Thread: Quality Mortise (Dovetail) Chisels

The narex ones are good and you'd be able to get a 4-5 within your budget.

I got mine from timbecon earlier in the year.

Regards

Adam

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Forgive me, as I might be totally wrong, or misunderstanding - but a dovetail chisel is a different beast, I thought, than a mortise chisel?

A dovetail chisel will have very narrow lands to allow one to clean out in the corners - something like these: MHG chisels with side bevels ground down to the chisel face

A mortise chisel is a hefty beast used to make mortises to stick tenons into - and they come across looking like these: VERITAS Mortise Chisels | FINE TOOLS

Please note, I'm not making a recommendation on either of the above, as I currently own neither of them, they just happen to be links I knew of and could pop in here quickly. That said, I rarely hear complaints about Veritas chisels!

With that out of the way, taz01 has a good point on the Narex - and they make both types. Timbecon in Melbourne/Perth stock them, and I've seen them in person, they seem to be quite a nice chisel and are often highly commended here.

I just wanted to post my impressions on the two types in case there was some confusion as to what you were after, as I thought the two types of chisels exist to serve a very different purpose.

Screen Shot 2020-03-06 at 9.35.20 pm.pngThese are the Narex chisels that I would like to buy. Complete novice, but I think they would be OK for Mortise and dovetail work maybe?? Very difficult to find in Au though. Can find the 2 larger sizes but not the 3 in a presentation box.

Originally Posted by stoobydale

Looking to spend about $150 all in.

Narex Dovetail Chisels - Set of 3

You've done your budget without shipping. I would say these are good for dovetail work, maybe not so much aimed at mortise work, though I suspect if you want to use them to carefully clean out a mortise you've hogged out with a drill press, that would be OK. I certainly wouldn't want to be using something like these to create a mortise from start to finish.

It's my humble opinion to suggest there are other, more local choices that will suit your requirements, but I'd be spending a bit of time looking at researching the tool itself, and watching some YouTube videos (Lie-Nielsen's channel, as well as Matt Estlea come to mind) to understand the differences between chisel types. Given the budget, you might be better served at buying a couple of popular sized chisels of each type (or of the type(s) you need to do that tasks you want), and looking to fill out into sets as you go along. The pretty boxes will be set aside when you kit out your space with some storage anyway - at least, that's what I tend to find.

Thanks for the reply's, valuable information. Unfortunately for me I am far too impatient, budget blown and chisels bought from Fine tools. Narex Wood Line Plus Premium Bevel Edge 4 Piece Chisel Set 6, 12, 20, 26 mm × 1, Narex Wood Line Plus Dovetail Chisel 19 mm × 1, Narex Wood Line Plus Dovetail Chisel 13 mm × 1
I will buy dedicated mortise chisels as I require them (if I ever need to ((always need to buy something )

I hope from Fine Tools in Germany as opposed to Fine Tools in Australia (see later in the thread): Fine Tools Australia

Originally Posted by stoobydale

Screen Shot 2020-03-06 at 9.35.20 pm.pngThese are the Narex chisels that I would like to buy. Complete novice, but I think they would be OK for Mortise and dovetail work maybe?? Very difficult to find in Au though. Can find the 2 larger sizes but not the 3 in a presentation box.

Those are dovetail chisels and not suited for morticing. A dovetail chisel is thin and a mortice chisel is fat. The latter needs to be so to not twist inside the mortice.

This is the Narex mortice chisel ...



One does not need a whole set to begin. I would go for a 1/4” and 5/16” to start. This suits most furniture.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Happy to report that all was well with the order, arrived on time and well packed. I would not hesitate to order from this supplier again.