Chisel review

I doubt any of you really care, but in case the Semantic Web comes to exist tomorrow I’d like prospective purchasers to be able to see my impressions of the tools. Capsule version: between the two of them I cut the first tight fitting mortise and tenon I’ve ever done. So I like ‘em.

Ray Iles 3/8″ mortising chisel

When I recieved this in the mail it became instantly obvious why chisels of this design are referred to as pigstickers. It is simply enormous, but enormous in a good way. I didn’t get a chance until today to cut a test mortise with it, but after honing it cut through the Douglas fir I had smoothly and quickly, and vastly better than the firmer I had repurposed as a mortiser, let alone my bench chisels.

If I had to complain about anything, it’s actually a little too big; I have big hands and have a little trouble sometimes controlling the damn thing. But there’s a reason it’s that big, and I'm not willing to sacrifice that for minor conveniences.

Would I buy another, at $70 a shot or so? Heck yes. In fact I have another on order, the 1/4″ version.

(★★★★★)

Review by Graham Hughes, March 24th

Lie-Nielsen Coarse Rip Carcass Saw

This is a 10 ppi version of Lie-Nielsen’s carcass saw, which I bought for use as a tenon saw. I think it would probably be classified as a sash saw around 1920, but whatever. I don’t like that Lie-Nielsen uses split nuts (which require a special tool you can get by regrinding a screwdriver), but I can’t complain about anything else on the tool. The curly maple handle is quite attractive. But I didn’t buy the saw to look at it.

As far as actually sawing, I have nothing to complain about. It saws quickly, easily and accurately, and (with the mortising chisel above) helped me cut probably the best mortise & tenon joint I think I’ve ever done.

There are some other tenon saws available, for example the Pax or the Adria. I have no experience with them, although the Pax saws I do have are delightful. In this case I knew I wanted something a little on the coarse side, and the Pax and Adria are all 13 tpi (12 ppi).

I’m pretty happy with the saw as it is, and as I break it in it will apparently become even better. I’m sure it was worthwhile buying some sort of tenon saw, as my Pax dovetail saw is not really coarse enough to make for a good tenon saw.

(★★★★½)

Review by Graham Hughes, March 24th

Workbench

One pair of the legs for the bench is being glued together. Yay. I might actually get it on its feet and start installing the vises this week, if work permits. Wedged mortise & tenon joinery is actually surprisingly simple, as it turns out; however I should note that I have a lot of tools specialized for that at this point.