Narex 1/8 Inch Unhandled Premium Chisel (1/8 inch)

I got 2 sets of these a while back and just got around to making handles for them, which turned out to be a fun experience, but that's a different story.After getting a couple of them mounted in handles, I sharpened one. That was a mistake! They come with a clear protective coating on the edge. One you take that off, they are extremely sharp straight away. After I figured that out, I just stroped the edge and put it to work. Fantastic! I've never had a truly fine set of chisels before and can now appreciate the hardening process Narex uses. With frequent stropping the edge stays super sharp easily and a pleasure to use.Previously, I would put even new chisels through a sharpening process to ready them for work which is a bit of a thing in itself, but these are ready for work... once you get a handle on them.

Exactly as advertised. As others have mentioned these come with a coating of some sort that is very difficult to remove. Not quite plastic, not exactly wax, but mineral spirits, acetone and brake cleaner had little effect. It took me a long time to get them ready for sharpening by scraping with a razor blade and more solvent.Part of the fun is making handles for these. It gave me the opportunity to try different shapes and materials before settling on this wood that had been part of a pallet. Hard and beautifully grained.Note that the 1/8" chisel is cut like a mortising chisel, not a paring chisel, but then again it is only 1/8" wide. Some of the tangs vary slightly in length so measure carefully when drilling a pocket for them. They did hone nicely and seem to hold an edge well but I really haven't put them to the test as yet.One negative comment. I know the packaging says Narex but these chisels have no name etched, printed or cast on the them unlike the handled sets offered. Once they are out of the package they look like generic or knock-off chisels. One is left to wonder if these are indeed genuine Narex.

Chisels are excellent quality and very affordable. However, I paid 9.99 for faster shipping time as they were going to be a gift for a friend's birthday. Well lets just say they got a week and a half tour of Louisiana prior to arriving at my buddies address. In somewhat of a cluster truck of events (according to the order tracking anyways) it arrived in the town of destination not once but TWICE only to be sent on a 350 mile round trip(both times) before it was finally delivered 10 days past the expected date of delivery. I get mistakes happen and if not for the time sensitive purpose of the purchase (friends birthday) I wouldn't even say anything. A return of extra shipping price would be nice. Otherwise, excellent purchase!

The steel on the chisels is great, easy to sharpen and holds the edge well (as long as you're not abusing the blade by hitting your chisel(s) with a hammer). Buying without a handle is a great way to get high quality chisels at a more affordable price. And, making the handles yourself makes the tool feel even more like "your own."

These are still waiting for handles, so I haven’t used them yet. They do seem as well made as my other Narex chisel. Great deal if you have the time to make your own handles.

I love the fact that I can determine what chisel handles go on these chisels.The steel is very hard. The arises are very slight and these will be great for dovetailing. The chisels are sharp-ish as they come but they definitely need work.The first thing I do with new chisels is see how flat the back is. The 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 chisels were hollow ground and only took a minute each.The 1/8, 3/4 and 1" are another matter. The 1/8 and 3/4 have a severe belly. I've been working on the 3/4 for over an hour and I still have an hour or more to go.The 1". Oof. This is hollow ground but the hollow goes all the way to the edge. The hollow extends probably 3/4" from the edge so this is going to take a lot of time.I'm really surprised because the reviews have been so positive. I just knew that a couple swipes on my stones and I would be chiseling away. Instead, the weekend is coming up and I know what I will be doing.As I said at the start, once these are flat, I'm sure these will be my favorites because of the handles but getting there is painful.

These chisels hit the sweet spot on price and quality. They are flat backed, tuned up in minutes and hold their edge. I like making my own handles because I have large hands and can make them to fit me. These are the best chisels I’ve ever owned and I would recommend them to beginners and experienced wood workers alike. The description when I purchased them said the tang is 1-1/2, but mine measured 1-3/4.

Amazing chisel, especially for the price. Easy enough to add a handle though I do not have a lathe, I was able to scratch a handle out of 1.25” walnut dowel without too much effort. I don’t think there’s anything more satisfying than using a tool you made, at least in part, yourself. The steel is obviously quality, hard as a prom date with a crisp bevel and grind lines. Very little work needed on the stones to flatten the belly and only a few passes to polish the cutting edge sharp enough to shave balls. Very, very happy with my new go-to chisel!!!!