Are Expensive Chisels Worth the Money?
I recently had the opportunity to have chisels from most of the major North American brands; everything from Harbor Freight, Irwin Marples, Stanley Sweetheart, Narex, Lie Nielsen, Veritas, even ALDI workzone. I put them all through there paces: ergonomics, sharpening, flattening, pairing, dovetails, mortise and tenons, even had cut dadoes. I put this video together to sort of sum up the experience, I sort of buried the lead in the video but here are the cliff notes.
Veritas is on it's own planet in fit and finish, edge retention, utilitiy - all of it
Lie Nielsen is close behind
Modern Stanley Sweetheart 750 - Does almost anything you would ever need it to do, the only thing that would let you down is it is not a true bevel edge.
ALDI - Amazing utility and quality, ash handles, good steel, and great ergonomics, and they are practically free. If you see them, buy them, all of them.
Here is the video I put out about this.
View on YouTube
Thanks for watching,
Rick
Wood.Work.LIFE
I recently had the opportunity to have chisels from most of the major North American brands; everything from Harbor Freight, Irwin Marples, Stanley Sweetheart, Narex, Lie Nielsen, Veritas, even ALDI workzone. I put them all through there paces: ergonomics, sharpening, flattening, pairing, dovetails, mortise and tenons, even had cut dadoes. I put this video together to sort of sum up the experience, I sort of buried the lead in the video but here are the cliff notes.
Veritas is on it's own planet in fit and finish, edge retention, utilitiy - all of it
Lie Nielsen is close behind
Modern Stanley Sweetheart 750 - Does almost anything you would ever need it to do, the only thing that would let you down is it is not a true bevel edge.
ALDI - Amazing utility and quality, ash handles, good steel, and great ergonomics, and they are practically free. If you see them, buy them, all of them.
Here is the video I put out about this.
View on YouTube
Thanks for watching,
Rick
Wood.Work.LIFE