Replies

1. 
   EdHarrison | Aug 17, 2006 05:36pm | #1

   I like the Two Cherries chisels.  The longer, double-hooped wooden handle fits my style of working, esp for dovetails, be it a small drawer or large blanket chest.  They seem easy to hone but will stay sharp a pretty good while.  My only gripe is with the lacquer that they coat both the steel and the handle with.  I remove all of that and refinish them myself.

   Another chisel that I like are the old E.A. Bergs, the double-hooped tang style.  I have one of those in 6mm that I almost always use for small, precise work, another in 5mm and one in 3mm that works well for very small mortices, things like that.

   Good luck, you'll get many different opinions.

   Oh, and for carving Trajan Roman style incised lettering, for the stems I use modern Stanley "Fat Max" butt chisels in 1 1/2 " and 2," rehandled with wooden handles I made.  Those are good value here in the US, avail. for about $11.

   Good luck.

    

    

    

    

1. 
   aussiepete | Aug 18, 2006 01:43am | #6

   Thanks Ed!  I appreciate your advice.

   Happy woodworking!

   Regards, Pete

   Retirement is a life-long opportunity

2. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Aug 17, 2006 06:11pm | #2

   And I have the Ashley Isles American's you mentioned. Love the delicate feel in my hand. And as Ed mentioned, you will get many opinions on which you should purchase. Most of the chisels you're looking at have good steel and don't require the robust tangs and mating of blade and handle as a good mortise chisel requires.

   I think the most important aspect is how they feel in your own hand assuming all else is close to equal. The Two Cherries is a match for Ed, but feel clumsy in my hand and the A I a match for me which might not feel right to Ed. I don't feel that any chisel company can claim the distinction of "the absolute best". I think that distinction should fall into your hands and modified to "the best for you". 

   Regards...

   SARGE..

3. 
   user-191484 | Aug 17, 2006 07:56pm | #3

   Hi, I own some "Two Cherries", "Pfeil" (from switzerland), "Bahco" (germany), old "Sorby" and a couple of "Crown". I also tried some japanese chisels (oire nomi) and they perform really wonderful once honed properly. I bought the latter from "Lee Valley" and a german online shop (I'm from Italy, so custom taxes can be a problem).
   Among the western, I slightly prefer Pfeil to Two Cherries because the handle suits my hand better, and both have a good steel. The others have slightly softer steel, easy to hone but also the edge dulls in less time.
   Now I am waiting for a Two Cherries mortise chisel set from a seller in the north of italy. But they will come unhandled, so I'll need to buy or turn handles for them.

   Hope this can be useful.

   _______________
   Alastar Moody
4. 
   CajunDan | Aug 17, 2006 09:30pm | #4

   I have the regular pattern Ashley-Isles chisels. They take and hold an edge very well, but I find the handles thick for my small hands. Perhaps the American pattern has a smaller handle.

   Regards,

   Dan

5. 
   HoustonHeights | Aug 17, 2006 09:34pm | #5

   I got a set of chisels from Lie Nielsen.  They're great.

6. 
   rarebear | Aug 18, 2006 08:36am | #7

   I own Tow Cheries and Stanley 750s like LNs and I am not sure which I like better.. I think I would say the Two Cherries because they are longer since I can grip them with two hands and still have a lot left..

   The Hirsch brand I am told is made in the same building as TC and LV has a set of them for a really good price..

    

7. 
   9619 | Aug 18, 2006 03:57pm | #8

   Pete,
   I have had a set of Two Cherries carving tools for 35 years. They work well for me. I bought a set of Hirsch bench chisels two years ago. They work well for me.

   I sometimes think that taking all of the advice that you get on Knots and trying to integrate it into a single decision is much like the problem a Martian would have if tried to figure out the rules of Aussie football by sitting in the stands and listening to the roar of the crowd. In saying this, I am NOT criticising. It is easy for one person to compare two similar items by trying them out, one after the other, in quick succession. But comparing the impressions of two different people who have used two different pieces of equipment is far from "scientific". I remember trying to pick the best television set by looking at one TV set in one store, and then another TV set in another store. Impossible. But if you put the two side by side, then it is much easier.

   Hope I gave you more help than confusion. My personal opinion is that if you will use the chisels for 20 hours a year for the next five years, then the difference between Ashley Iles, LN, Two Cherries, Hirsch, etc, will not be worth thinking about. If you make your living with the chisels, then it might well make a difference. If you like having tools that most other "experts" believe are the best tools, then you might want to go with AI or LN. My advice to everybody on everything is to try things yourself and make your own judgement, if that is possible.

   Enjoy.
   Hope that helps.
   Mel

   Measure your output in smiles per board foot. 

8. 
   gb93433 | Aug 18, 2006 11:45pm | #9

   The more likely the chisels are to stay sharp the more brittle they are. If you want very sharp chisels then you must be very carefulk not to stress the edge by twising it back and forth trying to get it back out of a cut. With great chisels only small taps on a mallet are necessary to get it to cut.

   Personally I have been using Hirsch and Jacob Bush chisels for years. I have three sets. One set for very fine work at the end of some cuts and two others for rougher work. That way I always have sharp chisles when necessary and do not wear out chisels by sharpening them after dulling them during roguher work.