Irwin/Marples chisles

[mnmphd]

I am looking to buy some bench chisels. I heard good things about the
Marlpes, but they are now owned by IRWIN and they have moved the
manufacturing from England to China.

Anyone have any experience with the China made units?

[justaguy]

I don't have any experience with the ones made in China but check your local Home Depot.

I found one set of the ones made in England buried at the back of the display which was holding about a dozen sets of chisels. The packaging for the ones from England is very different from the ones from China and if there are some mixed in the display they will stand out if you just "thumb" through the stock.

Maybe I just got lucky

[John Hunter]

I lucked out a couple of years ago and found a 5 piece set made in England in the bargain bin at my local Lowes.

[LinuxRandal]

I heard the new ones were no good compared to the old. Never tried the new one, and needed a size I didn't have. I added a Two Cherries.

But I have seen some that look VERY similar to the old blue chip. There is a Footprint brand made over there.

[SARGE..g-47]

I purchased my set of Marple "blue beaters" in 1974 and I am pretty sure they were made in Sheffield, England at that time. They have served me well for 34 years even though I do have a set of Ashley Isles at this point.

The "blue beaters" still get the call on chopping DT waste from hand cut DT's though... and always will. They've cut about a ga-zilion DT's at this point and still going strong. I used them for about 8 years to cut mortises but finally saved up and got some real mortise chisels in 1981.

On a note of caution.... my "blue beater" blades are about 1 1/4" shorter than when I originally purchased them. I highly suspect the Sheffield steel used on them had some kind of genetic dis-order that has caused shrinkage over the years. Just a theory as I'm still researching the matter looking for the "truth". And the truth is out there somewhere?

Well.. gotta run as I need to go "sharpen" my Marples. Shouldn't take over 30 minutes as I have sharpened them over 400 times at this point and I can do it in my sleep.

Ya'll have a good day, ya hear....

[final_t]

my 2 cents

The current Irwin version of the chisels, are, as you suspect, lousy. If you're looking for something to bash away at landscape logs or scrape paint from a window casing, then maybe they are worth it, but then I'd go to Harbor Freight and get the same thing for half. The biggest problem with the Chinese made stuff is that they do not have the steel blend that holds an edge properly being too soft. Sadly, Swedish-made tools apparently also have a problem with being TOO hand and brittle, so they chip easily.

Two Cherries are also branded as Hirsch, and while are produced as the same factory, carry different price points. Both have milling marks on the back side you will need to take out, which I think is true for every chisel expect the most expensive.

You might want to check flea markets or a local swap meet (Columbus Woodcraft has one in June, yay!) and see if you can pick up a used set for little money.

As with others, I have an older set of Marples made just before Irwin bought them out I got on clearance at Lowes, and also a set of Stanleys that were handled down to me 30+ years ago that are STILL in great shape. You simply don't get that kind of stuff any more, new, without paying through the nose.

[dkerfoot]

It may be a case of ignorance, never having used high-end chisels, but I have been very pleased with the Stanley "Fat Max" chisel set I bought 2 years ago.

They take a nice edge and hold it well. I'll probably eventually end up investing in Two Cherries or similar, but they have been serving me well.

I do also have one of their standard chisels, which isn't nearly so nice. The Fat Max ones are a definite improvement in both handles and steel.

Here is a review that mirrors my experience with them:
http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/fatmasrvu.html

[dkerfoot]

Rockler has a special on a few remaining Marples Pro Touch Chisels with Strike Cap Handles. Don't have any direct experience with them but the price is very good and they are made in Sheffield.


http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...filter=marples

[cabinetman]

I purchased my set of Marple "blue beaters" in 1974 and I am pretty sure they were made in Sheffield, England at that time. They have served me well for 34 years even though I do have a set of Ashley Isles at this point.

The "blue beaters" still get the call on chopping DT waste from hand cut DT's though... and always will. They've cut about a ga-zilion DT's at this point and still going strong. I used them for about 8 years to cut mortises but finally saved up and got some real mortise chisels in 1981.

On a note of caution.... my "blue beater" blades are about 1 1/4" shorter than when I originally purchased them. I highly suspect the Sheffield steel used on them had some kind of genetic dis-order that has caused shrinkage over the years. Just a theory as I'm still researching the matter looking for the "truth". And the truth is out there somewhere?

Well.. gotta run as I need to go "sharpen" my Marples. Shouldn't take over 30 minutes as I have sharpened them over 400 times at this point and I can do it in my sleep.

Ya'll have a good day, ya hear....

A ga-zillion dovetails...incredible. You must have the largest production shop in Georgia. Hey, if I told ya once, I told ya a million times...don't exaggerate.

Your chisels are short due to the chisel fairies coming in the night reclaiming some steel No, really, it's likely from you touchin' 'em to a rotating abrasive wheel. I'd rather do frequent "touch ups" for a quick dressing than spend a lot of time when they dull. They don't work too well dull. If they don't pare easily, they aren't sharp.

I have a variety of chisels, and my old standby are Stanley's. They are full tang, with a metal cap if there's any tapping to do. I keep them sharp. I also have a cheap set of HF's orange handle/metal capped chisels for those nasty unpredictable uses.

I swear by my Buck Brothers (early 1900's) crank neck chisels. I wouldn't be without them.
.

[AlanWS]

The dreaded chisel shrinking effect is easily cured. All you need to do is make a beautiful case for the chisels and leave them in it.

[cwsmith]

As I recall, there was a post either here or on the Ridgid forum about a year ago, regarding the Marple's China-made chisels. (I was pretty sure it was here, but I could be wrong.) The particular post, showed a severe crack, running from the blade edge, back toward the handle. The poster had some difficulty with getting someone from Irwin to provide any attention to the problem.

At the time, I checked my local Home Depot and found all their stock to be the newer Chinese-made chisels. I had purchase the Irwin/Marple's set a year prior, and mine were the Sheffield-made. In either case, the blades are clearly marked as to thier origin. Also the package on the Sheffield-made are marked with a guarantee; the Chinese-made are not. Likewise the Sheffields are sharpened and honed, the Chinese are just sharpened.

However, I have noticed that Rockler has their Marple's chisels marked in the catalag as "Sheffield-made". Which brings up the question, "is there a "special" version shown in the big box stores?

CWS

[BobSch]

However, I have noticed that Rockler has their Marple's chisels marked in the catalag as "Sheffield-made". Which brings up the question, "is there a "special" version shown in the big box stores?

CWS

I wouldn't be a bit surprized. Large retailers often set up special deals with manufacturers, either different packaging or product. I remember trying to work BestBuy against Circuit City on one of their price matching ads. Turns out the same model NAME TV had a different model NUMBER between the two stores. One letter at the end of the MN difference meant the price match wasn't honored because TECHNICALLY it wasn't the same product!

[mnmphd]

Based on a review on Highland woodworking's site and the input from this
forum, I decided not to purchase the IRWIN/Marples.

I was able to find a likely used set of 6 Sheifled made Marples (pre IRWIN), for
a reasonable price off eBay. I haven't had time to put a nice hone on them,
but so far I am happy with them. They seem much better balanced than the
Craftsman set I bought 10 years

[gsmittle]

I

On a note of caution.... my "blue beater" blades are about 1 1/4" shorter than when I originally purchased them. I highly suspect the Sheffield steel used on them had some kind of genetic dis-order that has caused shrinkage over the years. Just a theory as I'm still researching the matter looking for the "truth". And the truth is out there somewhere?

All of us have to deal with shrinkage at some point.

g.

[ke4rdb]

I have noticed this weekend at Lowes that the single chisel Stanley Fat Max chisels are marked made in England but the sets are marked made in China. While at Home Depot I noticed the single Buck Bros chisels are marked made in the USA, I don't know anything about the new Buck Bros chisels as to quality.

James