Chisel Bevel Edged Socket Dovetail Gift Set in their own handmade box.
We don't have access to dedicated dovetail chisels since the purchase of Blue Spruce by Woodpeckers, so I thought we would make our own. We have reground the prime bevels on some of our 1/2" and 1/4" bevel edge socket chisels to 23 degrees and honed a micro bevel on them to 25 degrees. We have etched mark them so they are identifiable when on your bench.
They are spectacularly successful in softwoods cutting like demons and leaving a sliced surface that is completely smooth (no divot holes or gaps) and they are great for paring as well. Meant to cut dovetails in softwoods in the sides of drawers, but I have been using them around the shop for general work some of it in hardwoods and the edge hangs on well until you get to something like Wenge, just saying, they won't then replace our standard ground bevel edged chisels, but they have been truly useful as an adjunct.
Dedicated dovetail chisels are to ensure fine end grain cuts in dovetail joints, leaving tear-out in the form of divots or holes can cause problems when you plane to finish the surface of the sides as you can reach these holes and they show in the joint. They cut so easily without the need to force the cut that you can be assured you will not blow past your scribe line which will also show in the joint. And lately, with the news, that end grain glue does add to the strength of joinery, these refined end grain cuts help here too. Keeps on giving!
Lie-Nielsen Chisels are based on the Stanley 750 Bevel Edge Socket Chisels. Socket chisels are not common these days, perhaps because they are expensive to make, but Stanley and others once produced these chisels in a vast array. Socket chisel handles are less likely to break than tang chisels and can be replaced easily. At 9" long, our chisels are particularly comfortable in the hand and have excellent balance.
