A while ago i decided it was time for a
good set of chisels. As you do.
Although they were no. 1 on the list I didn't want to wait 18 mths for a set of H&S.
Lie-Neilsen bevel edged were next on the list so I ordered a set from LN Australia.
Well, 6 months down the track and still nothing. Now I have a project on the go and am in need of some chisels. I still want to get a quality set but the money that was set aside has been used for various other tools.
I lookled at lots of 'cheap' chisels and decided i would grab a set of these.
Narex Bench Chisel Boxed 6 Pc Set
They got FWW's best value set in a recent evaluation of 23 different brands so they shouldn't be complete rubbish.
At the price it was worth trying the mortice chisels as well so a set of these went on the order.
Narex Mortise Chisel Set of 5
They arrived within a week and i'll give Highland Woodworking in the US a wrap for their good service
First Impressions.
Out of the box (pic 1) they look pretty good. Not the sexiest chisels ever but definately solid and serviceable looking. The beech handles are oval and comfortable in the hand.
The grinding looks good but they need a sharpen.
I'm a bit spoilt because I have a plumbed sink in the shed (pic 2) which is great for sharpening. Between the Tormek, a coarse diamond plate, some waterstones and a Veritas Mk II Honing guide it didn't take long to flatten the backs, of all 11 chisels, and form an edge. The backs were pretty good and only required the removal of grinding marks to make them flat. The bevel grind was spot on 25° and again didn't need too much work. A secondary bevel was put on all chisels. A couple of chisels had small hollows towards the edge and required a little bit more attention. All chisels are now shaving sharp as my bald left hand can attest.
The project I am currently working on is a Recycled Hardwood Workbench
WIP - Recycled Hardwood Bench which has a few decent sized mortices so I chopped out a couple of mortices in the hardwood offcuts as a test.
This wood is old and hard and gave the chisels a good workout. My previous attempt at a mortice in this timber left my old chisels (cheap Topman brand) chipped and sad and I had to sharpen 4 times before i was finished.
I drilled one mortice with a forstner bit and the other I hogged out the old fashioned way.
I used the 12mm mortice chisel and the 20mm bevel edged. I used the same two chisels for both mortices without sharpening.
Both chisels worked well and the largish handles were comfortable for my hands.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well they retained the edge. After two mortices were complete although they were slightly dulled they were both sharp enough to pare across the grain.
It only took a few seconds on the stones to get them back to sharp.
For a total price of $178 including postage from the US I think these chisels are very good value. They will see me through the construction of the bench and beyond.
I'll add an update after I have used them a bit more.
Although I'd still like a premium set of chisels, there's now no hurry as these will do me for a while.
Reasonably Priced Chisels 
