# Marples chisels any good



## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

I'm looking at a set of Marples Pro touch chisels and the 444 set, are either of these any good? I have a couple of Stanley and their not bad, but I could use a few more.


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## dryhter (Jul 14, 2008)

Morning Clay,

I bought a set of THESE  maybe twenty or so years ago, back when they were just Marple Brand. Not top of the line then and not sure about their quality now, but they have served me well. Not a tool purist, some may say I have even abused them,if you would consider hitting them with a 24 oz. framing hammer or scraping vinyl tile off a concrete floor abuse. That being said, they sharpen easily (some may say too easy ) with my set of oil stones, usually on site and hold an edge well. It is amazing how handy that 1/8 in. chisel is.

Dave

just looked at the Pro touch chisels and it looks like just the handles are different I would have to think the actual steel is the same, unless of course two separate facilities are making each style of chisel. My review would pertain to the Marples " Blue Chip " series.


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

I've got a complete set of Marples with the "blue handles".....Mine were made in Sheffield, England at the time, and has very good steel in them…..They are about 5-6 years old. But now, they are made in China, and aren't worth a crap. I've also got a few Two Cheeries, but these are expensive chisels. They are some of the best made, though. If I were looking for a set that would last "in the long run", I wouldn't go for the Marples anymore…...imported… There are other really good chisels that you should look at before committing to the Marples, in my opinion…...


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Clay-Rick is right. The Sheffield-made Marples chisels were a pretty decent product (I have a set that I bought at auction). A few years ago, they moved their production to Asia and the quality went in the tank.

If you are looking for a reasonably good quality chisel at economy prices, check out the Narex chisels ( http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/narexboxed6-piecebenchchiselset.aspx ).

-Gerry


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I have some Maroles chisels that I got 40 years ago and I certainly didn't consider them to be the best back then but they have done very well for me all of these years. Since then I have purchased some more that are about the same age and they are good chisels also. I also think they are very nice looking chisels and I like to use them because the wood handles feel very good in my hands. However, I would not consider the new ones to be any where the equivalent of the older ones. I also agree with Gerry about the Narex chisels. For what the Narex chisels cost they are not bad at all and I use them often (There not the best for sure). While there are some nicer chisels that I would love to have the ones that I have now I can get by with for a while.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

I've got several sets of the English blue handles. I bang away at them all day & if I ruin one, I don't cry about it. Can't go wrong with these chisels for the price. I cut the handles flat so I can beat them (not my hands) into submission.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Marples are decent. I wouldn't buy them in the mail though because
sometimes one or two handles in a set is crooked.

I have a set of blue chips - best used with a mallet unless you want
ugly handles. I also have 3 yellow-handled mortising chisels. They
aren't made anymore. I haven't used them much so I can't comment
on the steel, but they were made in Sheffield when the name 
meant something and the balance and design of the chisels is sensible.

I bought the blue chips about 15 years ago new and have no complaints
about them. They don't hold a killer edge for too long but they are 
well-balanced and easy to sharpen. Now I keep them in my carpentry bag,
not at the workbench, but I've done dovetailing and fine work with them
in the past and they worked well.


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## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

Thanks guys, I was looking at a set of Marples they say are built in England but ??? I'll check out those Narex, I'm a touchy feely guy so I might have to find them at a woodworking store. If I bought Marples can you tell the English from the Asian made.


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

If they were made in Sheffeld, England, it would say so right on the wood box they come in.

Don't know about the Chinese-made set. If it said that, then it would be false…..


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## dbray45 (Oct 19, 2010)

The Traditional Woodworkers branded chisels may worth a good look. I did a review on them under the tool section. They are a lot harder steel than my Marples/Irwin chisels.


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## MikeGager (Jun 15, 2009)

i have a set of the irwin/marple chisels that home depot sells. they look very similar to the pro touch chisels posted above. i havent had any problems with them. they seem pretty nice to me for the price

i know marple chisels have been featured in several magazine tests throughout the years and they have always got the best bang for the buck award


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## startingfromscratch (Aug 29, 2009)

does anyone know if the yellow handled marples that say sheffield england are actually made in sheffield england…it doesn't always say "made in sheffield england"?


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

It wouldn't surprise me if the steels are made in China, the handles in Malaysia, boxes in Pakistan, all shipped to England and assembled - or rather, 'made', in Sheffield. FWIW I've had a set of split proof Marples chisels (the yellow/red handles) for 5 years and I can't rate them highly enough - wherever they were made.


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## startingfromscratch (Aug 29, 2009)

Thanks! I think I'm about to pay $90 for a set of six yellow handled marples. I thought they were old stock…but it looks like Marples still markets the yellow handled chisel sets just with "sheffield england" stamped on them.

Really not sure if I'm overpaying or not.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I like the older ones from about 40 or more years ago. I have a few but none of them in sets. They were bought from Ebay 5 or 6 years ago along with various other chisels. The older ones seem to be nice tools. I don't know anything about the new ones and I'm a soft touch for tools with wood handles. Some of the older Marples had very robust wooden handles. I also have some Marple morticing chisels that are older and I love them.

helluvawreck

https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

I've a couple sets of buck brothers, marples and some I got for 6 bucks at harbor freight, some I got from grizzley, well I've got alot of chisels usually less expensive ones, but they'll all pear end grain…
As long as the steel is of decent quality, chisels with a little set up time can pretty much all be made good. It takes just a little research on how to properly tune them up, and a little bit of time. If you're expecting them to be at their best right of the package, well you're going to have to buy some expensive ones to start out.

Now where I get into troule with sharpening is my gouges, scoups, v grooves and so on… I've not quite found a place to research proper sharpening techniques for those…


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

I consider myself a newbie learner about chisel quality. I have used a set of Marples/Rideway with ash handles for 25 years as my "best" set, thinking I was on top of that one. I also have three of the blue plastic Marples, including a mortise chisel, that I keep handy at my bench. And a Japanese Woodworker chisel. And several other orphans. And a complete set of Stanley yellow/black chisels in a rollup in my installation toolbox.

Now I am learning, from my wood carving friends, what good steel is. If they're pruning away at a piece of teak, they don't want to hone the chisel every third stroke. Hence, they are very keen (sorry) on quality of the steel.

Even a year ago, I would have been one to say, "I have a set of Marples Ridgeway, made in Sheffield, and they are great! Never let me down!" Now I realize how naive that statement would be.

I would like to hear some brand names from carvers and no-power-tools type members so we could become better tool purchasers and woodworkers. I have a hunch we'll learn some brands that can only be found when one searches "vintage chisel" on the 'bay.


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

At's ok, what I was getting at name brand is not as important as quality and how well you set up the tools. Incorrect techniques can lead to having to sharpen/hone every 3rd stroke as well. But one you don't want to carve is Makore, African Cherry, it has alot of silca in the wood… wears blades quickly.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

TCC, I appreciate your "do not carve" list. It sounds like it comes from tough experience!

What most of us don't know is how to identify quality as you refer to it:

"As long as the steel is of decent quality, chisels with a little set up time can pretty much all be made good."

Since we can't make that judgment, we have to rely on a brand name. That is what the OP is asking for, and the information about Marples history is very helpful along that line.

Sometimes price alone will identify quality, but there are trends in collecting that can skew that chart.

That is not to mention the inflated sense of value that some sellers display, perhaps out of pelf, perhaps out of ignorance. (There is currently a set of 6 up for auction and they look identical to my made in China set of four, complete with crooked stamps of the sizes. I can scrape filings off mine with a utility knife. These are shown as VG condition, and there's enough rust on them to cover half of Rhode Island. BIN price $49.99.)

So we've learned that Two Cherries is top.

What about Buck Brothers, Butcher, Greenlee, Narex and Swan?

And others? What are the best, what should give us goose bumps when we see one at a garage sale that's mostly baby clothes and Presto Hot Doggers?

Can we come up with a usable list of Best, Adequate Quality, and Run the Other Way?

Kindly,

Lee


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

Ok, what I can tell you about buck brothers….

Get the clear yellow handles, the blades are a better steel and will hold up longer. The orange or black handled buck brothers are high carbon and rust very quickly. However they are quick to sharpen and make good "beater" chisels in instances where you know you might hit a nail. The carving set with clear handles is decent, but some of the blades tend to be ground/sharpened incorrectly, and they will require some work. At any rate, you're going to have to flatten the back of the blades on a diamond stone, I seriously advise against laminated sharpening stones because they can cup, and in some cases the steel will wear ruts into them.

I don't really care for the bevel on the buck brothers chisels, but they are pretty sturdy, and at least the clear yellow handled versions come with a lifetime guaranty. 
IF you are in the home depot, there's usually a set of marples right next to the buck brothers. I like the bevel a little better, and the steel is of similiar quality. But you may prefer the bevel on the bucks.

The other brands you have metioned are not readily available in my area so I have no review of those.

P.s I should advise you that any tool of this sort from a box store will require some sharpening out of the package. They may have an edge on them, but will not be as good as they can be.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Beautiful! And Helpful!


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

My dad's solution to never being able to find a screwdriver is to
buy them on an ongoing basis and leave them all over the
place. A crude solution and one I don't totally agree with,
but it's inspired me to have duplicates of tools in some cases.

My solution with chisels at the bench is to have more than
1 set in overlapping sizes. In general, there's something handy
that's sharp enough and sized close enough for the chisel work
I am doing.

I am a Marples fan actually. I like the way the name sounds. 
The thing about several of the older Marples model is that why
they were sold as basic chisels for carpentry, they were really
bench chisels with blades long enough for paring. In the States
a lot of the carpentry chisels are butt chisels and weren't as
useful for paring work at the bench.


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## startingfromscratch (Aug 29, 2009)

I have read a bunch, posted some, and come up with the following.

- If you can afford them two cherries, pfeil, and a few others top shelf brands are worth the money.
- Vintage Stanley No. 60s are great, but there is upward pressure on price from collectors. You might as well go for new Stanley Sweethearts, which are also good.
- Marples/Irwin is a confusing bit of woodworking minutia to keep track of…as best as I can tell, old Marples are great. New Marples/Irwin not so much. If it says "made in Sheffield" you're probably safe. I'm choosing to avoid them. I've tried to win a set of old stock blue handle Marples in the package…but the price is high.
- Narex are good middle of the road chisels. They need some help out of the box but can get there. They are reasonably priced.
- Anything you get out of a box store will frustrate and likely be a setback. They just aren't made for it. 
- Some say you can get away with getting two great chisels and build out a set. I am hung up on wanting a set of four and two mortise chisels and being able to sort of check the box for now.
- Learning to sharpen is as important as learning which to buy. Some like waterstones, some like oilstones, some like scary sharp (sandpaper on glass/marble). Each you have to spend time getting the hang of it. Scary sharp in lower initial investment.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

^I generally don't like the new Stanley stuff but I've heard good things about the 750s from VERY reliable folks. I own quite a few old 750s which I'm very impressed with. I just happen to like Butchers and Witherbys when it comes to old metal. Have you considered buying some Iles one at a time? The sixpack might bust your budget all at once but I don't think you'd regret the purchase.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Thanks Scratch-that seems like a very usable list, good to have for dreaming, valuable to have when surfing the 'bay.

I was not familiar with Pfeil or Witherby. (Thanks Al)

Is the Butcher a relative of the old Wade and Butcher straight razor?

Kindly,

Lee


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

^good question on the straight razor! I actually have no clue. Let me check:


















It absolutely is, Lee. Someone did a nice Butcher story, complete with history. I'll see if I can find it. The logo on all my Butcher's has the little arrow motif, some a bit different than others. I really love the steel on Butchers but not being a metallurgist, I can't say why. It just seems to take and hold an edge. I know they made plane irons but I don't own any.


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

Starting, no offense, but you can tell me what you have read. I will tell you what I have experienced. I'm not a hobbyist, I'm a professional. My tools see use daily, particularly my chisels. I use them in alot of ways you probably aren't supposed to use chisels. I'll use them to clean up glue trash in the corner, I'll use them to scrape blemishes away. I'll Pair the end of a tennon, and the edge of the board leading into it. I'll use them to mark a cut when I can't find my .0f mechanical pencils (which I barely leave visible at the cut if anyone is curious, I split the line, because the measurements in the middle, and the other half of the line is too long.)

Some of the chisels you are telling me aren't very good, I would have told you the same thing about, Before I learned they don't come sharp from the store. I had to figure that one out, sure they may feel sharp, but they really aren't. I had to learn how to actually sharpen a chisel, which alot of people think they do, but really don't. I know that sounds arrogant, but shaving hair isn't as impressive as shaving the enamel off your finger nail in a thin fine layer. Or shaving the end of a hickory tennon.

What happens, is someone picks up a pack at the store, tries to use it like it's sharp, and doesn't get the results. They buy one of the sets you're talking about that was setup by an old artisan who most likely believed in razor sharp (what you call scary sharp) steel, and think that they could not have had similiar results with the newer chisels, simply because they have not learned how to really sharpen a chisel. And their are companies who charge a premium because they make sure their product is setup and tuned so that people who don't know how to sharpen will think their tools are sharper than anything they've ever experienced, and they are, I have nothing against that. Just telling people they can't get the results with a certain chisel brand. If you brought the steel type into question, I could see it.

Flattening the back of the chisel is as important as sharpening the angle. Checking the blade for square is just as important as the angle. Holding the angle consistent is important. It's not a pocket knife, but people try to sharpen them like they are. And that's when they write bad revues.

Now I'm not saying all the guys who write the articles are wrong, they're all stupid, just you need to check and see which ones have the credentials to talk, and which ones might pick up a chisel every 6 months.

P.s I use diamond stones, not water or oil or glass and sand. I go for the mirror polished edges, so it's best to let me reach into my tool bags/boxes to pick up what you need, least that way I'm the only one who gets cut


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## startingfromscratch (Aug 29, 2009)

@TCC, probably should have qualified the context of what I've learned. I am not a professional. I am a remedial woodworker that has relied on power tools and is increasingly interested in traditional hand tools and has a limited budget and an enormous list of shop wants/needs. Similar to your comments, I have heard that in the right hands, pretty much any chisel can be made to work. Those are, however, not my hands. I have also heard that big money chisels are not the chisels on which you really want to learn beginner sharpening technique. So, for me, Home Depot chisels are probably too tricky at this point to get to cut reliably and without gnashing of teeth and a couple of Two Cherries would come close to busting the budget and not benefit a bit from my scary scary sharp technique. I've been all over ebay, but it's tough to build a learning curve on the ins and outs of used chisel buying (including historical production lines & locations, whether the metal in the picture can work, the realistic market prices, etc.), while also trying to figure out a sharpening method that will work.

That's why I think I've settled on a set of Narex chisels. I can get a set of four for a pretty reasonable price, with some dough left over to get me set up with the scary sharp method. I will also have an incentive to really figure out how to sharpen chisels (they need help out of the box). I might see about the new Stanley 750s though…


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

Well, to really teach yourself how to sharpen and tune up a chisel, I'm going to throw a real challenge at you, and it won't bust the bank.

Harbor Freight has a set of wooden handled chisels for like 7-9 bucks. If you want to learn, this is a really good set, because they seriously need work 

First you have to square the ends of the blades by grinding them, then you have to flatten the backs, then you can think about sharpening…. BUT some of them, you will need to clean up the side edges as well. A good challenge to learn to sharpen on, and if you mess up, Eh you ain't lost much, probably gained more in the experience.

P.s My harbor freight set has mirror polished edges to 

Now if I could just find a good reference for the curved chisels I'd get them insainely sharp to…


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

As long as the back of a used chisel is not pitted, it can usually be
made to function as a chisel.

Buying chisels is really not that complicated. Buy some that fit your
budget and get set up to sharpen them and practice at it until
you can make the cuts you need to make with them.

They all get dull in use so there's no way around it: you have to
develop skill at sharpening them to get good cuts.

The way I sharpen is derived from techniques I read about in an
article by Ian Kirby (he made a video you can buy as well), stuff
I read in Leonard Lee's book, trial and error, and some tips I 
picked up from a woodshop teacher when I was in guitar building
school. I really recommend the Ian Kirby method as it is inexpensive
to get it set up and you can get the tool sharpened and get 
back to work quickly with it.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

I agree with TCC and you'll have to trust me that I own ALOT of chisels ranging from dirt cheap to quite expensive. All of them will perform well if properly sharpened. It's to the point where I know what chisel I want and it doesn't really matter who made it. Over time, I've come to like the Butcher chisels best. Can't tell you why; and I certainly never read an article about it. In fact, I can't remember the last article I read about woodworking, lol. I can tell you that by my methods of sharpening, the Butchers tend to hold a nice edge longer than others in my collection. I also like the heft of the pigstickers.
.
We diverge, however, in our sharpening methods. I use diamond stones to flatten my waterstones and I don't use my waterstones, lol. I'll flatten the back to an absolute mirror on the scarysharp first, up to 2500 grit. I'll establish a primary on the Tormek and the secondary on the scarysharp, followed by a charged strop. I've encountered chisels equally as sharp, but never sharper. I think it's all personal preference at some point. If you're expecting to bring a sharp chisel home from the store, you are destined for disappointment.


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## lwllms (Jun 1, 2009)

I've been thinking about a long post about chisels, gouges and a bit of their history. Like TCC, I make my living with my tools and their performance is critical. Unlike TCC, I see a lot of difference in what is and what was once available. Yes, I can put an edge on any half-way decent chisel or gouge and get it to cut well for a while. I want a chisel that is balanced, well shaped and gives me all the feedback I expect. I want to be able to drive it straight into hardwood with a 27 oz dead-blow hammer like it is a mortise chisel with no ill effects. I want to be able to see, feel and hear what's happening at the cutting edge when I'm working deep in a mortise. When the edge just starts to go off a little, I want to feel and hear it. I want the handle appropriately sized for the width of the tool and a bolster that fits that handle and no bigger or smaller. I don't want to struggle keeping the bevel from fouling an adjoining detail when I'm working close. I want it to hold a good edge and not fold or crumble plus I want it easy to sharpen-no magic-bullet modern steels. I can give you an idea of what to look for but you won't find it in new chisels and there are some serious issues with buying off places like eBay where you can't closely examine the tool. I started to post about this here but the photos would all have to be re-sized and it'd be such a long post I'm not sure anyone would read it.


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

I have 5 Narex chisles from Lee Valley. They're good, come well sharpened, and so faqr seem to hold up.

Steve


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## OnlyJustME (Nov 22, 2011)

I got my chisel set dirt cheap at yard sales and flea markets. they are all old steel from when quality was more important then the all mighty dollar. I have several witherby, stanley, greenfeild and a couple craftsman beaters and some i don't know. like Loren said as long as the back is not pitted it's a usable chisel. they can take a lot of work to get there but i get lots of practice sharpening and tuning them up. i think the most i spent on a chisel was about $5.00. Granted it takes a while to get a good set of chisels this way but time is money and if you can afford the time you can save the money. Unfortunately i don't use them all that much to tell the differences in quality of the steel but they all work great for me.

*@ lwllms * I for one would read that.


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## startingfromscratch (Aug 29, 2009)

@lwllms…I would definitely read that!


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## dbray45 (Oct 19, 2010)

I have a cheap set of HF chisels. Even after hardening and tempering the steel, it wasn't a high enough quality to keep an edge. I completely agree with TCC. If the chisel has a mirror finish, at the currect angle, and I can cleanly shave a hair that was varvished into a surface cleanly, it is almost there. Then it has to cleaning up and cutting dovetails, tennons, edges, and all the other things that chisels are used for.

I have been using a set of Traditional Woodworker chisels. They have thinner blades than what I was used to and most of them hold their edge pretty well. And yes, my chisels get used for everything except prying, I have some used chisels that when they get dull or a chipped blade, I will use them to remove rust - then they get sharpened.

Out of any given project, 50% is using chisels.


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