles benefit from a bit (not too much) of smoothing with fine sandpaper and a coat of finish (just wax for me). They would be easy to reduce or otherwise re-shape should a user want something slimmer, as there's plenty of wood to go-at.
But I sold a set of Blue Spruce DT chisels some months ago because I found their handles far too small and rather too slippery due to their gleaming smooth finish. They were certainly very fine and functional; but the Narex seem rather more man-sized.
Lataxe
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