Last Updated on 2020-12-23 by Harry Masterton
Wood Chisels are one of the simplest yet most creative woodworking tools in our workshop. A simple sharpened hunk of metal that chiseled its way through history creating anything from priceless wood carvings to humble cabinetry work.
Who Makes The Best Wood Chisels?
For many, wood chisels are incredibly important tools, used to carve their ideas to life. For most, a wood chisel is simply a tool used in the woodworking hobby shop.
Regardless of whether you’re a professional woodworker or an average person looking to expand your knowledge of the woodworking hobby, it’s useful to learn about wood chisels.
How else would one know who makes the best wood chisels? What are wood chisels used for? What can you do with a wood chisel?
For instance, if you’re standing in the chisel section of the store, it would be easy to become overwhelmed with the options available.
Should you choose a set of Stanley Sweetheart Chisels vs Lie Nielsen?
Why would someone choose a Stanley Sweetheart chisels vs Narex?
What are socket chisels? What are the different types of wood chisels? And why should you buy a socket chisel vs tang chisel? The best way to find out who makes the best wood chisels is to immerse yourself in the world of chisels.
What are Wood Chisels Used For? Who makes the best wood chisels? What can You Do with a Wood Chisel? And What are the Different Types of Wood Chisels?
Wood chisels are tools made up of a shaped often beveled blade with a sharp, cutting edge attached to a handle. The sharp edge and shape gives the tool a unique cutting power that other woodworking tools do not have.
They come in many different sizes and are great for cutting notches, edges, and shaping. Chisels can be used for cutting a variety of materials, but the most commonly known chisel is the one used for cutting wood.
We use the word chisel in two ways. The word “chisel” is used when it is referring to the tool used to cut and carve into wood. “Chisel” can also be used to describe the process of cutting or shaping something with the chisel tool.
Examples of cuts made with a chisel tool would include cutting mortises, cutting dovetails, and carving out just about any recess that you could ever want. The smaller blades of the chisels allow finer levels of detailing and accuracy that larger tools may struggle with.
As with all specialist woodworking tools, the wood chisel has a variety of brands each with its own range of features to compare. There are so many brands and features that you may even begin to feel overwhelmed when you’re looking to find who makes the best wood chisels.
Fortunately, there is a great deal of information available to give us comparative review. Doing your research, as you’re doing now, is an essential first step to purchasing quality tools.
Being chisels savvy will certainly make purchasing a chisel much easier. For those who may have already done some research on brand names, you may recognize the names of Narex, Stanley, Robert Larson, and Lie-Nielsen.
Simply knowing the brands by name may not be very beneficial on its own as each brand has their own naming standards, materials, and price points, but it is still an excellent place to start your search.
Stanley Sweetheart 750 Chisels Review
Stanley is a name you hear thrown around a lot in woodworking circles. They make a variety of tools from lower end consumer to high end contractor tools and own a variety of brands from Black and Decker, Craftsman, Porter Cable and DeWalt.
When it comes to chisels they are famous for the Stanley Sweetheart 750 chisels range a design which has often been copied but rarely bettered.
Interestingly enough, the 750 portion of the title “Stanley Sweetheart 750 Chisels Review” comes from the name of the design.
The classic 750 design is supposedly the best chisel that the Stanley company has ever made. The 750 design also inspired Lie-Nielsen to create their own line of bevel-edged chisels. On this fact alone, many could say this wins the Stanley Sweetheart chisels vs Lie Nielsen chisel debate. How could a separate company create a better product than the long-standing original? This is only another indication as to who makes the best wood chisels.
While researching who makes the best wood chisels, it is inevitable that you will find the tang vs socket debate.
It’s incredibly important to have a long-lasting chisel. Buying a good chisel that will last you a lifetime in your woodworking shop.
There are two types of chisel handle: socket and tang.
The difference between the two types could mean the difference between a long life for the tool or a rather short one. Tang chisels were popular in the 1600-1900’s and have been reliable for centuries of woodworking.
However, socket chisels were being made in the 1800’s and were fundamentally designed in two different ways. The tang chisels have the steel of the chisel blade embedded into the handle.
The problem with the tang chisel is that it could split after being stuck with a mallet a few times. The socket chisel however is designed so that the chisel blade is forged to from a ‘cupped’ end so the handle fits into the socket formed by the ‘cup’.
This prevents the blade from moving or being forced through the back end of the chisel handle.
While some argue that the socket chisel is inferior to the tang variety and may feel somewhat top-heavy, other woodworking hobbyist praise the socket chisel for its solid feel and ability to replace the handles with ease.
Stanley Sweetheart 750 Chisels Review:
- The grip is made from hornbeam, a very hard timber nicknamed ironwood.
- The socket handle prevents the grip from splitting or deforming
- The metal is well-machined.
- After standard initial sharpening, only small touch ups should be required to maintain the edge.
- The steel is strong and won't deform easily.
- Rigid and tough feeling.
- They have a good weight.
The Not So Goods
- Plain handle design. If decorative handles are your thing, you'll need to add them yourself.
- The lacquer on the tool gives it a not-so-great glossy finish.
- The backs may not be flat and may require flattening.
- The blades will need some honing.
Stanley Sweetheart Chisels vs Narex
Overall, Stanley has the better build quality.
The steel is stronger and the tools feel heavier as a result. Narex, on the other hand, has a lighter, softer steel that’s more malleable and can bend.
This difference in quality is reflected in the price.
On average, Narex chisels are noticeably cheaper than Stanley chisels.
Both chisels may have some issues coming out of the box. The backs of the chisels sometimes have bumps or bellies that need to be flattened.
Additionally, the blades will need to be honed. Between the two, the Stanley chisels are much closer to where they need to be and will require less work.
Stanley Sweetheart Chisels vs Lie Nielsen
Lie Nielsen is the gold-standard of chisels.
They are very well-machined, stay sharp, and come flat. They are known for high-quality, premium hand-tools. Compared to the Stanley, they are superior, but they cost you a lot more.
The question you should ask is “How much better are these Lie Nielsen’s, and does the price difference actually reflect that?” In general, properly sharpened and maintained Stanley chisels can stand right beside Lie Nielsen chisels. It’s more about the user and their skills than it is the tool itself.
Socket Chisel vs Tang Chisel
It really comes down to a matter of preference.
The socket chisel’s handle will typically last longer than a tang handle, but in the long run, both handles will eventually need to be replaced. Either way, repairing the handle is an easy job.
The real question is how often are you willing to replace a handle? In addition to the handle durability, the weight distribution is another hotly debated topic.
A socket handle will be more top-heavy and will have more weight. A tang handle is a bit more balanced and lighter. Which is better?
That’s a question even a master woodworker would have trouble answering. You really just need to ask yourself if you want something weightier and more durable or something lighter and more nimble.
Who makes the best wood chisels – The Chips Fly
When it comes to chisels, and tools in general, you get what you pay for.
So, who makes the best wood chisels? The Stanley sweetheart 750 chisels are the original. They’re strong, durable, and should last you a lifetime if properly maintained.
If you want a good set of workhorse chisels, you really can’t go wrong with the Stanley Sweethearts.
Sure, you could go a bit cheaper and buy the Narex chisels, but then you also have to consider the lower build quality.
They are cheaper, yes, but the quality is notably different. And when it comes to tools, you really want the best that you can get.
Why not the Lie Nielsen chisels? Are they not the answer to “Who makes the best wood chisels?”
There is no doubt that the Lie Nielsen Bevel Edge Chisels are heirloom and craftsman quality.
But the are expensive especially if you’re at the entry level of the woodworking hobby or profession. That being said, would the Lie Nielsen Bevel Edge Chisels last you longer?
Probably yes. There is no doubt they superbly crafted tools.
The Stanley Sweetheart 750 chisels are “almost” as good as the Lie Nielsen Bevel Edge Socket Chisels.
They may not be “perfect” out of the box, but with a little extra effort they can stand right next to Lie Nielsen.
If you’re determined to have the very best woodworking chisels that money can buy and you want heirloom quality then buy the Lie Nielsen Bevel Edge Socket Chisels.
If however you’re looking for the original design a set of Stanley Sweetheart 750 Chisels with socket handles should last you a lifetime of woodworking if well looked after.
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