AJB Temple wrote:To be fair to me Rob I have never had a ccc chisel. The Footprints are British I think and made in the 1960s. The LN ones are US. Practically everything else I have bought as WWII Wards etc, or from members on UKW (where most of the Japanese set came from I think) or here. Plus a couple of trial gifts from tool suppliers. I do think it is fair to say that someone who knows how to sharpen can get good work out of most chisels, but I do accept that if the steel is very soft or chippy then that may not apply.
The LN steel is really good and I get a very keen edge. But socket chisels can be a bit of a pain with the blade disengaging from the handle. As it happens I have a 3/8" mortice chisel from both Sorby (red handle) and Narex (octagonal wood handle of some sort - but not a premium wood) and of those two the Sorby sharpens better and holds it's edge better. I almost never use the Narex, as I dislike the feel of the far too chunky handle.
The one's that Mike sent to me were a general selection of those available at the budget end (so Chinese made and for disposable, knockabout trade use) as well as much better made German, Swedish and New World offerings. The original Footprints (red plastic handle I recollect?) were Sheffield made and on a par with the early black handled Stanley ones and the blue handled Marples, one of which I have in my DIY toolbox as a 'house' chisel.
If you ever have the misfortune to come across a real gem of a cCc chisel, there's very little you can do with it apart from spreading butter on your toast! - Rob