In another post regarding chisels, someone mentioned having problems with Lie-Nielsen’s new chisels, but having great experiences with their planes, etc. Someone else asked if the “problems” were corrected as most reviews of the chisels are very positive.
Anyone used the new L-N chisels? What do you think about them? Do they hold an edge? Do you recommend them?
I am ready to buy several chisels and have been very pleased with the L-N planes I have.
Alan – planesaw
Edited 11/23/2005 2:47 pm ET by Planesaw
Replies
I just bought a set off the show floor on Friday night.
haven't had a chance to do much with them, but they lapped and honed up well.
The balance and feel is awesome.
The older I get, the better I was....
Why don't you do yourself and the rest of the readers here a favor and call L-N customer service about the chisels? Ted might be a good person to talk to or ask for Tom himself. Since this is an issue of some contention right now, maybe they would like to ring in with some information about their products and any past problems. Mr. Lie-Neilsen posted here not long ago when then character of someone who supposedly represented his company was questioned. It turned out that this person was a Woodcraft employee demonstrating L-N products at a store event, not a L-N employee. There were over 100 posts in that thread, most of them based on erroneous information. If you have owned any of their products, you would know that their intention is to offer products that are superior in performance to others on the market. As in any manufacturing process, variances can occur. How those problems are dealt with also distinguishes the superior from the ordinary.
Quartersawn,
Not sure of the "tone" of your email, but your words come across as if I am unfairly criticizing L-N. If you read my first entry here you would see that I stated I DO own several L-N planes -- and love them.
Asking people's opinions about a product is not criticizing it. You had no problem saying you sent a Sorby's set back, but are critical of someone else saying they sent a L-N set back. Can't have it both ways.
My intent is simply to learn from the experiences of others. Yes, I read the thread about the writer who assumed someone was a L-N employee and incorrectly criticized L-N. And, it won't be the last time someone draws the wrong conclusion based on not asking enough questions.
Having a bit of experience in human behavior research I know not to draw conclusions on too little information. Two or three people saying they had a bad experience won't sway me -- but it will suggest I need to ask more questions.
Knots Forum is a great exchange place to help not only the users, but also the manufacturers learn better ways of using and manufacturing. In my business I annually ask 200 to 300 customers to tell us what they think about us. How we can improve? You don't ask people what they think and expect to get back all positives. It is primarily through the corrective or negative feedback that we learn to improve.
Oh well, 'nuff said. Time to make sawdust.
Alan - planesaw
Sorry, my "tone' was directed at the poster in a related thread that pretty much flamed L-N Chisels based on his personal experience. I was serious when I suggested calling L-N about their chisels. I have since learned that he and his friends received very early production, which of course is irrelevant to current product. I wish people would specify what the conditons were when a product perform poorly. What was the wood? Was the chisel struck? What angle was the bezel ground? All of these are important. Japanese chisels, touted by some of these same posters, are notoriously brittle; yet they were not referred to as defective.
I'm glad to see that you were not misled.
I bought one some time ago, and I was impressed with the feel and edge holding ability. I'm going to pick up a couple more, so I guess that says it all.
Rob Millard
Barr chisels are very good quality and cost even more than L-N. They are available only as sets however. They too are socket style here:
Hello Planesaw,
I have the full set of Mr Lie-Nielsen's chisels and find them to be of excellent quality and performance. About the only thing I do with any other chisels is paring with an E A Berg 1/2", a 3/8 Swearby and an old Tyzack cast steel I modified to be a dovetail chisel. The LN's were easy to hone and keep their edge well. I just spent 1.5hours honing an older english Stanley 1" bevel edge - mongrel wasn't flat. After that I honed all 9 LN beveledge and 5 mortise chisels in half the time. About the only thing I would say is that as I have big hands I think if the beveledged chisels was longer it would 'sit' more comfortably in them but blow me down Tom Lie-Nielsen has got that covered as I see he now has them with longer handles. What do you do try and buy the handles and fit them -those other handles are well seated by now - or buy another set??? PS I have a glendrake #4 mallet and initally it does facet the top of the handle a lot more than the old wooden mallet... but its a hell of a lot more comfortable.
I had a chance to give my new L-N bench chisels a workout tonight. I was chopping some through-mortices that I had predrilled in some 4/4 white oak. That wood is hard...let me tell you. I decided to use some Ashley Isles of the same sizes and also a Japanese chisel that I bought as a test from Woodcraft. The Isle chisels showed some chipping early on when struck with a urethane-covered mallet. These are sharpened at 25 degrees, which in fairness is probably too shallow for this hard wood. The Lie-Nielsens and the Japanese chisel did just fine in both paring and struck operations with a 30 degree bevel. I touched them up afterward on the 8000 stone. The Isles had to go all the way down to 1000 to remove the nicks. I also prefer the feel of the L-N chisels over the very long Isles handles. The Lie-Nielsens are my preference for most jobs now.
I gave my new set a first workout on the weekend as well- a pine demilune table with sliding dovetailed leg/apron jount.
Granted, only pine, but there wasn't the fracturing of the end grain, and the balance was perfect.
Mine are honed with a 3deg microbevel above factory grind. 8000 grit.
My only concern/complaint is that I grabbed the last set at the woodworking show (which Rob Cosman brought in)- and they have the rosewood handles. Gorgeous to look at, but I'm cautious about chopping/pounding. How durable is the rosewood? Or am I better off turning Dogwood versions?The older I get, the better I was....
L-N does advise that the rosewood is for paring only. The regular hornbeam handles are $7 ea. They are also now made in a longer version for better two-handed use.
Turn the dogwood ones - I vote for that. I love that stuff. Get the highly colored, dense wood from down at the beginning of the root burl. It may be my imagination but I think it turns more reddish-orange-maroon the more you pound on it with a mallet. Sangre de Cristo, maybe? Save the rosewood handles for when you give your tools to your grandkids. 2 cents worth, voice from the peanuit gallery, all 'o that. Take care, Ed
Thanks for the testimonies!!!! Always good to hear first hand reports.
Alan - planesaw
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled