Thread: Chisels

OK, first up I'm not a tradie, but I have a set of chisels that I have put together over many years that get used all the time in the tradie-type jobs.
I have built one house and renovated four others, as well as a very decrepit block of four flats. There have been four sheds, decks, shade houses, chook houses, cubby houses, tree houses verandahs and extensions.
I don't abuse my tools and I won't let anyone else do so - including my kids - who have built their own cubbies with them.
Like you, I have heard mixed reports of the Fat Max - some excellent and some disappointing.
If you are in a hurry to put a set together, then there aren't a lot of brands to choose from that fit your needs.
I have heard good things about the Bahcos if that is any help.
You could put together a set of odds and ends like I have if you are not in a hurry.
Out of interest, this set contains Stanley, Marples blue chip, Nooitgedacht, Berg and Marples amber and red handle.
All of them have been good except the last one whose steel is a bit soft, but I have kept it as it is 1/8", and sometimes it is useful.
Cheers
SG

I've got these from LV which are carpenter style chisels. Pretty good so far and probably cheaper than most others at approx. $15 each

Lee Valley Tools - Important Announcement

Cheers,

Sam

Ps - I'm not a carpenter

Also not a real chippie, but over here (in France) the carpenters often use these monoblock chisels. I saw them at carbatec a while back. They might be a good bet, they aren't that expensive either normally...

Hi

I'm a carpenter and I have been using bacho chisels for a long time, They take an edge and keeps it. The handle is imposible to breake! A bit pricy perhaps....

https://www.toolsunlimited.com.au/sh...roducts_id=343

Thanks Scribbly, you seem to fit the tradey category ok. There's a market not far from me and I may well end up with set like yours.

Hi Sam, what are they like holding an edge for any length of time?

Berlin! I've never seen anything like it. Looks like a set of cold chisels. Will be investigating those, thank you.

Andreas87, I saw some Bahcos like yours yesterday, each one in it's own holster, not pricey if they work for you. They don't have the strike plate on the handle to pass the blow down the blade, do you find yourself wanting one?

Aren't you allowed to use a wooden mallet on chisels on a commercial job anymore? Is there a H&S risk of splinters?

Andreas87, I saw some Bahcos like yours yesterday, each one in it's own holster, not pricey if they work for you. They don't have the strike plate on the handle to pass the blow down the blade, do you find yourself wanting one?




Not really, I have never thought of it actually, perhaps a good sign? I started as an apprentice carpenter (building houses) about 6-7 years ago, and i still use the same chisels, I rarely do very precise work with them, but they have done that to. They are the sturdiest chisels I have ever seen when it comes to handles; 6-7years used 5 days a week with a 750g claw hammer. The best thing about them is how easy and fast they are to sharpen, you get a burr up in no time. In Norway there’s not a whole lot of chisels to choose from so I can’t say how they are compered to your local brands, if in doubt buy a size you rarely use but need and test it. You do need to remove some milling marks on the flat side if you want them to hold the edge longer. (If you dont have stones to do that use sandpaper with glue on a glass plate.)



Happy hunting!

Re edge holding - I havent got much to compare them to sorry but they do last alot longer than my cheap black handle stanley's.

As a chippie by trade, I've managed to accumulate 3 full sets in the last 20 years. Marples / Irwin blue chip, Stanley's and Footprint. The Marples feel the nicest to use, but the Footprints hold the best edge.

If I had to buy new 'carpentry' chisels again I'd go the Bahco's. Way better than the current offerings from Irwin and Stanley.

Lee Valley Tools - Important Announcement - these are the all steel ones, not the same LV link as posted above.

Decent markets/second hand shops, old tool shops usually try to flog off plastic handled, modern, chisels for about the same price as these LV ones, plus they all need work put into them to get them up and running. The all steel ones make sense for some applications.