Had to pick between a cheap chisel set and one nice chisel - glad I went with the one

I needed to trim some doors in my 1920s house and had like $40 to spend. The budget option was a big 8-piece set at the hardware store for $35. Instead I bought one single Narex chisel for $38 from a specialty shop online. That one chisel has held its edge through 5 door trims and a window frame without needing sharpened yet. Anyone else find it's better to buy one good tool than a pile of cheap ones?

3 comments

3 Comments

lewis.mila1mo ago

Did you ever feel like you were getting more for your money buying a whole set of tools? I used to be all about the biggest set I could get for the lowest price, because it just felt like a better deal. But after watching my dad's old single chisel hold up for years while his cheap sets fell apart, I finally get it. That one good tool will actually get the job done right and last, whereas the cheap ones just make you frustrated and end up costing more in the long run. It was a hard lesson for me, but you're absolutely right.

laura_chen411mo ago

The thing nobody talks about is how cheap tool sets actually make you a worse woodworker... I used to think I was saving money but all those crappy chisels and wrenches taught me bad habits like forcing cuts or overtightening because the fit was never right. My grandpa had one old cabinet scraper he used for thirty years and it made me learn patience because you had to set it up right every time. Cheap sets let you skip learning proper technique because you just grab another size or blame the tool for slipping. There's something to be said for having two or three really good tools that force you to slow down and do the job correctly... that's what actually builds skill over time.

christopherw341mo ago

Take it easy, it's just tools. If a cheap chisel makes you force cuts, that's on you not the steel.