# Who makes the best chisel to carry in your bags?



## Jswills76 (Nov 12, 2012)

Marples are my favorite. I bought a couple sets of nos a few year ago off eBay all England made. Lately I started using the fastcap folding chisels. The steels not as good as the marples but it's nice not worrying about dropping them


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Anything that has a sharpened edge you can bet Japan does it best.


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## jlyons (Apr 17, 2011)

For Framming just a cheap 1.5" chisel.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

illbuildit.dd said:


> I have a Stanley I've used for years and keep it sharp on the grinder. And a few that are all steel and super old with no name. I still remember watching norm abrahm showing how to keep them sharp on pbs television


I moved away from a grinder and to a table top belt/disc sander to sharpen my chisels.


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## elementbldrs (Sep 26, 2010)

Get the bahco, small and has edge one long side also which you can strike. Great for carrying in your bags. Even come with a plastic sheath that works good in the front inside leather loop of occi's.


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## elementbldrs (Sep 26, 2010)

elementbldrs said:


> get the bahco, small and has edge one long side also which you can strike. Great for carrying in your bags. Even come with a plastic sheath that works good in the front inside leather loop of occi's.


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## Knight-Builder (Feb 19, 2015)

duburban said:


> everyone should check out the PM-v11 steel from Lee Valley. One chisel is about $75 so I wouldn't carry them around but the steel is supposed to stay sharp but be soft enough to quickly sharpen.
> 
> I don't have any yet, just fantasize about them ( and a tormek ).


Duburban, they're a nice chisel and can slice across a grain well, but certainly geared toward cabinetmakers/fine woodworking - nothing but wooden mallet strikes for them.

Speaking of Lee Valley, however, I've got the set of all steel carpenter chisels they sell (approx. $75 for four) - made in France (of all places), and the edges seem to stand up nicely to the occasional nail/screw buried in the wood.

For finer stuff, I've got the Hirsch Firmer set (also Lee Valley). No complaints, but they take a hell of a lot of breaking in (they come finely buffed and shiny which seems to knock the trueness on the back face - takes quite a bit of honing and truing on the wet stone to get them precise/not prone to travelling), but a lovely chisel once that's taken care of :thumbup:


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## sy85 (Aug 14, 2011)

Inner10 said:


> Anything that has a sharpened edge you can bet Japan does it best.



Sometimes... I'll be honest. I bought a real nice Shun chef's knife a few years back- and I could slice onion and tomatoes thin enough you could see the grain of the cutting board through it, but it had such an insane angle I wasn't about to learn about sharpening it. Got a 2-3x as heavy German style chef's knife and I can do the same damned thing- and sharpen it 10x easier. 

(But hey- I'm using A Makita impact from there and not a German green koolaid one so I pick my battles).

Aren't the Dewalt demos made in England or something?


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> Anything that has a sharpened edge you can bet Japan does it best.


Maybe sharp, but Japanese cruddy soft metal doesn't hold an edge long.
All my kitchen knives are Henckels and Wusthof. 
German and Swedish is were it's at!


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

m1911 said:


> Maybe sharp, but Japanese cruddy soft metal doesn't hold an edge long.
> All my kitchen knives are Henckels and Wusthof.
> German and Swedish is were it's at!


German knives are a joke compared to Japanese.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> German knives are a joke compared to Japanese.




Sarcasm eh?


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Inner, I'll blow you if you can identify the taste difference between a tomato cut with a German vs. Japanese knife.

I carry what's left of a 1" Stanley in my bags most days. The rest of them stay in the roll in the truck. They're Made in England and they're sharp enough to get me paid. 
Someday after I've won the lottery and for some reason decided to keep installing base trim, I'll spring for the set of Hattori Hanzo chisels.


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## elementbldrs (Sep 26, 2010)

Easy Gibson said:


> Inner, I'll blow you if you can identify the taste difference between a tomato cut with a German vs. Japanese knife.



What n the fu......?


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## Gumphri (May 17, 2014)

I've got a Barr 1 1/2 and a slick I use for timber framing. Holds the best edge I've come across. In my finishing kit I use a Chestnut tools chisel that has the blade on the front and one edge. Reasonably priced and seems decent steel. Takes a bit to get it into useful shape. I keep it sharp with a whet stone.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Marples


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Leo G said:


> Marples


Found a 3/4" Sheffield on eBay it's already shipped. :thumbsup:


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

I don't keep mine very sharp. 200 grit rough then 700 grit diamond hone.


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## Jswills76 (Nov 12, 2012)

I use the worksharp 3000. So eazy and makes them so sharp.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Leo G said:


> I don't keep mine very sharp. 200 grit rough then 700 grit diamond hone.


I use one of these. Far from 700 grit hone but good enough for what I do.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

*Who Makes The Best Chisel To Carry In Your Bags?*



tccoggs said:


> I like the dewalt side strike for rough work. Marples are kept in a case with caps, sharpened on my tormek and are strictly for finish work.



I have to of these dewalts. One in tool belt and one in tool bag. Sharpen them on my worksharp3000 and they work real well.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

I'm not saying mine are sharp. Because they are only so so.

I had a buddy sharpen one of my chisels on some system he had and it ended up with a mirror polish on the bevel of the chisel. It was "scary sharp" for a while.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Leo G said:


> I'm not saying mine are sharp. Because they are only so so.
> 
> I had a buddy sharpen one of my chisels on some system he had and it ended up with a mirror polish on the bevel of the chisel. It was "scary sharp" for a while.



Ain't "scary sharp" a pleasure?

I use 3/8" plate glass and up to 1200 grit and the Veritas jig for my chisels kept in the shop.


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## elementbldrs (Sep 26, 2010)

The system I have heard guys using is actually named "scary sharp" system.


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

Im kinda partial to my matsumura firmer chisel...


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

elementbldrs said:


> The system I have heard guys using is actually named "scary sharp" system.


When done right, it's a mirror finish.


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## UkChippy (Nov 5, 2014)

I like my original sweethearts I picked them up for £10 at a flea market. Don't like the Irwin marples much, they seem too soft. The original marples are still going strong http://www.marples.co.uk/ Erwin just bought the marbles name.


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## Philament (Dec 9, 2014)

I keep this one in the bag at all times. All steel so I don't feel bad about beating on it with a framing hammer or hitting nails with it. When I'm doing nice stuff, I'll pack up the bench chisels though.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

I have a set of vintage Buck Bros that I break out for "good" work.

As far as what lives in my bags it's just an old 1" Fuller. Useful as a chisel, scraper, and small pry bar. It actually takes a nice edge when I get around to sharpening it. :laughing:

I've got a set of Irwin Marples as well. Less than impressed with those.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

Philament said:


> I keep this one in the bag at all times. All steel so I don't feel bad about beating on it with a framing hammer or hitting nails with it. When I'm doing nice stuff, I'll pack up the bench chisels though.
> View attachment 154385


You got a source for those? Can't say I've ever seen one for sale around these parts. Seems like it would be perfect for framing.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Robinson1 said:


> I have a set of vintage Buck Bros that I break out for "good" work.
> 
> As far as what lives in my bags it's just an old 1" Fuller. Useful as a chisel, scraper, and small pry bar. It actually takes a nice edge when I get around to sharpening it. :laughing:
> 
> I've got a set of Irwin Marples as well. Less than impressed with those.


I have always kept a good chisel in my bags as long as I can remember. Like I said before I also keep a beater. My occy's have the perfect spot for two anyway.

My Sheffield England Marple should be here any day now.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Robinson1 said:


> You got a source for those? Can't say I've ever seen one for sale around these parts. Seems like it would be perfect for framing.


Lee Valley has solid steel framing chisels.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

I got one of these for a beater, but the handle came off.
I just keep two Stanleys on me all the time, at least one is sharp.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

i carry irwin`s that have the strike cap on them.. the regular plastic handles dont take same abuse as the tang doesnt go all the way through the handle to the strike plate


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Got my Sheffer today


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## Jswills76 (Nov 12, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> Lee Valley has solid steel framing chisels.


Dasco also makes that style to


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## asgoodasdead (Aug 30, 2013)

thehockeydman said:


> If I'm framing, I just keep a cheap 3/4" Husky in the bags. I know a lot of guys who don't carry one for framing, and I certainly never used to. That being said, ever since I started, I find myself utilizing it at least a couple times a day (makes it worthwhile to carry). I use a cheap one so I can abuse it and know replacing it isn't a huge deal. Generally does not need to be kept razor sharp for anything on a framing site.
> 
> I have higher quality ones that I'll use for work that requires them. They're always kept razor sharp.


my exact response.


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## j_sims (Jul 5, 2007)

asgoodasdead said:


> my exact response.


same here 
Cheap 3/4 craftsman chisel I've had for about 10 years...It took the place of another cheap Craftsman 3/4 chisel.


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## Philament (Dec 9, 2014)

Robinson1 said:


> You got a source for those? Can't say I've ever seen one for sale around these parts. Seems like it would be perfect for framing.


I wish I did, but I'm afraid I bought it at a local hardware store many moons ago and there are no markings on it and haven't seen another one since. Doing a little googling, seems like the closest I could find is the vintage "Craftsman all steel chisel" 
https://www.google.ca/search?q=steel+handle+chisel&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=645&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=jLcFVZWIKKrhsATi3oLoAg&ved=0CBwQsAQ#tbm=isch&q=craftsman+all+steel+wood+chisel&imgdii=_&imgrc=YIcK8CM16L-g_M%253A%3Bpu8BkpbFBu42VM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fi.ebayimg.com%252F00%252Fs%252FNzc2WDE2MDA%253D%252Fz%252F8xwAAMXQ2q9RajSB%252F%2524T2eC16N%252C!yUE9s6NDMPEBR%252CjSBkFJQ~~60_35.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.com%252Fitm%252F3-Craftsman-All-Steel-Wood-Chisels-1-4-034-1-2-034-amp-3-4-034-%252F390577221004%3B300%3B146

Like Inner10 said, Lee Valley sells all steel chisels, but I don't like the looks of them, the striking end of them looks too small and asking for a glancing blow to the knuckle.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Was talking to a blacksmith at a local gun show who specialized in Damascus steel - told me to figure about 200.00 each and I'd have bragging rights forever. 

I swung by home crepo on the way home and snagged the dewalt chisel set for under 30 bucks whilst I ponder his offer :laughing:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

superseal said:


> Was talking to a blacksmith at a local gun show who specialized in Damascus steel - told me to figure about 200.00 each and I'd have bragging rights forever.
> 
> I swung by home crepo on the way home and snagged the dewalt chisel set for under 30 bucks whilst I ponder his offer :laughing:


That's actually not a bad price considering how nice they look, but the Damascus is purely cosmetic as he has a piece of solid steel laminated to the Damascus.


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