Zev wrote in about a new Irwin chisel he came across. (Thank you!)
Saw it at Walmart today. Haven’t used it. In addition to the obvious extra cutting edge it is beveled on both sides which may prevent it from being as effective for some woodworking tasks. Wish it came with a sheath…
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Compared to the Dewalt/Stanley side strike chisel I like the lack of serrations and the safer looking handle.
I definitely haven’t seen this before. Dewalt’s Side-Strike chisel comes to mind, and knowing that Irwin is now part of Stanley Black & Decker, I can’t say I’m surprised.
From how Zev describes it, and from the photo, it looks like Irwin was going after more of a “chisel knife” styled tool, perhaps similar to the Mora chisel knife.
The attachment to the handle looks completely different too. The Dewalt has a thicker shank (forged?) while the Irwin looks like it could have been cut from steel sheet material.
If you ask me, and keeping in mind that I’ve used the Dewalt chisel but not this one yet, I think I might like the Irwin blade geometries better.
The Irwin IIRHT16698 utility chisel is out of stock near me, and might be something that is being tested in some stores. I also cannot find it anywhere else online.
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It has a distinct SBD-style model number, and so it’s not a remnant product from before SBD acquired the brand.
Price-wise, it’s under $6 (if in stock for shipping or pickup in your area).
Buy Now(via Walmart)
Rick
The mora carpenter knife is very similiar and comes with a sheeth that is very usable. Granted it comes in at around 15 dollars , and thereby more than double the cost of this, but that may also be the fact that it uses a high quality steel.
I find it to be a great companion for door installations, and lock refitting where fine carpentry tools can easily be damaged from a hidden nail.
I cant tell from the picture, but is that a single or double bevel grind? I have Irwin marples chisles and I got them specifically because they were single angle.
Koko the Talking Ape
That Zev fellow says it is beveled on both sides. It is not really a chisel. It is a knife with a square blade. Like other people, I wonder how you are supposed to use this.
Rick
I was referring to the grind, as many chisels have a second bevel, to increase the angle at the cutting edge. I prefer only one bevel.
As to the uses, the mora is thick enough to use as a pry bar, but the tip is sharp enough to cut off dowel pegs, remove just a bit more for a door pocket. the side edges are good if you have to separate a glued in trim, as you can tap your way down prying, and cutting through the glue at the same time. digging down to pry up a nail head, and its pretty handy for repairing old sash windows when you need to cut through old paint, or separate bits of wood.
Koko the Talking Ape
Ah, I see. It looks like there are two grinds. The primary grind is quite rough. But I am sure you can make it a single grind (like a Scandi grind?) if you wanted to take the time.
I can see how the Mora chisel knife is useful in the ways you describe. But it is beveled only on one side, like a chisel. This Irwin tool is beveled on both sides (according to Zev), like a Scandi grind knife with a square blade, as I said. Hard to see where an ordinary knife (like a Mora) wouldn’t work as well or better.
RKA
Funny you mention that. Last night I was regrinding a set of woodworking chisels for a friend. The chisels suffered exactly that indignity…door installations and hidden nails!
Rick
Sheath. I misspelled .
fred
The price is certainly cheap enough (compared to Dewalt, Mora and LeeValley alternatives) to give it a try.
The China-Made (Chestnut Tools Brand) ones from Lee Valley do come with a nylon scabbard – compared to Mora’s plastic sheath. The Mora also looks to be more of a knife with some chiseling function.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=67735&cat=41504
John
The nice thing about the Chestnut Tools one is that it’s full-tang — you can use it for batoning, and you really shouldn’t use the Mora for that.
Nathan
how does one use something like this? I’m curious as to the real purpose I don’t really see one.
Christopher Trafnik
Mr either
Pete
Stanley has sold this chisel for a while as a Fatmax branded item. I regularly see it on sale at Menards for $6.99 – $10.99. However, I can’t find it on Stanley’s site.
https://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/hand-tools/chisels-files-punches-sets/stanley-reg-fatmax-reg-1-3-8-x-9-utility-chisel/fmht16693/p-1525415515876-c-9122.htm?tid=-321315679593963088&ipos=3
Jeremiah D
The Stanley has a good looking hard plastic sheath too. I got a dewal t and wish it came with a sheath. Saw the Stanley in a Menards ad and thinking about it just for the sheath so it’s safe to keep in tool bag
Julian Tracy
The Mora is Swiss made I think. I find it handy to have in the tool box as a jobsite chisel. The single long bevel allows for some hammering to do some serious cutting or demo if need be.
When’s the last time Irwin made anything, especially with a cutting edge, of quality?
fred
Morakniv hails from the shores of the Baltic: Sweden
CT
Much like the “Demolition” Scratch Awl, the only reason this tool exists is because so many people misuse traditional chisels. This seems like SBD/Irwin just saying use this instead of ruining your chisel set.
fred
At least (IMO anyway) its better than those Nicholson Chisel-Rasp combination tools that I’ve seen at HD
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Nicholson-Wood-Chuck-Chisel-Rasp-Set-3-Piece-WCSET3CMNN/206710010
But one man’s meat is another’s poison – and someone probably likes batoning chisels and/or the Nicholson Wood Chucks. BTW – Lee Valley shows theirs in use splitting out shims from a piece of a 2×4. I’ve used Buck’s Compadre Froe for splitting kindling:
https://www.amazon.com/Buck-Knives-0108WAS-COMPADRE-Genuine/dp/B00R3NNZN6/
Framer joe
C’mon stew, you like it better then the dewalt you own without even seeing it in person, ? Sometimes your bias against Dewalt shows even more then usual.
It’s a crap tool ,made cheap with no real purpose sold at Walmart?
Any news on the dewalt Tstak vacuum?
Or possible toughsystem vac? What about new drills and impacts? The 3 drawer tough system?
Dayton
Precisely, all this is a cheap Chinese made tool with metal that won’t hold up an edge for a long duration. If you need decent wood chisel, Buck makes them and they are still USA made. Similarly, there is a great deal of decent USA made knives and Case still produces decent made USA made knives at reasonable prices.
Might as well buy a used wood chisel, grind down either the right or left side and you’d have the same type of tool for even less than $6.
As for Dewalt, as with all brands these days, obviously not EVERY product they make will be something everyone wants. Just saw those hammers yesterday and while I’d never buy them when Estwing, Vaughn and several other brands still make their hammers in the USA, to each their own.
Wallmart=Amazon. Not much difference between the two, only with the exception that Amazon tends to have a more “deluxe” vernier image. Both treat their employees horribly (perhaps with very few exceptions) and both would gladly screw over anyone/any company if this meant the CEO would earn a higher bonus.
fred
Yep and Buck Brothers still makes more than just the utility chisels that you see on the HD site
https://www.craftsmanstudio.com/category-s/262.htm
Another USA-made choice is Lie-Nielsen:
https://www.craftsmanstudio.com/category-s/134.htm
These are both perhaps more useful for woodworking than for general carpentry
PETE
There is this- https://www.dewalt.com/en-us/products/gear-and-equipment/tool-storage/toughsystem-drawers/dwst08290
Don’t know if you’ve seen it yet. Looks really cool if the drawers are also weather resistant. I’d like to see how the drawers can actually hold.
Stuart
Yes, Farmer John. The Dewalt’s shape can be a hinderance. I’m skeptical of the quality, but I like the chisel/blade shape better.
I buggered up the Dewalt side strike chisel edge a bit. There’s no easy way to fix it. A $6 chisel with a pain edge might be more easily fixed, and if not, it’s more easily replaced.
I’m biased against Dewalt? That’s news to me. My sentiments towards the brand has never been better.
Tsak Vac? No news.
ToughSystem vacuum? No news.
I know there’s a FlexVolt vac coming out, and I’m waiting on an image and some added details.
New drills? None.
New impact? No.
I do have my eyes open since these are often high-interest holiday promo products.
3-drawer ToughSystem tool box? I requested a sample of the 2-drawer and 3-drawer units earlier this week. I haven’t found a retail listing for the 3-drawer unit yet.
Andrew
Bahco sold something like this, came with a sheath. It was an alright little knife, real stout blade, has an edge profile like this Irwin, no strike cap though, and I believe the guard area was all plastic. It was marketed as a demo chisel/knife in our area.
fred
https://www.amazon.com/Bahco-BAH2448-Chisel-Knife-case/dp/B003ASVQP2
Mr Mike
If this is a chisel design that originated in China or Asia somewhere, the purpose may be a mystery to westerners because the material it is used on is not common here. I think it would be perfect for working in Bamboo which could be easily split with that side chisel. Making quick tenons for mortises would be another woodworking use that’s not common here anymore.
Or maybe it’s just another zombie defense weapon?
Christopher Trafnik
Zombie killer
ToolOfTheTrade
I think this is a good indication of what sbd is planning to do with Irwin which obviously is not a good thing. If this is the effort that they’re going to invest into Irwin, then why the hell did they even buy the company? They’ve owned them for a while now and the only thing that they have to show so far is a demolition awl & this. Where’s the new generation of vise grips or clamps or levels or anything that Irwin was known for? Same goes for Lenox. It seems that sbd just doesn’t get it. It’s like they’re just spending the money to own a brand but not investing money to keep the brand relevant. Look what they did to porter cable. Well established brand that made some pretty good tools and frequently released new products. Sbd bought them and within a few years porter cable was considered a diy brand releasing something new every other year if that. Irwin is one of the few hand tool and power tool accessories brands that has always been considered professional because they’ve always made good stuff. But when crap like this comes from their brand it says that new ownership is leading them down the wrong path.
CT
Really? I’ve never considered IRWIN all that great of a brand. Maybe back when they were just known for their bits. The Irwin brand as it is currently was just Rubbermaid retiring about a dozen specialty brands trying to build a national presence and in the process offshoring thousands of jobs. Not that great a reputation to me.
Curt Shields
Instead of this chisel knife, I tend to use CountyComm’s EOD Breaker Bar (https://countycomm.com/products/eod-robotics-breacher-bar) for rough chopping and prying tasks. I do a lot of building inspections, both before and after construction, and I’ve ground the tip bezel to a slightly sharper point (it ships blunt).
Excellent tool. Paracord wrapped the handle.