Hello, anybody had any experience with Lie-Nielsen socket chisels? I am just getting in the market for a “high end” set of chisels and I saw these on the web. They look and sound great but boy what a price tag!! $50 each! I know Lie-Nielsen is known for making great tools but I would like to hear from some who has actually used them and get their take. I wonder how they compare to the Japanese chisels?
Thanks, Tom
Replies
had them for about 1 year, love them. no experience with japaneese chisels. the l-n's are perfectly balanced, feel great in my hand, take a beautiful edge and work equally well.
greg
Thanks, Greg
I second what gmoney said. I also don't have experience with Japanese chisels but did buy a set of Buck chisels for the cost of one L-N. They tend to chip very easily. That's never happened with the L-N. I don't tend to bang on them, however, I use them mostly for detail work. They are a joy to use. I have several old plastic handled chisels I'd picked up over the years from various sources that I use for my really rough work. Since I got a "Work Sharp" grinder, it's very easy to keep them sharp.
Sounds good, Thanks
FWIW, I find chisels to be one of the last good flea market finds. My collection has over thirty chisels of all types and I have less than $5.00 each invested and they are great tools. It is easy to find Buck Bro’s., Greenlee, Stanley, Union, Millers Falls, etc that all have good steel and take just a little effort to make good as new even if they need a new handle. At $50.00 a pop for the L-N’s I’d save that money for the planes.
They are excellent.
Jeff
I only have Lie-Nielsen planes but a friend of mine has their chisels and they are very nice. I have Japanese chisels and like them a lot but they are a different animal with their laminated construction.
Troy
Thanks Troy
Tom
You have not said, and no one has asked - what are you looking to do with the chisels? General bench work? Chopping dovetails? Paring dovetails? Detail work?
The LNs can do all of these things pretty well (which is their strength). There are other chisels that can do some of these things better. It all depends on what you are looking for.
Have you held the LNs in your hand yet? Some find them beautifully balanced. Other prefer a longer handle.
Incidentally, I do not consider the LNs expensive - take a look at the prices of (real) high end Japanese chisels!
Regards from Perth
Derek
Thanks Derek, I would want to use them for everythig poss. If I need to I will get a specilty chisel if the L N 's won't work for certain situations. Since I don't know anyone close by that owns these chisels, I have never held any. From what I am hearing though, everyone that has held them loves them. I guess I'll just have to buy them and fid out.
Incidentally, I do not consider the LNs expensive - take a look at the prices of (real) high end Japanese chisels!
Regards from Perth
Thats the truth.
Derek, I have older chisels mostly socket chisels that I have been using a long time. Back in the early 80's I was flying into Japan. I wrote a letter to Toshio Odate(thru FWW I might add) and he hooked me up with a chisel maker in Miki City(sp). What an adventure. The yen/US was 225. I bought a set of 12 handmade chisels with oak handles. I brought several chunks of riven white oak from the states and gave them a bunch when the acknowledged the high quality of the cold growth straight grained oak. Enough. I paid 200 dollars for the set in Japan and they were worth by Odate's guess about 400-500 worth of chisels. I was pleased.
I could not get used to the short chisels. They just didn't work for me: balance, the feel in my hand it just didn't work for the frequent paring that I do. On a visit to Colonial Williamsburg I met a young guy all fired up about woodworking with limited funds. A nice guy. He loved japanese tools and loved japanese chisels. Oh no.
I told him if he was willing to drive down to North Carolina from Maryland, I would make him a deal he could not refuse-- just bring 200 dollars and no dikering. 200 firm and I will look the other way as you leave. Yep. He showed up and the chisels went north. Hopefully, he will tell a story of this guy that gave him a deal. I included all of the japanese receipts and the letters from Toshio Odate. There lies the story.
Why the story?? I would not invest in japanese chisels without working with them for a month or two. Its a major change. I love japanese saws and I have a bunch. I love them so much, I haven't touched a western saw in 25 years. Sold. Japanese planes(pull) and chisels- just don't fit my way of work. They are incredibly made and works of art but in my granddad's words: "they're a dog that just don't hunt"
There are tons of chisels out there at flea markets and auctions that are great. Today you can get a few and fix them up and have a great tool for a deal. If you're in a rush and don't want to mess around... the guy up in Maine has some nice stuff. Being a cranky yankee, its hard for me to look at a tool in my hand and say: "I paid 60 dollars for a 1/2" straight chisel" I used to piss and moan about the cost of Swiss made chisels when they were the only show in town. Every gauge I bought I grumbled. Sometimes you have to suck it in to get the job done.
later
dan
i have the full set of 9 with the tool roll. love-em. great for holding a keen edge on nice hard timbers like we have here in Australia. I have also used japanese chsels whcih are also great but I prefer the overall length of the LN's. also you are not really saving money with japanese as to get a similar quality will be a similar price
Thank You
I have a set of LN chisels and absolutely love them. One thing that's nice about socket chisels is that you can remove the handles rather easily. I bought a couple of longer paring chisel handles from LN and I can replace the standard handles when a paring chisel is called for.
Jim
Thanks Jim
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