By the beginning of this year, my most often used chisel, an A2 Steel, 1/2 inch Lie-Nielsen Bevel Edge Socket Chisel, had reached the end of it's usable life in my shop. Rather than replace it with another Lie-Nielsen, I decided to try a different brand. I was just beginning to use hand tools when I bought this chisel back in 2013. At the time, I was drawn to the bomb-proof socket design and shrugged off the potential for handles that might fall out with every swing of the we

There are some very old companies who used to make sweet tools. But I wouldn't get your heart set on owning any of their new stuff.