Reddit mentions: The best masonry chisels

Not 'cheap' but these are the cheapest one's I'd get. You won't regret having decent steel and they'll last you a lifetime (even if you 'upgrade' later).
https://smile.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483251855&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+sweetheart+chisels

Good luck.

If they're too expensive, I'd second the Narex stuff. I have a set of their mortising chisels...while they don't hold a candle to the Lie-Nielsen stuff...they do work well and are cheap. Personally, I'd rather have (1) 1/2" Lie Nielsen mortising chisel instead of the Narex set. Unfortunately you need at least 2-3 bench chisels.

Really, the most important thing with chisels (cheap and/or fancy) is to sharpen them regularly. . . yes it's a chore but your work will be better. Get good sharpening stones (shapton or a reputable waterstone set) and you'll be set with even the cheapest chisels (just have to sharpen a bit more often).

Happy New Year!

I would second the Stanley Sweetheart chisels as a good, affordable set of chisels. I think they perform great, feel good in the hand, and even look like a quality tool. Amazon has a great deal on the set of four most commonly used sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482187654&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+chisels

The new stanley sweethearts are also worth looking into IMO https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

Here are some other brands to look at: http://www.startwoodworking.com/sites/default/files/tool-test-bench-chisels.pdf

Keep in mind that with higher priced chisels you're often paying for it being closer to set up out of the box, and quality of the steel in terms of holding and edge vs ease of sharpening.

Second candleww that Ashley Iles are really sweet. Watch how quickly Dave Barron sets one up for use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENqMrvsR3q8

Lastly, I've seen vintage chisels perform just as well as new premium chisels once they are restored. Brands like Butcher, Witherby, Berg, Stanley are great. There are lots of videos on restoring chisels out there, and it isn't hard to do.

I can't comment on the ones in your pic, but I bought the ones above it (you can just barely see the bottom of them) and it was not worth the $10 or whatever I spent. They are softer metal and now essentially garbage for me. I next bought the Stanley Sweetheart 4 piece set for $75 and they are outstanding. (If that's too much for you FWW says these are really good for like $40.) So like I said, can't comment on these but in general, with tools, you pay for what you get. I'd rather spend $75 on something that will last my lifetime than $1 on something that will cost me time to replace, will fail when I need it, doesn't do the job quite as well.

I recently removed some brick from my fireplace and I used this chisel:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NIFBA8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this hammer:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I33UDUS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was using some old chisels and a claw hammer and it was getting the job done, but the way I look at it, if I'm going to save us a bunch of money fixing the house myself then I'm going to treat myself with tools. These two tools made a significant difference.

The chisel is a no brainer for the price, sped things up a lot because of the large size, less splintering of what was there, etc. The large size will help you get between the mortar and the current brick you don't want to disturb.

The sledge is optional. Everyone has claw hammers and it gets the work done. But I was amazed at how much more powerful a couple of pounds are when you're driving chisels and knocking out bricks instead of just pounding nails. Don't know how I never owned a sledge hammer before now.

Thanks for the info.

I feel I'm treading water here flip flopping back and forth.

So this is what I have come up with.

Sharpening:

https://www.amazon.com/DMT-D6EF-Dia-.../dp/B000GD3V3E
and
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PVXRJ0..._ZkHazb3N619JN

Chisels:

Stanley 16-791 Sweetheart 750 Series Socket Chisel Set, Brown, 4 - Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TK0IG8..._MlHazbXRPYNVR

Included the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1", add the 3/8" in separate.


That or the Narex set of 4 and the 5/8 from LV.

For some reason the Narex set looks more "robust" as the hornbeam handle on the sweetheart seems fragile...but after looking around more everyone says the sweetheart chisels are better than the narex. They seem to be identical to the ones on LV as on amazon for 30% less.

These are some of the best entry-level options:

• Narex Classic Bevel Edge
  
• Woodriver
  
• Stanley 750
  
  If you want to spend a small amount more and get chisels for life, consider these. They are shockingly inexpensive for how good they are.
  
  You don't need to go to L-N/Veritas/Blue Spruce and spend $75+ apiece on the world's greatest chisels to get good results. You can cut perfect dovetails with any of these.
  
  For dovetails, I mostly use 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4". On smaller pieces, sometimes just 1/4" and 1/2". For casework, the 3/4" chisel comes out a lot more.
  
  When clearing tail baselines, I like my chisel to be slightly more than half of the length of the baseline. This way, I get the whole thing in two strokes per side, and both strokes have plenty of knife line available for registration.
  
  Also, if you are going for super skinny pins, especially in thin stock, you may need to go smaller than 1/4". If your smallest chisel is 1/4", make sure that when you lay out your dovetails, the pin sockets are at least that wide. If you find yourself bruising the sides of your tails because you don't have room to maneuver, it's a sign that you need a smaller chisel or a larger pin.
  
  It's also useful to have a much wider chisel than 1/2" for paring and strengthening knife lines. Something in the 1"-2" range. This is less dovetailing-specific, but dovetails aren't the only joinery involved in making boxes.
  
  As for other tools:
  
  
• A cutting gauge like this for marking baselines.
  
• A try square or combo square
  
• A dovetail saw. The best bang/$ is this one.
  
• A dovetail marker: make it yourself.
  
• Some means for jointing and thicknessing stock.
  
• A way to hold boards upright while you work on them. You can make a Moxon vise out of scraps and inexpensive hardware.
  
• A saw to remove waste. I use a fret saw most of the time--with a little practice it's quick and efficient. Some people use coping saws. On larger/thicker dovetails (>1" stock), I sometimes use a turning saw.
  

This set of Stanley Sweetheart chisels is on sale for $83 which is a really good deal. Normally the chisels run around $30 per unit at a place like rockler. I'd put them a step above chisels like Narex (which aren't "bad" by any shot) but still below a brand like Ashley Isles or Pfeil.

Great set if you're looking to upgrade from something like harbor freight chisels.

Yuppers! Amazon has the best price for stanley sweetheart chisels. The 4 piece is plenty: http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453931261&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+sweetheart+750

The 24" K-body revo clamps should be excellent size for most of your projects (in addition to couple of 6" clamps). http://www.homedepot.com/p/BESSEY-24-in-K-Body-REVO-Parallel-Clamp-with-Composite-Plastic-Handle-and-3-3-4-in-Throat-Depth-KR3-524/204986215

Ohh...consumables are good from home depot also. Such as sand paper.

Craftsman Table Saw Model # $150


Shop Fox model #G8826 fence system $275


Freud P410 Premier Fusion 10-Inch 40 Tooth Hi-ATB General Purpose Saw Blade $80


Wilton 15” drill press $100


Parks 12” planer $600 This requires a little road trip

Atlas 6” jointer $150 Model #


Delta 10” bandsaw, Powerkraft radial arm saw and Rockwell contractor table saw $200
I would resell one of the tablesaws Just pick the nicest one and sell the other.


Oneway Multi Gauge $97 This is for setting the jointer perfectly and the dial indicator can be removed to make planer setting jig as described by Bob Vaughan (see youtube) or fine woodworking 107.


Angle block set for machine setup $30


Bessey Bar Clamps $14x3 plus maybe $10x3 for bars Say $75 total


Stanley sweetheart chisel set of 4 $80



This leaves $243 left for misc things like drill bits, planer/jointer knives or sharpening F style clamps a cordless drill, random orbit sander, sand paper ect.

Thanks for asking the question because I was wondering about decent chisels on a budget. I'll probably pick up https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TK0IG8/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1JK4X4CB9PRRD&colid=XSR4TUQ1ES94&psc=1 based on the recommendations. Hope the BF loves his gift whatever you get!

I have multiple sets of chisels but I find I go back to my Stanley 750 (the modern ones) often. You can get a set of 4 for under 100 on amazon. Quality stuff. I use the Paul Sellers technique to chop mortises. I isn't as quick as some but it sure feels good once completed. Like reliving an ancient technique.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

Depending on what type of stone you want to work with will define the tools you will need. No matter what you will need safety goggles and a half decent respirator especially if you use any power tools.

Soap stone is incredibly soft and easy to work with and chisel kits are inexpensive.

For harder stone you can look at some better chisels that are still affordable. You can move up in quality once you want to commit. A 3lb sledge and wooden mallet will come in handy.

A rotary tool with diamond bits can also be fun to play with. Goggles, respirator and a spray bottle filled with water are needed.

Start hammering away. You will make lots of mistakes but eventually you will start to see the grain in some stones that will show you what can and cannot be done.

Good luck.

Which stanley's are you looking at? I have these and I love them. I prefer the handle shape/size of these over the narex. Both have great reviews. I never considered the Irwin chisels because I didn't like the handle.

I use Stanley Sweethearts and they're great.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

Pass on the Narex. There's not much difference between those and the Irwins you have. You will definitely want to replace them sooner than later. Also to mention, all Narex are not created equal. The only ones I'd recommend are the "Classic". And they can only be purchased through Lee Valley. The same goes for Narex Mortise chisels.

If it must be amazon, these are okay.

What's your sharpening situation looking like?

This is what I did. I got a used rotary hammer off craigslist for about the same price of a 4 hour rental and got this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WA99IW/

I'm like you. I hate working on someone else's clock. Tore out tile in my kitchen and dining room.

In my experience, scraping attachments for reciprocating saws are too flimsy and the blade travel on these saws are too much for easy handling in tile removal. Mishandling can easily result in broken blades. Reciprocating saws are good for what they are made to do: sawing. Rotary hammers are good for what they are made to do: hammering. See the trend?

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8 shoot the price went up on them by about 10 dollars since i last bought them, but they're very good chisels to have. You really don't need a full set of 8 of them.

i'd recommend getting the 1/8th http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-781-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TQGHOE/ref=pd_sim_469_2/188-9502197-5612530?ie=UTF8&dpID=21S6-4OQCyL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=18XVZDRFP6Q1YPHKAX8G
chisel too for getting into tight little corners and what not.

If you bash it with hammer and chisel, it will probably break in a pattern similar to the other one beside it. That might be fine, but agate/ chalcedony is generally rather resistant to impact, and it doesn't always break predictably.

Two possibilities: Use a diamond drill bit and water to drill small holes, insert feather and wedges to split it along a straight line.

Or, search out a rock and mineral club with a slab saw, or a local lapidary. Search etsy by region, there tend to be a lot of lapidaries in areas where agate is found.

Small agate can be cut with a diamond blade on a tile saw, but this is way beyond that size.

I ordered them off of Amazon. [here's the link](http://www.Stanley.com/ 16-793 Sweetheart 750 Series Socket Chisel 8 Piece Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051PCQ7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jZgTzbJB9H7CF)

I'll call the number provided for Stanley on Monday and see what they think.

Great.. Now I want to save my money and buy one, just so I can go around breaking up big rocks into little ones :-) But I'm afraid the budget is more likely to support: http://smile.amazon.com/Wedges-Shims-Pkg-Sets/dp/B00383GNCU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452887239&sr=8-1&keywords=feathers+and+wedge (They work too, but are more work.)

That interestingly enough doesn't seem like cement board, and more like particle board - this is actually advantageous to you as that's easier to pop off, and should have drained a lot of moisture out of the glue when it was laid so as to make it even easier. Would definitely recommend a wonderbar. Would also consider a wide headed cold chisel such as this https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-328-4-Inch-2-Inch-Bi-Material/dp/B000NIBFSU/ref=br_lf_m_hxd8u47vjd4f485_img?_encoding=UTF8&s=hi

If you're really struggling, then perhaps get a hold of a hammer drill (basically a mini jackhammer) with a tile masonry removal bit.

This sort of job isn't easy, it is time consuming, it is hard work. The right tools make it easier but a lot more expensive. The trick is to get under the tiles and pop them off, or to vibrate them so they pop off in the case of a hammer drill. Make sure you wear a respirator and earmuffs when/where necessary. The dust from this kind of stuff is exceedingly bad for your lungs.

This is the chisel set I'm heavily considering. Would also appreciate recommendations from experienced guys/gals.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B004TK0IG8

They have Stanley 750 series stamped on them. http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Series-Socket/dp/B004TK0IG8

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-791-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B0051PCQ7Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1543097182&sr=8-2&keywords=stanley%2Bchisel%2Bset%2Bsweetheart&th=1

Keep an eye on camel camel camel

Also on amazon.

What does the PriceZombie bot say about the 8 piece set:
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-16-793-Sweetheart-Socket-Chisel/dp/B0051PCQ7Y