Harbor Freight Carving Chisel Set Unboxing and Review

Рет қаралды 31,138

Күн бұрын

The title says it all. I unbox and review (first impressions, that is) the $10 carving chisel set from Harbor Freight.
In short, they are just ok. You really need to put some work into them to get them to work well. Even then, I'm not sure they work "great." Wood by Wright plainly says they are bad, and has Two Cherries carving tools.
If you need a cheap set, and are willing to put in some work, then this set could be a contender. I think it will get some knowhow before you drop real money on a carving set.
I really do hope you have enjoyed this video--Harbor Freight Carving Chisel Set Unboxing and Review. Please feel free to check out my other social profiles.
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Thanks!
Andrew

Пікірлер: 99

@bussinwithbutch6873 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you boss I’m 20 trying to get into carving creators like you really help me a lot

@timwhite9255 6 жыл бұрын

I went through what you are doing now with carving and a cheap set of chisels and i struggled to the point where i was going to give it up as a bad idea then i watched a few youtube guys that gave good advice and bought a small set ( 4 chisels,1 vee, 1 gouge, 1 fuller style flat and a chip knife ) When i got them i was really surprised at the quality for price, and let me tell you it made all the difference in the world. I started by doing the stuff like James Wright and i am now branching out. Sometimes it is the tools fault, and i had to learn that.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

REALLY great point! I feel like these tools are ok, just ok. I have a video coming out on Monday of me using them. I got pretty frustrated at times using them, but persistence did pay off. Nevertheless, if I do stick with carving, I will probably be looking for a better set. Until then, these are, well, ok. Now, I'm really glad to hear that you got the carving bug--I 100% agree about being the tool's fault. What are you carving?

@adamwilson4834 5 жыл бұрын

What set did you get? The ones I've seen recommended are $4-500

@heyearle325 3 жыл бұрын

Those tools aren’t carving, they are scratching. You will get the same result with a sharp nail. The penknife you opened the package with would be better suited for what you are trying to do. Save up for a Flexcut or similar set, or purchase them one at a time as you can afford them. Cheap tools are dangerous, you are pushing too hard, they are slipping with no control. Check out the sets at Lee Valley, much better use of your money.

@MakeBrooklyn 6 жыл бұрын

Cool, I'm sure with a little tuning you can make a perfectly serviceable carving set out of those!

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

I definitely think they will be fine for now... but I am going to be keeping an eye out for better ones if I stick with carving!

@grandadz_forge 6 жыл бұрын

WbyW (James) has convinced me that I don't have to be scared of trying to carve. Thanks for the helpful review!

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Great!! It's not that bad! It has a learning curve, definitely, but the key is sharpening the tools very well. Also, if you are starting out and aren't very confident in your sharpening, I'd stay away from the Harbor Freight tools. They could deter you! If you feel like you are willing to fuss with them and reset the bevel to get a tool that works ok, then get them to get your feet wet!

@grandadz_forge 6 жыл бұрын

The HandToolery I spent many hours watching James, Paul Sellers and Shawn (worth the Effort) and practicing sharpening with plane irons & chisels. Those tiny carvers look way hard but worth the challenge. If I mess up a cheap tool I won't be as sad. Lol

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Exactly what I thought! Good luck and have fun! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions! I'm no expert, but I am getting some satisfying results with the carvings I'm doing!

@gizanked 6 жыл бұрын

I picked up a set of these a while ago but after seeing the edges on some I put them back in the box until I get a grinder. There's a few that if I remember correctly had flat spots, not even just dull edges but flats on the tips.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Yeah you really have to address the bevels quite a bit. They are going to work for now, but I will probably upgrade if I stick with carving !

@nickmaynardct 6 жыл бұрын

I bought a set of these about 6 months ago and I'm pretty sure i got a different assortment of gouges. Not sure if it was a mistake on mine or if they're all just inconsistent but my set had two of the same v gouge and a duplicate of a flat chisel as well. I've since made a couple new handles for the ones that i used most often and they work just fine aside from having to sharpen more often than my nicer chisels. I wasn't a fan of the short stumpy handles so i made it the length of my bench chisels. I'd say they're definitely worth the $10 if you're just getting into carving, but you should maybe open the box in store to see what you're going to get.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

How strange! The handles are very short, and I don’t love the square-ish butt-ends. I will probably modify mine too!

@doncariker1718 4 жыл бұрын

The knife in the background, a Frontier carbon steel knife from Ireland? Very good carving tool?

@Awsometurtle20 6 жыл бұрын

awsome i was looking for a video on thse

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Glad to help!!

@extremewhitetail837 5 жыл бұрын

Hey Sir, I came across your video. I have been carving for years now. Just remember the carving chisels should be doing most of the work. If you have yo push as hard as your doing your working to hard. I have a set of about 20 Drake carving tools I wouldn't trade for the world. Pick you up a good carving chisel and compare the difference. I promise you will be glad you did.

@TheHandToolery 5 жыл бұрын

Great advice. These are passable at best. I definitely see that I will need good ones as these won’t be a viable carving tool.

@extremewhitetail837 5 жыл бұрын

I have seen some of those Brazilian carvings you mentioned and they are beautiful. I'm not sure what type of wood they carve with but the chocolate color is awesome. Good luck to you my friend.

@TheHandToolery 5 жыл бұрын

I agree! I love them. Take care!!

@nmssis 5 жыл бұрын

not sharp out of the box...could not cut bass wood can you do a video on how to sharpen these?

@BDM_PT 6 жыл бұрын

Hi there from Portugal, What angle did you go in the V-gauges? Obrigado(Thanks)

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Hey! Sorry--I don't know. I just drastically reduced the angle until it felt right when pushing the chisel. Sorry about that!!

@whatchamacallit1young138 Жыл бұрын

Bought the same won't cut butter.

@NoahWilliams-hx9qm 3 ай бұрын

They sell these oit in here Canada

@adamwilson4834 5 жыл бұрын

Nice to see a video on some carving tools the ordinary person can afford to buy to try a new hobby

@TheHandToolery 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I thought it was necessary too. They are ok. Not great, but I have used them enough to know I will be looking for better ones eventually but not right now.

@adamwilson4834 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah I want to try a little carving to dress up my projects as I don't have money for nice wood so I repurpose stuff from habitat for humanity restores. Lot of work stripping the poly etc but it's that or nothing.

@HeandIare1 5 жыл бұрын

I think, when you begin to do finer work, you will want to achieve a more polished edge. I bought the same set, steel is fair, edge holding is mediocre. Like you said, for $10... still you get what you pay for. But, a little work will improve them some.

@noahspence1104 6 жыл бұрын

I always look at these and wonder how they perform. Any advice on changing the bevels?

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Hey! They perform ok--they got the job done reasonably well. The bevel, whew. I took some sand paper on a piece of mdf and basically just tilted the chisel to a more appropriate angle and kept going until a new bevel was established. Then I tested it, and if it worked well, I kept it... if not, I did it all over again! UGH! Another issue with these is that the the upper-side is not finished. I had to take sandpaper to it, too, but only on the leading edge. That was much quicker. If you are willing to spend about 1-2 hours redoing the chisels, then these can work. The steel isn't so hard that it takes forever, but yeah, it took time. Overall, I still like them for what I have into them, but I will keep my eyes open for a deal on higher quality ones.

@noahspence1104 6 жыл бұрын

The HandToolery Thanks for the advice man! I've really been enjoying your channel.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Sure thing! And thank YOU for the kind words!

@monikasturm2575 Жыл бұрын

Got these mainly for cheap V tools. Used a dollar tree knife sharpening stone. Watched a couple linker carving and coffee videos now I have perfect v tools at a fraction of the price. Granted if your budget allows invest in the flex tool palm set. Mine was lost on a move, they are amazing from the get go and just take some honing every now and then depending on your use.

@charliejackson5096 5 жыл бұрын

I read in a carving book that all tools are dough when they 1st when you 1st get them out of the Box so you should sharpen them 1st and their defense but I don't know a few did are not so. Just something I thank you should know before you give what for.

@TheHandToolery 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I have found that most edge tools need sharpening when first using but these were not just dull. They bevel was very poorly formed for the work at hand. Too steep. In they end they worked but they are not quality, and I would say new users would find them frustrating.

@JeepTherapy 5 жыл бұрын

Pine is not a great carving medium due to the rings. One’s hard and dark and the other is lighter and soft as can be.

@TheHandToolery 5 жыл бұрын

So true! Great point.

@georgeb.wolffsohn30 Жыл бұрын

Skew chisels for woodcarving are more versatile if they made with double bevels.

@crazypiratesquirrel3038 Жыл бұрын

Can you suggest a video to watch that explains the situation in which you’d use each blade? I keep finding videos that only explain the quality of the tools like yours. I inherited a cheap hobby lobby style wood carving knife set with 12 different tools and I literally have no idea where to start. I’ve been searching KZfaq for almost an hour using several different keywords and haven’t found a video yet that explains what the different blades are to be used for.

@TheHandToolery Жыл бұрын

Hello! There is no real set rules about how to use each profile/tool. I will say that v-gouges are great for thin lines and defining spaces. The semi-circle ones are great for removing waste as well as defining circular/curvy areas. The straight ones do stops cuts and many other types. Check out Peter Follansbee. He doesn’t say what tools, but shows you everything he does, with great camera angles and shows what he is thinking.

@crazypiratesquirrel3038 Жыл бұрын

@@TheHandToolery Cool! Thank you very much for all of the help! :D

@TheWoodYogi 6 жыл бұрын

They will definitely give you a feel for carving :) I'm sure they will work great once you have used them for a while ॐ

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

I'm hoping so! I've got a caving video coming out Monday, and I've already done another one. Really think I'm going to be hooked!

@doncariker1718 4 жыл бұрын

Not unless they are sharp.

@frankcoley6144 4 жыл бұрын

They need sharpened I have a set of the same chisel.I also have the straight chises

@rickevans7941 4 жыл бұрын

LOL mine were impossible to keep an edge on. Probably failed heat treat or bad batch of steel, because usually HF Chinesium isn't that bad. This set was the worst Harbor Fright 😱 buy I've ever made.

@TheHandToolery 4 жыл бұрын

I bought the $20 lathe tools and couldn’t get them really sharp. It is what it is.

@philipripper1522 4 жыл бұрын

A year later, what do you think of these 10 dollar carving chisels, The HandToolery?

@TheHandToolery 4 жыл бұрын

Very very meh. I want to carve more but absolutely need better ones. I don’t have a grinder and maybe that would help but the gouges are all so poorly shaped. The skew chisels are a dream for inside corners in cutting half blind dovetails though. So that is a big redeeming quality. Probably just worth the money but only just.

@philipripper1522 4 жыл бұрын

@@TheHandToolery Thanks, I appreciate it. The V is the WORST! Got the set as presents the other day and was deciding what to do with them. Better than nothing, but so much work w/o a grinder to get more than a couple in order.

@philipripper1522 4 жыл бұрын

@@TheHandToolery I think I might set up the dull as heck gouges and V as the 'teeth' to push wood against, whatever you call those things. Making a little table jig to use them that way will at least amuse me. I can say I used them to carve (since they'll hold my wood in place).

@TheHandToolery 4 жыл бұрын

@@philipripper1522 Ha! Yeah... that V gouge. It's so strange that they go through the trouble of making them and profiling them... entirely wrong. I'm not an expert on carving, but it was clear that something was off. Anyway, I still have them and may use them for other things, but we will see.

@alexanderthegreatsdad.3831 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheHandToolery how about nowadays? A year later from your last comment. I just got mine yesterday and I'm getting the same results as you in this video. I was expecting smooth lines.

@mamabearssheshedtracykeato6941 6 жыл бұрын

I had gotten a set of those for my birthday last year. However I was warned against them. Now I am a carver. I found it very difficult to get any type of cuts with them out of the package. I know they need to be sharpened out of the box. But because of the warnings I took them back to the store instead. I was then given a set that my grandfather had used. They were Swiss made but I don't know the maker at this time...I don't think these Windsor's are made to use with mallets... Let me know how these work out for you!

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Tracy Keaton I’ve really been enjoying carving already! I think it’s going to stick. 100%, I would NOT recommend these to someone who never carved before. You definitely got good advice. I really think the angle of the bevel is a major problem, but since I’ve never carved... I can’t be sure. All I know is that changing the angle made a difference. I have a video coming out Monday showing a carving I’ve done and it turned out ok. For now I kind of have to stick with these-but I will be Keeping an eye open for better ones. What kind of carvings are you doing?? Did it take long to get good at sharpening them? It’s a learning curve for sure. Take care!

@mamabearssheshedtracykeato6941 6 жыл бұрын

Mostly caricature carvings, chip carvings, and the like. I have attempted a large red cedar bust, however it cracked before I could finish it. Next time I know to use dry wood, or stick to Basswood.

@mamabearssheshedtracykeato6941 6 жыл бұрын

Sharpening is an integral part of the learning curve. Without Basic sharpening skills, along with honing and stropping, and proper polishing, you could have the best of chisels that just will not work! Sharpening has to be the most important of them all.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Spot on!!! No doubt my woodworking took the biggest leap forward when I learned to (and understood the how to) get a consistently sharp edge.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Cool! The video I mentioned it a woodcut block print. So the carving is less complicated than what you are doing for sure!

@jv1990 3 жыл бұрын

Just sharpen them and they will be adequate, same for HF chisels. I got a set and it fulfills my needs. I would steer clear from their hand planers, you could better and cheaper ones online.

@erlpen2016 3 жыл бұрын

It has been two years since you posted this video....what do you think about these tools now? Thank you.

@TheHandToolery 3 жыл бұрын

Hi! I barely use them. I got better ones given to me by a company, and I can say it does make a different. The quality of the HF is a huge barrier to getting going because the angles are off and they insides aren’t smooth on some. As a cheap option that you’ll have to put work into, they are ok. But that is true if anything (thinking of Matt Estlea decking out that Amazon plane). So it’s very little money, and they do work, but of course spending more money will bring a very different, better experience.

@erlpen2016 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheHandToolery thank you for your quick response....it helps a lot...i think the best way to get around the cost of the better chisels is to buy 3 to 5 of the best and later buy one at the time as needed...the way i see it now at this point in my life no matter what activity you engage in you would do better by having better to best tools...

@darylhoogendyk9937 3 жыл бұрын

I've been carving for years and you can't expect chisels to cut straight out of the box. These need the angle increased on the grinder, honed on a oil stone then buffed or stroped with polishing paste. Once that is done they will cut like a hot knife through butter trust me!

@TJSWOODWORKINGSHOP 6 жыл бұрын

Hey my brother at the end of the video I think you got it going later :)

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks!! I hope so! My video Monday will have some carving so we will see... take care!

@Aubreykun 6 жыл бұрын

Aside from the bad out-of-box performance... You don't want CR-V carving chisels because of how difficult the curves and angles are to sharpen accurately. With harder steels you only need keep a habit of touching up the edge, but CR-V (especially in HF grade CR-V) will be a huge pain thanks to the higher maintenance needed on them.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Yeah-I’ve also noticed that chrome vanadium gets sharp enough but doesn’t hold it well compared to other metals. I think you are spot on with your assessment.

@Aubreykun 6 жыл бұрын

The positive is that it's rust resistant so if you only do occasional, small carving (like inscribing a mark) then it can be worth it I guess. But you could make your own by getting some HSS tool bits (for a metal lathe) and grinding them down to shape.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Cool tip! I tried to make one out of a hacksaw blade like Pask Makes, and man did I fail. I couldn't get it to cut right. Inexperience I'm sure. Whatever the case, I'm going to keep my eye open for some higher quality tools, for sure! At least at $10 it didn't break the bank!

@joselitolardizabal4149 Жыл бұрын

How much set

@TheHandToolery Жыл бұрын

I think less than $15

@Anna-tc6rz 5 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately I cant find these at harbor freight. Shoulda sharpened them before you tried them. No point in trying them when you knew they weren't sharp lol

@TheHandToolery 5 жыл бұрын

I knew they weren’t sharp, and I’m quite comfortable sharpening edge tools. The issue is that they are ground quite poorly and and you need to spend significant time reworking the edge. Also, I am not sure what you mean that I should have sharpened them because that is basically what the whole video is about.

@Anna-tc6rz 5 жыл бұрын

@@TheHandToolery I meant that you knew they weren't sharp when you pulled them out, so you shouldve sharpened them before you began testing them.

@TheHandToolery 5 жыл бұрын

Holy cow someone actually replied to my reply! Ha! Fair enough-I figured it would be an exercise in futility but I think some people kind of expect a test straight out of the box. Besides I was antsy haha

@Anna-tc6rz 5 жыл бұрын

@@TheHandToolery fair enough. Its one of those damned if you do and damned if you dont lol. The entire time I was like..... well duh it's not gonna work it's not sharp. Are you expecting some black magic here? But some people might want to see it. People may not have replied because they dont have notifications turned on or they just dont work well. A lot of times I've noticed not getting a notification

@tommy2guns591 4 жыл бұрын

Maybe it's the wood you are using

@TheHandToolery 4 жыл бұрын

Well, probably that, and me being a newbie, and certain the chisels need some help too.

@frankcoley6144 4 жыл бұрын

Get a diamond sharpening steel. They need to be razor sharp what you have is not sharp enough wood should be shaving nice curls of shavings

@colinmcmb 8 ай бұрын

Jeez man, you didn't even sharpen them?

@BillO964 Жыл бұрын

The Harbor Freight carving sets are a total waste of money . I have purchased both sets. They both went into the recycling dumpster.

@jarrodpenton2649 4 жыл бұрын

4 min in ok better spend more than 10 bucks on a set got you

@escaflowne33055 6 жыл бұрын

they are great. as anyone continues to learn, you'll find which chisels you use, you'll learn how to properly sharpen, how different density woods cut and so on. there is nothing wrong with these.

@TheHandToolery 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks! That's what I'm thinking. As I keep doing more carving, I'm getting better of course, and also learning the strengths and weaknesses of both the chisels and my selection of caving media. Take care!

@husbandmarried 5 жыл бұрын

pfeil

@ryanbishop3343 3 жыл бұрын

Any chisel from $200 to $2 is not ready to use out of the box. They all need to be sharpened, honed and polished.

@ryanbishop3343 3 жыл бұрын

I have the bigger 6pc Windsor chisel set and after a little bit with my whetstone down to 12k grit and a strip their scary sharp and from what I can tell good tools

@robinalexander5772 2 жыл бұрын

Straight into bin. Do not pass go don't collect points. Can anyone imagine holding that chisel design for more than twenty minutes, na most uncomfortable. Buy a decent chisel worth $50 or more, enjoy the tool, hand it to the next gen and then the next. I have paid over $200 for a chisel and it works every day of the week. step up cry once enjoy your tool.