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Narex or Sorby

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Narex or Sorby

Postby Cabinetman » 28 Jul 2022, 16:42

So now is the time to invest in better chisels here in the US, I have been reading the reviews of Narex Richter on here, but have always used boxwood handles of the Sorby style below, my old chisels have been wonderful the question is are Sorby still as well made as they were? Ian
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby AJB Temple » 28 Jul 2022, 16:45

I think Dan had a set and was impressed. Maybe PM him.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby droogs » 28 Jul 2022, 17:03

I've been using a set of Narex ,115s for about a decade now. Bought them from Peter Sefton at the last Scottish woodworking show he was at. Love using them, got the ones with the hornbeam handles. Over time have replaced all my chisels to Narex bar my 3 pig stickers which are from circa 1880s
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Woodbloke » 28 Jul 2022, 17:29

For years I was using decent quality Japanese chisels from Workshop Heaven, which take an incredible edge but the hardened steel is very brittle, so they needed to be used with some due care. Jap chisels are also very uncomfortable to use for any extended period.

Having read loads of reviews on the Narex 'Richter' chisels I took the plunge and ordered a set from WH and I wasn't disappointed. They take just as good an edge as my old Japanese chisels and moreover, the backs were all flat or slightly concave, which is more than can be said for the oriental ones. 'Richter' handles are also very, very comfortable and it's a little known fact that you can obtain them as a left and right hand skew version...but you'll need to grind the bevels yourself :lol: - Rob
Last edited by Woodbloke on 28 Jul 2022, 18:28, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Cabinetman » 28 Jul 2022, 17:39

Well that’s a plus for Narex thank you, anybody bought a Sorby recently? Ian
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Woodster » 28 Jul 2022, 17:43

What’s the story with the Aldi/Lidl ones, are they still reckoned to be pretty good for the money or best avoided?
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Doug » 28 Jul 2022, 17:50

If I were in the states I’d be looking at the Veritas PMV11 chisels, I imagine they’d be a lot cheaper over there than here & id still buy them again even at uk prices.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Cabinetman » 28 Jul 2022, 18:22

Thanks Doug, very nice but sorry a bit more than I wanted to spend at $500,( £412 ) for 5. Ian
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Woodbloke » 28 Jul 2022, 18:23

Doug wrote:If I were in the states I’d be looking at the Veritas PMV11 chisels, I imagine they’d be a lot cheaper over there than here & id still buy them again even at uk prices.

Peter Parfitt of 'New Brit Workshop' once tried to offload a set of those on me at full retail price as he hated the things; I was distinctly unimpressed! :evil: - Rob

Edit - meant to add that the side bevels on the 'Richter' chisels are very finely ground as well.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Trevanion » 28 Jul 2022, 18:29

If it’s any help Ian, the Narex are by far the nicest and best new* chisels I have ever used, I do have a Sorby somewhere and it would be like comparing Lexus to Rolls Royce, the Narex is just that much nicer.

*Some of the historic chisels were very nice, I have a soft spot for old Anton Berg chisels.

Woodbloke wrote:Peter Parfitt of 'New Brit Workshop' once tried to offload a set of those on me at full retail price as he hated the things; I was distinctly unimpressed! :evil: - Rob


Yer, but they were super rare “Parf” chisels, graced by the hands of unquestionable skill and knowledge :lol:
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Mike Jordan » 28 Jul 2022, 18:32

Sheffield steel every time!
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Phil Pascoe » 28 Jul 2022, 19:25

Woodster wrote:What’s the story with the Aldi/Lidl ones, are they still reckoned to be pretty good for the money or best avoided?

They haven't sold them for five or six years.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby spb » 28 Jul 2022, 19:42

Cabinetman wrote:Well that’s a plus for Narex thank you, anybody bought a Sorby recently? Ian

I have a couple of new (bought new last summer) Sorby registered firmer chisels, in 25mm and 38mm. They're lovely to use, hold an edge well, and all of that, but obviously in that style and those sizes I'm not using them for delicate paring work. On that basis I'm sure the steel on their bench chisels will be just fine, but can't speak first hand for the handling.

My bench chisels are a mix of mostly Ashley Iles and some Narex Richter. You won't go wrong with them.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Cabinetman » 28 Jul 2022, 20:26

spb wrote:
Cabinetman wrote:Well that’s a plus for Narex thank you, anybody bought a Sorby recently? Ian

I have a couple of new (bought new last summer) Sorby registered firmer chisels, in 25mm and 38mm. They're lovely to use, hold an edge well, and all of that, but obviously in that style and those sizes I'm not using them for delicate paring work. On that basis I'm sure the steel on their bench chisels will be just fine, but can't speak first hand for the handling.

My bench chisels are a mix of mostly Ashley Iles and some Narex Richter. You won't go wrong with them.

Thanks for that, that’s a monster of a chisel! Instant decision, have just ordered a set of 5 Sorby boxwood bevel edge chisels, will report back in a few days. Thanks all, decided to support a uk manufacturer. Ian
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Doug » 28 Jul 2022, 20:34

Woodbloke wrote:
Doug wrote:If I were in the states I’d be looking at the Veritas PMV11 chisels, I imagine they’d be a lot cheaper over there than here & id still buy them again even at uk prices.

Peter Parfitt of 'New Brit Workshop' once tried to offload a set of those on me at full retail price as he hated the things; I was distinctly unimpressed! :evil: - Rob

Edit - meant to add that the side bevels on the 'Richter' chisels are very finely ground as well.



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& I remember yourself singing the praises of PMV11 at one of Peter Seftons open days :shock:
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Andyp » 28 Jul 2022, 20:37

Out of curiosity Ian were Ashley Isles never in the reckoning? Another fine British tool maker.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby AJB Temple » 28 Jul 2022, 20:46

I've had a play with a lot of chisels. And I must have about 100. Lots inherited.

Lots of cobblers talked about them. Quick thoughts:

First I had Footprint with red plastic handles. I was 8. Still have the set of 4 and they are superb.
Bought various LN socket chisels. Superb for fine work. Expensive though.
Have large set of Japanese chisels in a hand made box. They look lovely. Razor sharp with ease. But I use LN see above.
Workshop Heaven sent me some early Narex to try. Hated the chunky handles and the finish was rough. I think they upped their game since.
Various pig stickers from eBay. Indestructible. Good for deep mortices in oak.
Couple of Sorby mortisers. Fine, nothing special.
Several WWII era Ward. Really good and excellent steel. I use these a lot and they cost about £2 each.
Some specialist Sorby green oak framing stuff in 3" and 4". Occasionally useful for framing joints.

Frankly a chisel is a very simple tool. You can see a difference between V11 or other top notch steel, but a chisel is a chisel is a chisel and if you have a cheap one you might need to sharpen it more. Handle comfort is a big deal for me. If I had to rescue a set from a fire it would be the old Footprints my dad bought me. They are as good as anything else.

Conclusion - operator is more important than the tool.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Phil Pascoe » 28 Jul 2022, 20:56

Yes. I think my most expensive chisels are a few Wards I paid £4 each for. :lol:
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Cabinetman » 28 Jul 2022, 21:03

Andyp wrote:Out of curiosity Ian were Ashley Isles never in the reckoning? Another fine British tool maker.

I only found one supplier over here and he was out of stock but yes would have been up for consideration.
Must say though that I really wanted Boxwood handles, my uk set haven’t so much as been dinted in 40 years knocking.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Woodster » 28 Jul 2022, 21:53

AJB Temple wrote:
First I had Footprint with red plastic handles. I was 8. Still have the set of 4 and they are superb.


I’ve got one or two Footprint Chisels with the red plastic handles. No idea what type of steel they’re made from but they take and hold an edge really well. If I saw any old ones going cheap I wouldn’t hesitate to buy them.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby spb » 28 Jul 2022, 21:56

AJB Temple wrote:Frankly a chisel is a very simple tool. You can see a difference between V11 or other top notch steel, but a chisel is a chisel is a chisel and if you have a cheap one you might need to sharpen it more.

Up to a point, but the shape matters too. I started out with some black and yellow handled Stanley ones from the builders' merchant, which were labeled as bevel edge but had anything up to 3mm of square edge before the bevel started. Fine for mortising, but horrible for working into corners.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Woodbloke » 29 Jul 2022, 09:44

Doug wrote:& I remember yourself singing the praises of PMV11 at one of Peter Seftons open days :shock:


Yep, and I still use the PMV11 blades in my low angle planes; excellent they are too. I've never tried the chisels but resented the fact that PP tried to offload a set of second hand Veritas PMV11 chisels at full retail! When I spoke to him he'd changed his mind about them being 'superb' as some of the handles had split.
AJB Temple wrote:... the old Footprints my dad bought me. They are as good as anything else.

Conclusion - operator is more important than the tool.


The steel quality on the old Footprints was very good indeed, but you're completely wrong about your 'conclusion'. Some years ago, Mike Huntley (the then editor of F&C) asked me to do a road test on around 15 different types of chisel then available, some of which were cCc (cheap Chinese cr@p) of the very worst sort. The handles were sweaty plastic (even the Footprints suffered in that regard) and the steel quality was appalling; the edges mushroomed after a few taps into oak. The chisels with the best quality steel, which were pretty much indistructible were these things from Lee Valley - Rob
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Lurker » 29 Jul 2022, 10:24

It’s interesting how Narex have become a premier maker.
I have a narex chisel embossed “made in Czechoslovakia” that I imagine I bought new for pennies. I guess they were desperate for western currency back then. The plastic handle is horrible but the steel is really first class.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby AJB Temple » 29 Jul 2022, 10:50

To be fair to me Rob :lol: 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.
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Re: Narex or Sorby

Postby Dr.Al » 29 Jul 2022, 11:05

I haven't got much to add to this as I have limited experience, but I will contrast slightly with what Adrian has said: I love the chunky handles on the Narex 8116 chisels. I guess perhaps I have larger than average hands: I find most motorcycle handlebar grips uncomfortably small.
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