Game Changing Chisels

The Axminster Rider chisel range aims to change the game for affordable quality tools, and if the sets tested here are anything to go by then this is a very exciting prospect indeed

The market is awash with chisels so it must be a bit of a gamble for anyone to launch a new range, especially into the lower end of the market – you certainly need to have a product that stands out from the rest.

If attention to detail sells, then the nicely finished box these chisels are supplied in gives a decent indication of what lies beneath, and on opening the box the first impression of the overall look of the chisels doesn’t disappoint.

Different options

As part of Axminster’s own brand ‘Rider’ range, these certainly have the accolade of standing out and there are three sets of chisels available, two of which I have on the GW test bench. If you are more at home hitting your chisels with a hammer, or spend time out on site where it isn’t practical to carry a mallet, then there is also a set of plastic-handled ones available. But for bench work, it’s always nice to have a set of wooden-handled chisels, so I’ve opted for these as test subjects.

The chisels can be bought individually as well, with prices from just over £8-12 each, which isn’t a lot of money for a chisel that is as finely made as these are.

So starting with the business end, the blades are made from chrome manganese steel, which is a low alloy, high carbon tool steel that is specially tempered to give consistent characteristics, and is ideally suited to edge tools.