ON TEST: Blue Spruce paring chisel

Reviewed by Raf Nathan

With an ever-growing range of select tools, Blue Spruce’s new paring chisels seem to continue their established reputation for quality. The chisels have a blade length of 170mm (6 3/4") and are available in widths from 3.2 to 38mm.

My test sample has a turned resin infused maple handle that I found a little short in the hand, although longer handled versions are available.

It has a 15.88 mm (5/8") wide blade which is perfectly parallel along its whole length, and again perfectly equal along its thickness at 3.1 mm – engineering perfection. Addin to this, the blade has a slight concave grind on the sides which helps immensely getting into corners, a very nice touch.

The chisel arrived ground at 25° with a micro bevel of 30° and was razor sharp, whilst all edges were softened readying it for use straight out of the box.

Nothing can be worse that buying chisels that need the back flattened before use. This can be a time consuming process on usually cheaper tools. The back on the Blue Spruce is virtually perfectly flat, straight and gleaming with a polished mirror finish.

Whilst I could not bring myself to mess with the dazzling back of the blade I did hone the edge to check its sharpenability. It is A2 steel cryogenically treated they say to 60-62 Rockwell but I found it quite easy to sharpen on my waterstones. The micro-bevel seems to help a lot for a razor edge.

It works well as a mid-sized tool for paring work. With no metal hoop at the top you can hammer it a bit but go easy as it’s not designed as such.

For general long grain paring it was good, however for engrain paring it was superb. I trialled it in hard blackwood endgrain and it glided through the wood. It was a pleasure to use.

Given the artful engineering and the fact that it arrives pre-fettled it is not a cheap tool, but it is excellent.

Review tool supplied by Carbatec. Blue Spruce tools are available from www.carbatec.com.au