Popular Woodworking 2002-10 № 130, страница 53
CHISELS From paring dovetails to opening paint cans (not recommended), bevel-edge chisels have earned a spot in the pantheon of must-have hand tools. And unless you like sharpening your chisels every weekend, you should choose a set that's durable. Buy Right It's easy to spend too much on chisels. What you really need is a handle that feels good in your hand and steel that stands up to lots of abuse. Finding the best handle is up to you. We've tested the edge of 20 popular brands and the results are below. We rated each tool by whether it needed to be rehoned after chopping a series of half-blind dovetail pins (see the last column in the chart). SETUP & USE Fettling Like planes, chisels require some setup. First you must flatten the cutting face, commonly called the "back" of the blade. Rub the iron on a coarse sharpening stone until the scratches are even across the cutting edge. Then move up to finer-grit stones until the face looks like a mirror. Then sharpen the cutting bevel. (See "Sharpening for Dullards" in our Woodshop Essentials special issue, available at www.popwood.com.) Controlling the Cut In most cases, chisels are best used with two hands: one on the handle to exert the force and a second hand near the cutting edge to steer the cut. (For a complete discussion of technique, see "Chisel Use" in our February 2001 issue, #120.) Bevel-edge chisels, the tools discussed here, are best for paring and light chopping. Buy a mortising chisel for heavy work - and a screwdriver for opening your paint cans. PW PW Recommends OCCASIONAL USER • Craftsman 36857 chisels. These tough chisels ($20 for a set of three) look clunky but feel good in large hands. • Marples Blue Chip chisels. Inexpensive ($40 for five), tough and versatile chisels. SERIOUS HOME WOODWORKER • Marples Blue Chip chisels. • Ashley Isles chisels. One of the most comfortable and durable chisels. Highly recommended ($80 for six). ADVANCED WOODWORKER OR PROFESSIONAL • Two Cherries/Hirsch chisels • ECE chisels • Marples Blue Chip chisels Editor's note: This fall, look for chisels from Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, too. These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworking and have earned their recommendation.
* All hardness numbers are on the Rockwell "C" scale. The first number is the hardness of the metal measured 3/4" up from the cutting edge. The second number is the hardness 1V2" up from the cutting edge. ** Chisels not sold as set. Price is for 6mm, 12mm, 20mm and 24mm chisels. t Ratings are on a basis of 1 to 5 with "one" being "unacceptable" and "five" being "outstanding"; W=wood; P=plastic ■ = PW Recommends 53 |
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