# New handles for Narex chisels



## planeBill (Oct 21, 2011)

Has anyone with some narex chisels rehandled them, just because they're ugly? Going to show my ignorance and ask how to do it. I have a log of hophornbeam that would do real nice.
What do you think of the chisels too by the way?


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## IrreverentJack (Aug 13, 2010)

Bill, Have you checked out Mafe's blogs? Or MrDan 's projects? Good luck. -Jack


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

at some point I had the thought (and still do sometimes) to rehandle all the tools in my shop from a single log (or single specie that matches)

I think it will just stay as just that - a thought. unless a handle is broken and it still functional I would not spend the time redo it since my shop time is very limited and when I do get it its very valuable and I'd rather use it for other projects USING my tools and not redoing my tools.

I know it doesn't answer your questions explicitly, but it's just another thought. FYI, I have some narex chisels (mortise) which I reviewed here and you can check that review up.

Cheers, and a Happy New Year


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## planeBill (Oct 21, 2011)

Thanks Jack, good how to. 
Purplev, had already read your review of the narex mortise chisels, it still didn't sway me to buy them. I'll probably regret not doing so when the price goes up and I'm still withot some. I always make time for the shop and am sort of anal about asthetics, I don't know, it's just me.
I've never disassembled a chisel before so I was wondering how the handles were affixed to the metal and how hard it would be to remove them.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I have a set of the Narex chisels as well as the mortise chisels, really like them.

Not particularly fond of the color of the handles either…


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## pierce85 (May 21, 2011)

I have a set of the Narex bench chisels and agree that the handles leave a lot to be desired. I hadn't thought about re-handling them, but now that you mention it, I'd be interested in knowing how to safely remove them as well.

You go first… ;-)


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## planeBill (Oct 21, 2011)

I know that they are not a high end chisel and all but I just thought that some new handles would improve the looks of them as well as make them feel a little better in hand.
I don't know about the rest of you but it took me quite a few hours to get the tune up, which is how I discovered that I, myself, didn't care for the handles.
(English is a %$#

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#$
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#^@ of a language to learn, handLE vs chisEL )
I don't know, but would assume that the "tang" is just one of the short triangular deals that is let into the handLE just for a short distance versus a full through-the-handLE shaft going to a striking cap like on the plastic see-through handLED stanleys that I own. 
Just something I thought about doing sometime.
I am now, however, the proud owner of a set of Stanley SW chisELs ( Thanks Tim ) and, by comparison, love the feel in hand of them. Of course, those are socket chisELs.
Pierce, I may indeed go first. The two Narex chisELs I have are the skewed pair which I do not use all the ime so if one of them is down for a while it won't be a big deal.


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## Maggiepic (Aug 26, 2010)

Check out this Lie-Nielson video for releasing the handle:


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Guess I'm the odd man out here, but I have a set of Narex mortise chisels and I rather like the handles. They are comfortable in the hand when working, and don't roll off the bench when you set them down. Where's the problem?


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## robertb574 (Jan 12, 2011)

I am with crank49 on this one. Recently I made some dovetails out of red oak. No pounding; coping saw and paring only. I have several sets of chisels from different manufacturers and used the 3/8 and 1/2 from them. The Narex and the Crown were the best for me.

The shaft on the Crown is easy on the fingers and the handle looks better to me but the chisels rolls. The sharp right angle on the shaft of the Narex cut my thumb so I sanded the corners. Once sanded the chisels were better to use. They maintained their sharpness just as long as the Crowns, the handle was very comfortable and gave better control. Plus the chisel did not roll.

It was close but the Narex came out on top. Maybe function is more important to me. You guys who are going to pare with these, think twice before replacing the handles.


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