Where to buy chisels

[Gary Rad]

Hello, getting ready to start my first build. I am looking for a good place to buy a set of gouges. Also what brand I don't want to spend a ton, just want decent chisels.
Thanks Gary

[Mike Brooks]

You probably won't need a "set" of gouges for a first gun. I can probably build a whole gun with a 3/16" flat chisel and a rasp if I had to. I mainly use gouges for stamping in curves for inleting the nose of a lock plate. When you fist start out you won't use alot of tools. You'll figure out what you need as you go along.
All that being said, many of these guys on here are great relief carvers and probably have a huge selection of gouges and all sorts of other chisels to do their high end carving. All depends on how far you eventually want to go.

[Dennis Glazener]

Like Mike said, DON'T buy a set. Most of the time a set will have tools you will not use. I prefer to buy one chisel at a time and only after I know which ones I will use.
I like Pfile and also Henry Taylor brand.
Dennis

[SingleMalt]

I agree, don't buy a set, but do buy quality.  A chisel from Sears, etc. won't take or hold an edge to save itself.  And learn how to properly sharpen them. 

I recommend these vendors.

http://www.woodcraft.com/category/ht115/carving-tools.aspx

http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/chisels.htm

[Gary Rad]

Thanks for the advice you saved me some money

[WadePatton]

If you've any knowledge of metal and single-edge tools-or are ready to learn real fast, I suggest looking at used goods. 

There are FB groups, ebay, and even vintage tool vendors.  Some gave me a link recently when I was looking for a good OLD spokeshave.  I glanced at the goods and prices there (maybe there were two) and thought it was worth noting as another possible source for future needs.

http://www.supertool.com/forsale/nov2016list.html (old-fashioned interweb, clunky but works)

I find vintage tools to be the best deal and usually better steels and tempering. But condition and usability always varies. Knowing what is usable and what is used up, and what can/can't be fixed are the lessons to be learned here. Knowing what you actually NEED to best complete a task is another thing to get sorted out.

Most stuff will be priced appropriately for its condition and the really top condition and rarity pieces will collect crazy money from collectors and their ilk.

I also peruse the antique and junk stores for bargain usable, good-quality tools.  Both bargains and "optimistic" pricing can be found in those places.  Flea markets allow dickering-and I missed a gorgeous #7 plane for cheap a while back because I didn't have ready cash. 

Good luck and don't get carried away, old tools can be addictive too.   

[WyomingWhitetail]

Hey a topic a may be helpful on. I'm in the middle of my first build right now. I have ashley illes brand chisels (england i believe) and they seem to be pretty good but where a little spendy. I have one of there 1/8 in London pattern bench chisels (longer), one of there 3/8 in American pattern bench chisel ( shorter), and one of their 1/4 in Palm handled carving chisels. The 1/4 in palmer handled one is double beveled and just a short little thing but I've been using it a lot plus the 1/8 in one for corners. I also have a couple of other palm handled gouges and chisels from ramelson. I haven't used them much but they seem all right and were pretty inexpensive. I got my stuff from tools for working wood or something like that. I believe I need to practice my sharpening skills before I worry about getting more tools. May be a little backwoodsy for some but I also have been using my trusty case pocket knife some to scrape little areas and the like.

[Gaeckle]

I'm with Wade on the used tool side of the equation.....some of my best finds are garage sales, flea markets, antique stores, second hand shops.

I have a chisel in my roll that I paid 25 cents for, it's an un-branded socket chisel that was rode hard and put away wet. With a little work and attention I was able to transform it into a very sharp chisel, replaced the handle and I use it all the time.

I am fortunate to live within a 20 minute drive from the Log Cabin Shop and quite often old chisels, planes, scrapers and peices parts show up. Wasn't long ago that somebody dropped of a very large lot of old hand vises that were very reasonable.....ended up with a couple. I'm in competition with a buddy of mine to see who can find and secure the best finds at the cheapest cost from the Log Cabin, I think I was leading for a while, but recently he has found some real winners and I think he has overtaken me.

As Mike said, you really don't need a bunch of chisels, but rather 4 maybe 5 at the least.

[54ball]

 I'll tell you what I have.
 Stanley Sweetheart socket bench chisels in 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2. These are not run of the mill hardware/box store Chinese Stanley stuff, these are English made socket chisels. I would say they are mid quality.

 With chisels you need sharpening items. I use a Japanese wet stone fine and super fine with a leather strop and sharpening compound. You must learn to keep the chisels sharp otherwise you might well use plastic sporks.

 I have one Gouge a Swiss one that I have no idea what size. It's slightly smaller than the nose of a Chambers Ketland.

 Then there's the specialty stuff. I have a tiny chisel that I made out of a hardened 1/16 pin. At the shop I apprentice, the master gunsmith has some inexpensive chisels ground so, that I can cut the tight turn of a lock tail and nose.

 The most used tool was the 1/4 until I got the 1/8 chisel. The 1/2 is good for heavier stuff like barrel channels.

 If I had to choose one chisel, it would be the 1/4 inch. That chisel and a #50 pattern makers rasp will do most of the work stocking a rifle.

 You can find the Sweethearts at Wood Craft and at Amazon.   

[Gaeckle]

Forgot to mention that E-Bay is a great source for old tools.....I also think there may be a variety of online stores that specialize in old tools.

[Karl K.]

Bought many of mine from Wood 'N Wildcraft

http://www.woodcarvingbiz.com/

[David R. Pennington]

Most of my tools are antique store or flea market finds. If you are willing to regrind, sharpen and fit new handles you can get some real gems for almost nothing, and often end up with a better tool than you can buy new. If you buy a set, you will end up with a bunch of tools you will never use. You should know how to fix your tools anyway if you are building rifles, and restoring old tools is a good way to learn.

[DBoone]

Well said, David R.   99% of my tools either came from a flea market or I made myself.  Mike Brooks is also on the money with the fact that you don't need a lot of tools to build a rifle.  If you decide to later move into the really fancy work then you have plenty of options out there if you want to buy anything special. 

I like having the mind-set also that if the power goes out I can still build a rifle. 

[Nick Bachtel]

My girlfriend picked up my hints and bought me the Stanley Sweetheart set for Christmas.

A keeper for sure. 

Nick

[bama]

Woodcraft has their chisels on sale right now for 15% off. They are not cheap even then but they are very good Chisels that will last a long time if taken care of.

[Mark Elliott]

Most of my chisels are Pfiel purchased from WoodCraft.   The rest are antiques bought on eBay or at antique shops.    I second the approach to buy them as you need them.    I never bought a set, but I have twice as many chisels as I use on a regular basis.    About a third of the chisels I regularly use are antiques and I generally like them the best.   They seem to take and hold a better edge.   By the way,  I have 24 chisels that I keep on my bench not counting my stabbing chisel. 

[John Archer]

I have a small piece of plywood...3"x5"...that I've stabbed my gouges into. I take it along with me to second hand stores and garage sales if I'm looking for chisels so that I don't duplicate what I already have. It's also handy to draw the curve you need on ...front of lock plate, screw bolster etc., so you can find exactly the curve you need. The only hard part is finding it when it hides itself under my tool mountain.

John.

[SBachner]

This site http://www.jimbodetools.com/What-s-New-c172/ has a decent selection over a wide price range.

[deepcreekdale]

That is a really good idea John has there regarding using a small piece of wood to check gouge radii. The only problem I have with that, when I see a good tool at a cheap price at a flea market or garage sale, I buy it whether I need it or not. Can't help myself, I am a sucker for a good tool that needs a new home. There is something about seeing a beat up old chisel or gouge with good quality steel being sold for 25 cents rubs me the wrong way.They always end up with some use. I must have bought 2 dozen high quality 1/4 inch chisels over the years. They have been modified in all sorts of ways like making dog leg chisels.

[John Archer]

Hah! Me too...I've managed to accumulate a number of good old chisels that I've got to make handles for...some day.

John