Narex Richter Bevel Edge Chisel Set of 5

Product Information

This chisel passes as a dovetail chisel thanks to its structure. The manufacturer devoted time to polishing and fine-grinding the surface of this blade. I have three Narex mortising chisels. Reading this thread I hurried off to the shed to make sure the handle flats and oval were properly aligned with the blades. Happily they're all perfectly aligned. This must be why I never noticed the handle orientation when chopping with them, eh. Perhaps MJ's moan about his prompted those Czechs to improve their production process? :-) Combining premium materials with skilled workmanship, these are well-made chisels. The blades are made of chrome-vanadium steel, hardened to Rc61-63 and cryogenically treated to toughen the steel without making it brittle. They will take and hold a fine edge.

I think the fact that you use your chisels every day is a large factor in keeping them rust free, specifically the oils from your skin. But, respectfully, for those of us who don’t use our tools every day 🙂 using them once then putting them away for a week or 2 pretty much guarantees rust. I’ve found wiping them after use doesn’t always help and is sometimes impractical. The metal polish is the only way I’ve found to prevent this. Simply my 2 cents.Designed for cutting with mallet or paring by hand. The bevel edge design allows for work in tight spaces

In case you’re wondering, the Chrome Manganese steel is responsible for the versatility of this chisel. It is also why it has excellent machinability and strength.

Now, the handle of this chisel is generally reasonable. You won’t need to change it before using it because of the materials harvested to create it. To mark their 100th anniversary, Narex has developed a line of chisels that are certainly some of the finest tools that this small, renowned Czech firm has ever produced.

Of course, the Narex Ritcher chisel feels like a perfect chisel. While it mostly is, we noticed some features that surely could use improvement.

Models reviewed include the Lie-Nielsen, Veritas Mk.II Deluxe Honing Guide Set, generic side-clamping guides, the Kell No. 2, Nano Hone’s Sharp Skate 4, Trend, and the Veritas Sharpening System For starters, the handle is carved from European ash, responsible for its beautiful grain, toughness, and strength. The choice of wood shaped this handle into an ergonomic one. Don't get swept into believing there's anything more in the Richter chisels than relatively common steel and a slightly harder temper than some of the other chisels. So, thanks to the Cryogenic treatment of the blade, you’ll use it for a long time without the blade losing its quality and sharpness. But that’s not enough to help you decide if this Richter chisel is worth it. Keep reading; we’ll tell you everything you should know about this chisel and the Narex brand. Features of Narex Richter Chisels

Timber Frame Chisels VERITAS Mortise Chisels Stairmaker's Chisels Jap. Cranked Paring Chisels Corner Cutting Chisels Another point of view is that as woodworkers we hope that people appreciate out hand-made creations and the effort that has gone into the work. In some cases machine made dovetails in items from the Far East will be more precise than mine, but mine are hand cut and that counts for something – I hope. In the same respect, I like to buy hand-made tools. i can aford them in small number and I love to use them because I know a guy from, for example, Ashley Iles (who have been mentioned here) ground them by hand. If we only promote cheap mass-produced items then why do we bother doing woodwork at all when it can be churned out by machines – is there any value in hand-made? I find it quite depressing when I shop for tools in large stores to find that its nearly all cheap and mass produced, and i’d argue a lot is rubbish and won’t last a lifetime at all (so I don’t buy it). In addition to all this, buying the likes of Ashley Iles and Clifton planes supports local craftsmen, when the craft has largely died out. If we as craftsmen don’t see the value in the crafft of toolmaking, why should we expect others to value our craft of woodwork? Narex fits the chisels with a stainless-steel ferrule that strengthens the connection between blade and handle. A leather washer sits between the ferrule and the chisels’ stout bolster to aid in seating the blade and absorbing harsh blows to the handle. The Chrome Manganese steel isn’t the only remarkable feature of this chisel. After the manufacturers created the blade, they also cryogenically treated it to increase its wear and tear resistance. A key feature to these chisels is their side bevels, which taper to a very fine edge, making them ideal for reaching into confined spaces and angled corners, like those common in dovetailing. But the edges aren’t so sharp they slice you; rather, they’re polished and softened.The result is an ultra-thin side that makes it the perfect chisel for digging into tight spaces. In addition, the surface is mirror-like, which makes it an excellent dovetail chisel. These features aren’t that big of a deal. In fact, we only noticed them when we tried to compare them with other chisels in its class. The blade is impressive. There are no visible machine marks and no sharp edges apart from the cutting edge. It’s polished to a flawless satin sheen too. The chisel’s factory-ground 24° bevel is honed with a slight microbevel and suitable for use right out of the box. I still honed mine further to suit my personal preferences, allowing them to perform even better. The chrome-vanadium blades are tempered to achieve a minimum hardness of 62HRc. The quality of the steel and the way it is hardened and tempered makes the chisels very high quality. I could feel their hardness during the sharpening process. Although it was possible to sharpen with my traditional Japanese waterstones, it took a little extra time. Once sharp, though, the chisels stayed sharp for an extended period of time. Put this baby into the corner. The side bevels on these chisels taper to a thin edge. As a result, they fit excellently into tight and angled corners, so you won’t dent or bruise dovetails as you pare away waste.