These chisels are made in China but are sharp and will hold the blade (at least for pine and cherry). I'm not a professional, but I do household chores and buy quality tools to save my personal time. I don't know how these chisels will perform in a professional shop but for the money they are very good. As an added bonus they also come in a wooden organizer box which is not apparent from the description. I have a couple of original Marples chisels (made in England) and they compare well to the ones I use from time to time.