Bench Chisels: A Basic Set

[@bigoldgrizzly]

When you have spent a few years woodworking, you inevitably end up with a lot of chisels. I also thoroughly enjoy restoring all types of woodworking tools so have amassed quite a collection over the years. I find that those I use the most gravitate to the bench rack and the remainder end up stored in drawers waiting for their day in the sun.

[@michaellangford9550]

So many chisels…so little time. My favorite is the one in my hands. There’s a sense of accomplishment in restoring an old one that doesn’t come from buying new. You are explaining stuff that I learned on my own years ago, hope it helps people get started.

[@makenchips]

Joshua, good presentation. I agree with most of your statements on the utility and usage of the chisles. I do believe a fully polished blade is a plush for a pairing chisle. Handles are a tricky subject but a good debate point on handle registration. Handles are so subjective, type of wood, shape, length shape.

[@DanielMoerman]

Hi Joshua. I got lucky. A few years ago, my kids and a few grandchildren all chipped in and bought me a set of 7 Veritas PM-V11 chisels for Christmas. I built a drawer for them, never more than two feet from my hand. SWEET! I also have big inch plus Narex for paring that is also terrific. There are other chisels around, a bunch of carving chisels, for example. But the ones I love and use the most are those sweet Veritas dudes. Thank you Lee Valley!!!

[@raymondcava4669]

I am not a woodworker but I found this to be fascinating.

[@douglashopkins8070]

My experience exactly... as far as small chisels go I suffered without an 1/8th chisel for ages. Now I have that I am going to get a 1/16th next. As far as large goes, I love my 2" chisel. This summer I got my hands on a 3" slick. I don't use the slick very often, but having it at all has encouraged an increased use of the 2" for smoothing.

[@CleaveMountaineering]

I also have a mix of antique chisels I've picked up cheap and restored. When one is too big or small, I use a different one... Good call on using the gouge like a jack plane, I hadn't thought of it quite like that.

[@JamesSmith-su3oz]

Love this video. You bring up valid points but one be safe with the sharp end, dont ask.

[@revrinn1324]

Very helpful, thank you. Now I just need to see what I can find over here in Italy 🙂

[@MCsCreations]

Sweet, thanks! 😊 All this info is going to be really useful! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@johnford7847]

Thanks for the insights. Like AKA Nathan, I tend to lust after "complete sets" - but now that you've made me think about it, I also tend to work with only a few sizes. I hope I can remember this when I upgrade. :)

[@davidstewart1153]

I recently started making my own handles. Not as hard as I thought, a good use for scraps and a good way to make a motley crew of antiques look like a set.

[@RaabStephan]

Absolutely fantastic series! Will you guys go over small beginner projects that we can make to increase our skills with these tools?

[@christophereverett8385]

The main virtue of good Japanese chisels is that the steel is much harder than western chisels. As long as you don’t pry out waste with them, you should expect the edge to last quite a bit longer. As a bonus, they have the potential to get sharper as well.

[@NathanNostaw]

Thanks for a good video. We can often get carried away with collecting big sets, myself included. I also have my main go-to chisel. On job sites I always grab the 20mm first off, then have to think if that is actually the one I need. :) I have a couple of them in the chisel roll in case one gets blunt or hits a nail.

[@grotto46]

Very interesting. Over the years, my go to chisels are 5/8, 3/8, 3/16 and 1-1/4. I can't remeber the last time I used a 1/2 or 3/4

[@bricsuc]

I can echo the experience with the 3/4" chisel; I have one that I always seem to reach for. That and the 3/8" really seem to be the go-to tools.

[@joeleonetti8976]

Good advice. If I were going to narrow down my chisels, I'd have a bevel edge chisels in 3/4", 3/8", 1/8", fish tail, and then a mortise chisel in 1/4". Like many, I have other sizes, etc and I think the only way I know what I need is by using them and seeing what I reach for.

[@2jonathandane]

Hi Joshua, I recently found your videos and have really been enjoying them. I like your thoughts on the 2" pairing chisel. I have had a 2" firmer for a long time and often do reach for it, but It's just too long and awkward, so I've never really been happy with it. I've been slowly accumulating shorter chisels that I put short handles that fit in my palm giving me lots of control for whittling type action. Anyway you convinced me I need a short 2 in her (it doesn't take much to convince me I need another chisel😂) and I found the perfect old English blade on Ebay for $1.99! It was in the craziest ogre handle I have ever seen and obviously hasn't been used in a half century but the blade is in great shape. I made a nice handle with ferrule can already tell this will be one of my favorite chisels of all time.. Anyway, quick question, the blade has a pretty significant camber on it. I don't expect it was for any particular reason based on the beater handle it had, but before I grind it all flat, I wonder if you think a little camber on a wide pairing chisel like this is good. I know people sometimes put a little camber on slicks. I would love your thoughts before I go at grinding this. Cheers

[@acek100]

Best chisel is all the sizes. Once your able too get them all.

[@afauth243]

Would you recommend a chsel specially for tennons? One that is very thick to give heavy tabs with a mallet and quite narrow for small tennons?

[@roberthahn8555]

I’m looking at the Lee Valley site now … (not many good options for hand tools in Ontario) that 2” chisel - is it a butt chisel?

[@HWCism]

It was, thanks

[@andrewbrimmer1797]

What about mortise chisels or bent chisels

[@brissance]

Give sizes in writing

[@bestbuilder1st]

So, you said, "there are so many times you will use an 1/8 4:23" and then you say "you don't use it all that often 4:59". You say a 1/2" 1:46 is too close to your "go-to" 3/4 1:00 that it isn't worth having and then you say to get a 5/8" (the last time I checked, 5/8 closer in size to a 3/4 then 1/2) and then you say your 7/8" is used for the bulk of your work 5:23, and then you say you have a 3/4 to 7/8" chisel (adjustable chisel, cool! - I've never seen one) 9:47 You sound like you don't really have a handle on what chisels one should really have. Maybe say: buy as many as you can afford (used is best). And no, if you have 15 (or more) chisels, you don't have to constantly maintain a bunch of chisels, after you dress the used (or new) chisels, you just need to maintain the one you use last, just like this guy does. No matter how many chisels you have you only need to sharpen the one you are using. If you are not using your chisels enough that they lose their edge, well you have bigger problems to deal with. Also, handles- who needs to chisel without looking at what they are working on 10:36? And what if the facets of the handle aren't perfectly lined up with the tips edge? It is just personal preference, nothing more! One question, if you are working down at the house on projects 1:09, is this area just for filming and the shavings for ambiance? Not that I care, but they always seem to be in the same exact spot. Either way, I think this is a cool shop.

[@GaryKlineCA]

1/8" chisel for dovetails and other hard to reach spots - he said he doesn't use it often, but there are times when only a 1/8" chisel will do. His favorite chisel is an older chisel that is somewhere between 3/4" and 7/8" wide. When he describes a 3/4", 7/8" chisel, that's the one he's talking about. The 3/8" and 5/8" are good sizes for cutting mortises in 1" and 2" stock, respectively. They are roughly a third of the width of such stock, and some people prefer to cut a mortise that's sized to the chisel they're using, 1/2" is too wide for cutting a mortise in 1" stock, and too narrow for cutting a mortise in 2" stock. Any other situation he'll just use his 3/4-ish chisel. And yeah, all of this boils down to personal choice anyway. :)

[@marcusvise9135]

You may be over thinking this.

[@bestbuilder1st]

@@marcusvise9135 Or maybe just observant. "Actually", I was just repeating what he said.