It’s an interesting consideration when each generation of new steel alloys supposedly corrects flaws in the older models that we never knew existed. For me it has always been a question I resolved quickly and effectively at the bench. Sharpen an edge tool and see if it takes a keen edge and then use…

A Fully Restored London Pattern Gouge Handle for Free  Chisels and gouges just turn up from nowhere with sadly abused handles mashed on the end, split down the centre or with short grain that split off a chunk from the side. I seem to accumulate these waifs and strays on a regular basis and unless…

Question: I have many such chisels that I’ve picked up here and there, I’m a passable turner and fancy turning my own handles but tang fitting and step drilling are arcane mysteries to me. Where would one learn such practices? Answer:  Right here. I am often asked how to fit a chisel handle to tanged…

Something seems evident to me and that is that when I see all the old chisels made by people like Marples, the handles are always bonded by rust to the sockets and they take real effort to separate them. Something else seems evident to me too. The cone on this Marples is turned to fit…

Several of you have emailed to ask about your socketed chisels made by Stanley and Lie Nielsen, what I feel about them and why the handles come loose from the steel sockets. First of all, the early Stanley models were are good chisels made with good steel and wood. Everything that Lie Nielsen makes is…

John bought some chisels from the car boot sale last week. Pennies go a long way in scrap tool bins here and for a pound or two you can walk away with a bag full of tools. There can be no doubt William Marples of old was the single most productive tool maker in Sheffield…

As regular as clockwork, about twice a year, Aldi stocks their shelves with chisels and when they sell out they are gone. Sometimes they last for a week and other times they are gone the same day. Sorry for everyone elsewhere in the world, I try to  keep everyone happy, but this is for UK…

Aldi’s four-chisel sets are out today I was shocked four years ago when I first picked up and fettled a set of four bevel-edged chisels from the supermarket chain Aldi. So good were their Aldi- brand Workzone chisels that we equipped the school with a set and we’ve been using them ever since. Hardwood handles…

Sorby chisels cover the spectrum I think many people feel the same way I do and that is that plastic handled chisels work well and will equal the performance of some of the most expensive chisels produced. I try to present tools of value that are suited to task first, affordable and comfortable to use….