Positive way to identify Pre-Irwin Marples Blue handled chisels?
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Well I just chopped two more mortises with the second set of “real” Marples chisels and can still shave with the 1/2″ chisel. I was sharpening after every mortise with the others.
The difference in steel is very real.
My vaguely recalled, third hand understanding is Marples was building stuff right, Irwin bought them, and for a brief unspecified period continued to do it right and/or used old parts. Then they dropped quality and sent production overseas. So for a while you had quality chisels made by Irwin in Sheffield.
Also those last two mortises were the cleanest I’ve chopped in a week. I don’t think 5 degrees of bevel and a little more practice would have helped that much.
Glad to here that your other chisel is holding up better.
Before you know it you will be an expert at Mortise holes. 😉
Hi John.
This set is my, Blue handles with white stripe and silver logo Marples, I don’t know how old they are , bought them as a set of 4 on e-bay in original packaging. One chisel was missed. I just finished chopping some mortises 3 inches long by 1.5 inch deep, 12 mortises all together. Have to sharpen twice. Actually I sharpened as soon as I noticed slightly worse performance, just checked with nail.Marple Blue chip supposed to be very good chisels. I know Paul don’t support water stones but if you interested Stuart Tierney, also known as ‘Schtoo’ did it some test that’s the link:http://www.toolsfromjapan.com/wordpress/?p=672
Cheers Serhiy
Thanks Serhly. Looks like we’ve got three sets of markings now! I’ve attached pictures of my “good” marples chisels which have a label on the steel like your largest chisel but all of mine (7 in a boxed set) have this label. These were purchased by the father of the guy I bought them from and from appearances I’d say he never sharpened any of them and only lightly used the 1/2″. Yesterday I chopped two mortises around 3X3 1/2″ wide and the chisel would still shave when I got done. MUCH better than my “Lil safety dude” version Marples chisels.
I’ve attached pictures of both. These are two different sets of Marples Chisels. No way to know exactly when either was purchased. But the “Hand Forged” ones work very well while the “Lil safety dude” ones don’t.
And I wouldn’t say Paul “doesn’t support” water stones. He makes his case for the diamond stones as being the best for his method and philosophy of sharpening but readily admits many other types will work just fine.
I realized this is an old thread, but in the process of looking for info about an unused set of Marples blue handled chisels that I bought back in the 80’s, that I forgot I had in storage… I found this website with great info on Marples chisels: https://williammarplesandsons.com/chisels-gouges/chisels/
It clearly shows how to identify the Pre-Irwin stuff.
Thank you for taking the time to follow up on this Conrad.
John
Thanks, Conrad. I’ve had the rubber handled, steel topped set that I bought at big_box. Not too pretty but works and sharpens so, no complaints
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