lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

Re: lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

Sean Evoy

>A quick search of previous posts on this subject will show that the overwhelming consensus regarding moderately priced, new chisels is either Two-Cherries or Hirsch (which are supposed to be identical to the T-C in just about every way but are a bit cheaper). I have a couple of T-C and I find them very comfortable to use (although they look like they hit every branch falling out of the ugly tree). Some people have reported having to spend a long time flattening the backs, but that was not my experience.

Re: lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

Julie

>I scrolled down and noticed a substantial number of comments on this topic around April 25. Thanks all who participated then...archives are helpful...

Re: lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

John Horobin

>There are plenty of good chisels on the market - its worth having one or two Japanese ones as well as the good ones of these take a tremendouse edge which lasts - but easily damaged!

Planes are the thing to buy from LN I think, especially where the Stanley originals are too expensive or too difficult to find. I do hope they will eventually come out with a #289 and a #72

John

Re: lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

Alan Hamilton

>Julie,

I've never used a Lie-Nielsen chisel--I don't have enough money to even be in the same room with one.

However, like you I had a set of Marples bench chisels (and a set of their mortising chisels) that I wanted to replace. (Mine have red and yellow plastic handles.) They work okay--but definitely aren't the best tools in my gara...er...uhh...shop.)

My replacements are Hirsch bench chisels and Two Cherries mortise chisels. (I, too, have been told that the Hirsch and Two-Cherries are identical; they sure look identical; and the quality of both are obvious). They both are excellent, no question. Their steel takes a better edge and holds it longer than my Marples. The wood handles are a joy to hold and use--and just the right size for my paws. I recommend both brands without any reservations.

Alan

Re: lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

Todd Stock

>Having put some use on the set of LNs that I received a week or so ago, I can add some comments to what I've already written.

Just for fun, I took the 3/4" DC, Pfeil, LN, 750, Blue Chip, and Sorby I have on hand and ground/honed each to pretty much the same sharpness. The BC and 750 were ground to about 28 degrees and honed to about 33 degrees; everything else 25/30.

I wacked each into some QS white oak scraps with a mallet x 30, then checked the edges with a hand magnifier. The BC and Sorby edges were folded, while the rest were usable.

I then pared some endgrain basswood with the DC, LN, 750, and the Pfeil to see just how well the edges held up (basswood does a nice job of showing the tears that a dull edge makes) - the DC and the LN were the cleanest cutting (with the LN a bit easier to push through endgrain), followed by the 750 and the Pfeil.

I did the same 30 wacks with the DC and LN again, then a bit more paring. The LN was pretty much unchanged, with the DC starting to show some minor snail trails on the basswood. At this point, I had to head out to my bud's place for more ipe decking, so enough was enough for now.

In terms of comfort, the LN, 750, and the BCs were tops for paring, with the ironwood handle on the LN my preference (the BCs get slippery if you work up much of a sweat). The older style DC handle (looks like the current Hirsh) is my preference, but new DCs and Pfeil have gone with a less comfortable design.

Nothing scientific here - just beating on chisels with mallets, but it looks like the LN is pretty tough. Also - I fully expect that many laminated steel chisels would be as tough in use, with older cast steel tools and higher end Japanese chisels meeting anyone's expectations for edge holding.

I also don't want to knock the BCs or Sorbys too badly - if you can stand some touch up honing, both will work in softer hardwood. Grinding/honing to 30/35 also extends the life of the edge at a cost of some ability to function as a paring chisel (1/2 the job of a bench chisel, right?). While the Sorbys are about the same cost as the LNs and twice the DCs, you can get a whole set of BCs for what one LN chisel runs.

As for cost, LN has priced the chisel rolls at $50, so I'd expect individual chisels to go for about $40 each when available. This is four times the cost of the BC or a user 750, twice the DC and Pfeil, a bit more than the Sorby cabinetmakers, and a little over half of what a Barr runs.

My experience

Robin Frierson

>I did four half-blind drawers using my new LN chisels and my conclusion is they hold an edge as long as my Japanese chisels without chipping. No major failures of the edge, so easy to resharpen. I abused them pretty good,prying and hard malleting and they held up better than any other chisels I own. Plus they come very well finished. I had the backs done in a minute starting with 5000grit.

They are a true bevel edge chisel, with the bevel going almost to the back, very helpful dovetailing. But the edges were so sharp they cut me, so I had to relieve them slightly.

Re: lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

John Meikrantz

>Stupid question - What is a DC chisel?

John

not stupid,I was wondering also

Jack from Maine

>

Re: not stupid,I was wondering also

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>My guess is "two cherries" in shorthand.JR

Re: not stupid,I was wondering also

Tom Scott

>Wouldn't that be "TC" then? Unless he is mixing languages, i.e. Dos Cherries, Deaux Cherries, etc. (my apologies if I butchered the spelling).

DC=Double Cherry

HC Sakman

>

Re: zK?

William R. Duffield on the Cohansey

>Without mixing languages, deux cerises, or due ciliege, or dos cerezas would fit, but not zwei Kirschen, which might be more appropriate.

Re: lie-nielsen chisels, other recommendations?

Todd Stock

>Oops - Double Cherries...

Re: My experience

Todd Stock

>I touched the edges with a diamond hone to within an inch of the edge, but left them sharp otherwise...a nice change from Double Cherries and Hirsh overbuffed edges, which take some time to grind down to square.

Winner

Tom Scott

>Looks like you won this word contest.