Ashley Iles Bench Chisels
The term "Bench Chisels" is the traditional terminology for those chisels used by a joiner or cabinetmaker, either of whom would normally be working in front of a work bench. A good set of bevel edge chisels should be at the foundation of any tool kit. Ashley Iles is best known as making great carving chisels, but they also offer a line of first quality bevel edge chisels. The Ashley Iles motto is "made in the old tradition." The first thing that strikes you about these chisels is that they are ground more like the old 19th Century Sheffield chisels, which were the best ever made, than any other factory made chisels made today. Most modern bench chisels are much thicker than the old chisels, presumably because today's manufacturers feel they need to compensate for potential misuse. Ashley Iles chisels are not sold through mass market channels and they don't seem to feel the same need to accomodate the hack user. When you are cutting dovetails, this difference will be quite apparent, as the sides of the Ashley Iles chisels will not get in the way like other modern bench chisels often do. And of course Ashley Iles chisels are made from the best Sheffield steel.
We sell three types of the Ashley Iles bench chisels, a longer version known as the "American Pattern", and a shorter version, the "English Pattern", and very short "butt" chisels. The longer chisels are Ashley Iles standard model, and the shorter chisels are made exclusively for us. The Ashley Iles butt chisels are not really bench chisel, they are carpenters chisels based on the Stanley butt chisels that were popular in the 1920s and 1930s, however some people like to use them today as bench chisels. We think that these Ashley Iles butt chisels are a bit too short but we appreciate that everyone has their own style. Our custom chisels were sized by looking at hundreds of examples in our collection of 19th Century English chisels, and our experience of what feels right at the bench.
Both English and American chisels of the 19th Century were shorter than most of today's chisels. Around 1900, American chisels started getting longer and socket chisels started becoming popular. At this time, very little cabinetmaking was going on in this country, and these longer chisels appealed to carpenters. By the the 1930s, all of the American chisels had become quite long, except for the Stanley butt chisels. After the War, the British started exporting more chisels to the US than had been the case in the decades immediately proceeding the War (expecially after Taft-Hartley was enacted). To compete in this market, the British started making their chisels longer to match what Americans had become used to. Now, with people again buying chisels to use for cabinetmaking, 19th Century style chisels are needed once more. That is why we engaged Ashley Iles to make a custom set of chisels for us that are made to the dimensions of a good 19th Century set of English (or American) cabinetmaker's chisels.
| Ashley Iles Bevel Edge Chisels European Beech or Bubinga Handles. Overall length 11 1/2" to 13 1/2"  Click on Image to Expand |
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| Stock # | Size/Handle | Price | Qty | Buy |
| B-1/8-BE | 1/8" Beech handle | $25.95 | ||
| B-1/4-BE | 1/4" Beech handle | $19.95 | ||
| B-3/8-BE | 3/8" Beech handle | $21.95 | ||
| B-1/2-BE | 1/2" Beech handle | $21.95 | ||
| B-5/8-BE | 5/8" Beech handle | $22.95 | ||
| B-3/4-BE | 3/4" Beech handle | $23.95 | ||
| B-7/8-BE | 7/8" Beech handle | $24.95 | ||
| B-1-BE | 1" Beech handle | $25.95 | ||
| B-1.1/4-BE | 1 1/4" Beech handle | $31.95 | ||
| B-1.1/2-BE | 1 1/2" Beech handle | $34.95 | ||
| Stock # | Size/Handle | Price | Qty | Buy |
| B-1/8-BU | 1/8" Bubinga handle | $28.95 | ||
| B-1/4-BU | 1/4" Bubinga handle | $21.95 | ||
| B-3/8-BU | 3/8" Bubinga handle | $23.95 | ||
| B-1/2-BU | 1/2" Bubinga handle | $24.95 | ||
| B-5/8-BU | 5/8" Bubinga handle | $25.95 | ||
| B-3/4-BU | 3/4" Bubinga handle | $26.95 | ||
| B-7/8-BU | 7/8" Bubinga handle | $27.95 | ||
| B-1-BU | 1" Bubinga handle | $28.95 | ||
| B-1.1/4-BU | 1 1/4" Bubinga handle | $35.95 | ||
| B-1.1/2-BU | 1 1/2" Bubinga handle | $39.95 | ||
| B-2-BU | 2" Bubinga handle | $47.95 | ||
| B-S5-BU | Set of 5 Bubinga handles Sizes 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" |
$109.50 | ||
| B-S6-BU | Set of 6 Bubinga handles Sizes 1/8" 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" |
$134.50 | ||
| B-S11-BU | Set of All 11 Sizes Bubinga handles | $274.50 |
| Ashley Iles Corner Chisels Bubinga handles.  Click on Image to Expand |
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| Stock # | Size | Price | Qty | Buy |
| CC9-AI | 3/8" Corner Chisel | $36.95 | ||
| CC12-AI | 1/2" Corner Chisel | $43.95 | ||
| Ashley Iles Bevel Edge Chisels "London Pattern" handles in Rosewood or Boxwood. Overall length 10" to 13" Note: These handles are properly graduated to the size of the chisel. This combined with the octagonal shape provides maximum control.  Click on Image to Expand |
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| Stock # | Size | Price | Qty | Buy |
| AI-1/8-S-R | 1/8" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $32.50 | ||
| AI-1/4-S-R | 1/4" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $29.50 | ||
| AI-3/8-S-R | 3/8" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $30.50 | ||
| AI-1/2-S-R | 1/2" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $32.50 | ||
| AI-5/8-S-R | 5/8" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $33.50 | ||
| AI-3/4-S-R | 3/4" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $34.50 | ||
| AI-7/8-S-R | 7/8" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $35.50 | ||
| AI-1-S-R | 1" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $36.50 | ||
| AI-1.1/4-S-R | 1 1/4" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $38.50 | ||
| AI-1.1/2-S-R | 1 1/2" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $42.50 | ||
| AI-2-S-R | 2" with Rosewood "London Pattern" Handle | $48.50 | ||
| AI-S6-S-R | Set of 6
Rosewood "London Pattern" Handles Sizes 1/8" 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" |
$174.50 | ||
| AI-S11-S-R | Set of All 11 Sizes
Rosewood "London Pattern" Handles |
$335.50 | ||
| Stock # | Size | Price | Qty | Buy |
| AI-1/8-S-B | 1/8" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $34.50 | ||
| AI-1/4-S-B | 1/4" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $31.50 | ||
| AI-3/8-S-B | 3/8" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $32.50 | ||
| AI-1/2-S-B | 1/2" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $34.50 | ||
| AI-5/8-S-B | 5/8" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $35.50 | ||
| AI-3/4-S-B | 3/4" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $36.50 | ||
| AI-7/8-S-B | 7/8" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $37.50 | ||
| AI-1-S-B | 1" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $38.50 | ||
| AI-1.1/4-S-B | 1 1/4" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $40.50 | ||
| AI-1.1/2-S-B | 1 1/2" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $43.50 | ||
| AI-2-S-B | 2" with Boxwood "London Pattern" Handle | $49.50 | ||
| AI-S6-S-B | Set of 6
Boxwood "London Pattern" Handles Sizes 1/8" 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" |
$184.50 | ||
| AI-S11-S-B | Set of All 11 Sizes
Boxwood "London Pattern" Handles |
$354.50 |
| Ashley Iles Bevel Edge Butt Chisels
Bubinga Handles. Overall length 7 1/2" to 8 1/2" 
Click on Image to Expand |
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| Stock # | Size | Price | Qty | Buy |
| Butt-1/8-AI | 1/8" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $25.50 | ||
| Butt-1/4-AI | 1/4" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $19.50 | ||
| Butt-3/8-AI | 3/8" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $21.50 | ||
| Butt-1/2-AI | 1/2" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $22.00 | ||
| Butt-5/8-AI | 5/8" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $23.00 | ||
| Butt-3/4-AI | 3/4" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $26.00 | ||
| Butt-7/8-AI | 7/8" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $25.00 | ||
| Butt-1-AI | 1" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $26.00 | ||
| Butt-1.25-AI | 1 1/4" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $33.50 | ||
| Butt-1.5-AI | 1 1/2" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $38.50 | ||
| Butt-2-AI | 2" Butt Chisel with Bubinga Handle | $48.00 | ||
| Butt-S6-AI |
Set of 6
Sizes 1/8" 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" |
$125.00 | ||
| Butt-S11-AI | Set of All 11 Sizes | $265.00 | ||
