Good quality heavy-duty bevel-edge chisels at a competitive price.
Good quality heavy-duty bevel-edge chisels at a competitive price.
Bevel chisels are probably the most common and useful style of chisel for both the workshop and jobsite. When shopping for a bevel chisel the three most important features to look for are edge holding ability, ease of sharpening, and comfort in the hand.
These ‘carpenter’ style chisels from Ukraine-based Stryi have thicker blades and larger handles than most bevel chisels, making them ideal for use on a jobsite or for heavy duty bench work.
Manufacturer: Stryi Carving Tools
Model: Carpenters chisels
Price: starting at about $43
Warranty: Limited lifetime
Made in: Ukraine
Source: northwestpassagetools.com (special order) Order from Stryi
Features:
Stryi is better known for their premium quality carving tools, which they’ve been making since 2009. Their bevel chisels are available in 14 widths, from 6mm to 38mm. Manufactured from G15660 steel, a high-carbon alloy steel with excellent wear resistance and strength characteristics, the chisels have thick highly polished blades (roughly 4.4mm near the heel and 6mm at the shoulder) along with large oak handles that can withstand a lot of heavy pounding. Though noticeably heavier than other bevel chisels I’ve used, I found them surprisingly well balanced and comfortable to use even when chopping a large number of mortises.
The backs are flat and don’t require any remedial work. The bevels had a consistent grind at 25° and were ready to use straight ‘out of the box’. The side bevels are fairly steep and not tapered. While suitable for wider dovetails and butterfly joints, they aren’t as effective for cutting fine dovetails.
Over the four weeks that I used these chisels in the shop I found they did a very good job when making paring cuts, leaving a smooth, almost glassy surface on end grain. Where they really excelled though, was at chopping mortises. The bevels held up remarkably well even under heavy sustained mallet blows. The chisels were quick and easy to resharpen and hone on my Tormek.
At about $43 per chisel they offer very good value in a general purpose bench chisel. Most importantly, they hold an edge well and sharpen up nicely. The only modification I would likley make to these chisels would be to replace the handles, which is easy enough to do.
Stryi chisels can be ordered directly from the company. Shipping from the Ukraine is surprisingly quick given the conditions the country is facing right now. You can also order from their Canadian distributor, Northwest Passage Tools.
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It’s always hard to find good quality at an affordable price.
I’ve never owned nice chisels before. These sound like a good deal for a good chisel.