Two Cherries - Bevel Edge Chisels (Rating: 5)

"It is well with me only when I have a chisel in my hand" Michelangelo

While I realize the famous artist was talking about sculpting, had he been a modern day woodworker, he may well have been referring to a Two Cherries chisel.

Having purchased and using a set of Stanley Bailey chisels that were not meeting expectations, I decided to step up and purchase a couple of individual higher quality tools in the sizes that get used the most. The company I work for stocks wooden handled Two Cherries chisels, so I bought the 12mm & 20mm, as those are closest to the commonly needed 1/2 & 3/4 inch sizes.

Initial impressions

  • Well machined and set up right from the factory. Flattening the backs and honing both chisels took about 5 minutes total. It is obvious the Germans that made these took pride in producing a quality product.
  • Great fitment and consistency. The way the hornbeam handles and rings fit is top notch. Additionally, the chisels are very well balanced and handle shape is very consistent from one to the other.
  • OK, I will admit that the logo sticker is a bit large and possibly gaudy, but so what?

In Use

  • There is an adjustment period. At first the handles felt alien and uncomfortable, simply because they were not what I was used to. This is not a negative, just an observation in favor of having a set of similarly made chisels so you don't have to constantly be making adjustments. It didn't take long before they felt more familiar and comfortable in use.
  • Steel quality is simply amazing. These chisels take a great edge and hold it for a very long time. In spite of quite a bit of use chopping dovetails and mortises, in addition to paring, I have only had to do a quick re-hone every few months. Even then the honing process is very fast because the steel is also nicely tempered so that there is no need to grind out chips. The steel is listed in the sales literature as being hardened to Rc 61, and I see no reason to doubt that claim.
  • Chisel balance is underrated. After using a well-balanced chisel that just seems to respond to your thoughts, I will not be going back to any that aren't. The manufacturer obviously understands this, since they have five different handle sizes, depending on the chisel size.

Conclusion

I have only one regret about purchasing these chisels-that I didn't do it sooner! In the long run, it would have been a lot better and cheaper to purchase a set of the Two Cherries instead of buying the Bailey's first and then having to upgrade. Familiar story for many people and tool purchases.

If you are looking for a high quality all around bench chisel, then I would definitely recommend checking these out.