# Lee Valley NAREX Skew Chisels Pair.



## Maverick44spec

Thanks for the review, I have been concidering some of these but I think I'll spend a little more to get better quality chisels when I get around to getting them.


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## Dennisgrosen

thank´s for the rewiew 

Dennis


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## Arminius

Paris,

It really comes down to time versus money - like all of the Narex, these really are excellent chisels. In fact, the backs on mine were very 'flat' in one sense (checked versus a granite reference plate), but it did require about 30 minutes per chisel to get those machining marks off the back. However, at 1/10th the price of the L-N's, that 30 minutes did not seem unreasonable to me to have a second pair of skews with a different bevel angle to cut with - far from it.


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## speakerscott

Paris,

I agree with Arminius, for the number of times I'll use the skew chisels compared to normal bevel edge chisels they are a much better buy than say…L-N, or taking the time to bevel grind a couple of cheap blue chip chisels. I just wanted to point out that you will end up spending lots of time to remove the marks, so don't expect an out of the box working tool.

Scott


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## Tedstor

LV is offering free shipping 9/16-26. $16 shipped is pretty tough to beat. A beat-up flea market skew chisel couldn't be had for that.


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## docholladay

I had a set of the Narex Bench chisels and had the same problem with flattening the backs. I haven't seen these skew chisels, but also, the handles on the bench chisels were a bit large and bulky for my taste.

Doc


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## bomisore

I have the bench chisels not the skews and it did not take that flatten the backs on them. For my set of 10, it took me less than 30 minutes to flatten all of them.

Out of curiosity what are you using to flatten the back?


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## Arminius

Ben,

I used the waterstone set I use for sharpening, though starting with a 300. The back finish seems to vary a lot - the newer bevel edge bench model that just came outseems generally better, and of my set 2 were a backorder and clearly from a different batch, arriving with a more polished back. You might have got a good batch, and my skews were about the same. However, you remind me that that 30 minute guess I made included a first sharpening as well, so about 30 minutes per chisel from bag to bench so to speak. That just does not seem bad to me.

I have since purchased the L-N set which were near perfect out of the box, but the Narex have stayed right where they are.


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## speakerscott

I was about 30 minutes per chisel for flattening and sharpening as well. I think they are a good value, but I do want to warn people to expect to do a lot of work on them. Those machining marks would ruin the ability to put a good edge on the chisel, so it's necessary work as well.


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## bomisore

Arminius,

well the first major difference is what we are using to flatten, I used DMT ExtraCourse/Course. What do you use to flatten your stones?


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## Arminius

I actually use the Diasharp stone for flattening my stones now, but I have had my Narex bench set since before those were available, at least as far as I knew at the time. Living near the main LV store, I have built most of my tool set over the years there, and the Narex have been a good buy for a long time - the new set with the more tapered sides are a significant improvement.


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## tom427cid

Hi all,
I don't think I purchased these from LV,but never-the-less I did reshape the tang area!








!

to make them into cranknecks. Since then I have found them to be very effective.
Just thought I wouls share.
tom


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## dfdye

I got a 1/2" Narex bench chisel to try out, and I didn't find the machining marks to be that difficult to lap out. I use a DMT extra coarse, and it didn't take anywhere close to 30 minutes (I didn't have a stopwatch handy, but I think it was under 10 minutes). If you don't have a coarser water stone, I would recommend using some sandpaper on glass next time you have to flatten a chisel and start out at a more aggressive grit-it will probably save a bit of time, and I bet you probably have 180 grit paper in your shop already!

Thanks for the review! I have actually been eyeing these for the STEAL of an intro price they are being offered for now.


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## dfdye

Hey Tom,

How did you bend those? I am guessing a torch was involved? I would be afraid they would snap if you just tried to crank on them cold. This seems like a great idea, and I would love to hear how you did this.

Thanks!
David


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## tom427cid

Hi David,
Yes,a torch was involved. I also clamped a pair if vice grips about an inch or so below the bend to act as a heat soak. Then I reshaped the handles slightly(shape and style that suits me)laquered and reinstalled them.
tom


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## dfdye

Nice. Could you get hot enough with propane, or did you need oxy/acetylene? I have a small brazing torch, so I could do either, but propane sure is easier to deal with! If I do go for this, I'll be using a metalworking vice to hold them, which will serve the same heat sinking purpose. Thanks for the info-it certainly looks fantastic from your picture!


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## tom427cid

Hi David,
I used an oxy-acet set-up. I provides a quicker heat and more than propane. Ithink the propane only goes to about 1500 degrees or so,not quite enough to "soften" the steel to bend easily.
The vise will give you a good heat sink. A word of caution/advise watch the alignment of the shank for the handle.It's easy to get it a little crooked.
Hope this helps.
tom


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## Rick_Boyett

Dirt Cheap + a little elbow grease = 5 stars


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## davidmicraig

Just to add a couple cents to the discussion….

One thing that should be mentioned is the hardness of the steel that the Narex chisels are made with. I have a set of them and Narex hardens them to RC59, which is definitely not shabby and puts them close to the high priced chisels. What is missing is the niceties of not having to hone and sharpen when they arrive. When I go lower priced, I consider what it is that makes it cheap. Is it the extras? or the quality of the materials used? Once I tune, sharpen, adjust, etc. will I get a good tool from the effort?

After a couple years of woodworking, I have come to the conclusion that purchasing tools, used and new, that require a little elbow grease but does give you a good quality item in the end, is oftentimes a good thing. Chisels, turning tools, plane irons, etc. have to be resharpened and you might as well get familiar with that process at the get go. And since you are not paying for that service (and lets face it, if you purchase a tool ready to go out of the box, you are paying a good deal of money for those professional touches) you can get quality wares at a much more reasonable price.

Congrats on the new purchsae. You invested in the elbow grease, those chisels should serve you well for years to come.

David


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## denovich

I just started using loose diamonds (100/120 mesh, 100 grit) that I bought on ebay (100ct for $22) for flattening/heaving shaping. I simply dump a small pile (a BB sized amount) on a thick piece of acrylic and start grinding away. At first the diamonds will roll around/collect on the tool being ground/sneak away but after a minute or so most become embedded into the surface. You'll hear the change in noise, and that's when they really start cutting.

First time I tried them was flattening a friend's Stanley #4. The look on his face was great. In less than 5 minutes I accomplished more than he did in 2 hours with 80 grit Norton 3X sandpaper. Short of having your own surface grinder, I doubt there is a better/faster way to flatten than loose diamonds. It puts my DMT Extra Coarse to shame.

You can also use Al, Cu, or Cast Iron as the substrate. I used acrylic because I have a bunch of thick scrap, and it's nice and flat.

The one caveat: be careful that you don't contaminate your other sharpening surfaces with these course diamonds. Clean the tool well before switching to a finer cutting stone/surface.

After I get a consistant scratch pattern I switch to the DMT Extra Coarse for just a bit, before going to a DMT Coarse, then to some 15micron film or a DMT Extra Fine. I have some 3 micron and some .5 micron lapping film that is excellent. But a few days ago I got some <.5 micron diamond dust. Put a pinch on a slab of MDF and use it for the final hone. Amazing results. A few quick passes will take a reflective, but slightly hazy finish and turn it into a mirror. A final swipe on a piece of horse butt and it's damn sharp. I have almost no hair on my left arm.


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