German chisels

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Dean Maiorano

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Dino
Here's my gloat:

Quality brand USED German made chisels for $5.00 each or less (price plus shipping average). Two Cherries, Spannsage, Ulmia, Matador, Hirsch, etc. I was able to use Ebay to get that kind of price!

Was that "duh" you just said? Well, if you're like me and you've tried to get a used German chisel on Ebay lately, you know that they're not going for that little on there. The truth is that German chisels command a premium on Ebay, auctions can end with prices near, or even above, retail prices! It's a phenomena I like to refer to as "fool retail", a reference to the insanity tool lust can cause. In the past couple days I've watched Pfeil gouges worth $35 at Woodcraft go for $30 plus shipping. When you're trying to put together a collection of top end tools, the kind that are worth buying because they last a couple lifetimes, Ebay is becoming a real discouraging source.

Permit me to share how I do it because it's not just any Ebay I'm using...I'm using Ebay Germany. Believe it or not, the language difference hasn't been an obstacle. I start my searching by using a brand name, most are the same in German as they are in English (with a couple notable exceptions, Two Cherries is 'Kirschen', for instance). To expand searches I copy obvious tool type nomenclature (Stechbeitel is chisel) and paste it in the appropriate selection box. Ebay makes navigating its foreign sites easy with its standardized format - search and communication options are found on ebay.de in the same place you'd find them on ebay.com. Asking the seller if they'd sell and ship to Americans is obligatory. To make that process easier use any number of translation tools. I like to translate phrases from English into German and then back again into English, just to make sure that the resulting translation is understandable.

Using the above method has allowed me to collect a four piece set of Kirschen bench chisels (6 mm to 26 mm) for roughly a quarter its American retail value. Sure, the present Euro to Dollar exchange rate has helped but I'd still be getting a good deal if it were at previous highs. FYI - ebay.co.uk is a great way to find great English tools as well. Be patient with the sellers, some aren't willing to do the extra work or take the additional risks that international shipping entails. Remember to be kind for the rest of us, the environment is quite welcoming right now.

Good Luck,

Dean
 

cpw

New User
Charles
The truth is that German chisels command a premium on Ebay, auctions can end with prices near, or even above, retail prices! It's a phenomena I like to refer to as "fool retail", a reference to the insanity tool lust can cause.

I ran into this problem several years back when I was trying to buy a Concept2 rowing machine. The bids kept going way above current retail, so I ended up buying a brand new machine because it was cheaper.

And this isn't strictly an eBay phenomenon. I was at an estate auction - LOTS of tools - hand tools and power tools. All of the power tools were usable but not pristine and almost every one of the large tools went for near retail. There's always some goober with more money than sense.
 

Dean Maiorano

New User
Dino
"...more money than sense..."

You're dead on with that comment bro. I thought I'd share my tactic with others on this site because it's been quite useful in assembling a decent set of bench chisels. I was going through the same "Narex vs. X brand" discussion, with myself, and then I "went outside the box" and started using ebay.co.uk and ebay.de. The English sellers offer good gouge (as well as bench/firmer chisel) variety, the Germans mostly bench chisels and what I'd call 'firmer' gouges as they're typically #6ish profile with thick sturdy blades.

OK Travis, did you go to ebay.de and look at the pictures there? Here's an example:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Holzbeitel-Beite...n_Heimwerker_Handwerkzeug&hash=item41504a2c73

I've already contacted that guy and I'm waiting to see if he'll work with me. If he does, and I win at a low price AND I get more than one from him...I'm looking at $5.00 for a Hirsch chisel in good shape. Is that good enough smarty pants? Sure, it's lots of 'ifs' but life always has an if in the middle of it.

:wtongue:

BTW - here's another one - this time from ebay.co.uk:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MARPLES-3-8-B...UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&hash=item3cae33125f

I've bought from that seller recently and they definitely sell to the US. I put together a set of Marples bevel edge AND firmer chisels, just so I had a set to lend or take to job sites. Those tools ended up running me roughly $5.00 each as well, again because I bought in bulk.

Dean
 

CatButler

New User
Bryan
I picked up a Marples bow saw about a year ago from Ebay UK for a total of like $38. I haven't even seen one like it in the US.
 

Dean Maiorano

New User
Dino
Michael,

Here's some words that I've used. I've yet to build a dictionary of any sort, there doesn't appear to be a complete concensus on what words are applied to certain tool types. I'm still in the explorer phase of my experience, which I'm enjoying, and some of the joy I derive is in the research and the pursuit and the discovery.

Werkzeug - tool
Säge - saw
Meißel - chisel (more cold chisel than woodworking)
Beitel - chisel
Holzbeitel - wood chisel
Stechbeitel - straight (stech = stick) chisel
Drechselbeitel - drechsel is lathe so...turning chisel
Schnitzbeitel - carving chisel
Bildhauerbeitel - scultpting chisel
Schnitzmesser - carving knife
Messer - knife
Etc.

Brian - Spannsäge (like the brand) - bow saw

Brands are all the ones you'd expect from Germany with some Eastern European, most notably Polish, offerings. There are even chinese knock offs being sold, you'll recognize them easily, but no Narex from what I've seen so far.

BTW, Google has the best, most up to date translation services that I have found.

Dean
 

b4man

New User
Barbara
Great information Dean, thanks! Maybe we could copy your post to the library for future reference?

Barbara
 

Dean Maiorano

New User
Dino
Barbara - thanks, I'd have no problem with that, I guess the decision's really up to you folks. You might want to ask Travis if I've convinced him yet, he appears to be a moderator as well!
 
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