I'm doing some spring cleaning in my shop and realized I don't have any mortise chisels. I'm looking to pick up a set, ideally three sizes: 1/8", 1/4", and 1/2". I've been considering Narex since they offer a couple of different sets, but I'm open to other recommendations as well. What do you think would be the best bang for my buck?
3 Answers
I used to have a set of Narex chisels and was mostly pleased with them. Remember, you don’t necessarily need all three sizes. The 1/2" is likely the least useful unless you have a specific project needing that size. I find the 1/8" incredibly helpful, even if you never cut mortises with it. You might even prefer a 5/16" chisel over the 1/4", depending on your usual stock thickness.
The budget-friendly Narex chisels are perfect for beginners. Just flatten the back before using, which isn’t usually too much work—mine were almost good to go right out of the box!
If you don't need a full set, I suggest buying individual chisels as you need them for specific projects. A 1/2" chisel is pretty thick for most mortises, usually requiring thicker wood, and a 1/8" is quite thin, better suited for less than 1/2" stock. Personally, I find a 1/4" really handy for wood around 3/4" thick or a bit less, and a 3/8" is great for deeper mortises.
I did this! I bought a 1/2” Narex Richter and it works beautifully.
Thanks for the heads-up!