Making a list need help!

I think the answer will depend on what type of work you plan on doing and what your budget is. If you have the funds, I’d recommend starting off with a basic set of Lie Nielsen bench chisels:

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=bescset

You can get a basic set of five chisels for $275. Of course that price is a bit steep for most people. For those with less money to spend on chisels, I’d recommend a basic set of Narex chisels which you can get from Lee Valley.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=67707&cat=1,41504

I own the Narex chisels myself and find them perfectly adequate for all that I do. An in between suggestion in cost is the newer Stanley Sweetheart chisels—I think Amazon has them for the cheapest.

I’d also recommend getting some mortise chisels—you can get by with only 1/4” and 1/2”. Both Lie Nielsen and Narex make good mortise chisels.

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

I have the Narex mortise chisels and like them a lot, but there are a lot of people that have said that they don’t hold on edge. Personally, I’d look for some older Stanleys (750s or even 60s).

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

When I was starting out I bought a set of 4 Marples
blue chip chisels. At the time they were still made in
England and were widely available.

After that I bought good Japan chisels one at a time
in sizes that sort of filled in the size gaps in the Marples
set.

I guess I recommend getting an inexpensive basic bench
chisel set with blades and expand the chisels
one or two at a time as your skills grow and you
feel you need them.

In the flurry of building a piece you often don’t need a
specific size of chisel, you just need one that is sharp.
My most used sizes tend to get dulled so I am close
to doubled-up on those widths.

As a practical matter you can do light mortising with
firmer chisels but real mortising chisels work better.
I also pare with the firmer chisels… in fact with whatever
is handy, sharp enough and has adequate blade
length to make the cut.

I usually hit chisels with a small ball pein hammer so I
prefer a wood handle with a tough ferule. The fine
corner and dogleg paring chisels never get struck.

I was rummaging around in the tool box given to me from my Grandfather before he passed. found a set of Lathe Chisels and a mortising chisel, I do have a couple Stanley plastic grip chisels but they need some attention on the cutting edge

-- Mike, Central Ohio.

Chisels are made to be sharpened. I have a set of mix and match I got from my fathers hoard of ill taken care of tools. They are old and made of better steel than anything today. If you look around at estate sales you can get some really nice things for a song. I plan to try a couple of them next week. I’d never pay $275 for a set of them. That’s just ridiculous.
Plus I take pride in my restoration of tools. I’m more proud of a chisel that I’ve restored and sharpened then I am at any tool I bought.
Some of the best things come from the worst tools because it’s the person, not the tool that makes the difference.
This of course refers to hand tools, not power tools.

-- Failure does not stop me, it makes me try harder..... because I'm crazy.