Review on Stanley FMHT16145 Folding Hand Tools by Jojo Howell

I wasn't sure I could do it. VERY pleasantly surprised. This review is from a carpenter, not a carpenter who is probably the more common audience for this piece, so I don't have the same needs as someone who's going to be cutting massive 2x4s or 4x4s all day. However, I have used striking plates on the end of the handle. As the item description says, you can hit this thing hard without damaging the handle. It can take a few hard hits without any noticeable damage. Very impressive for a $10 instrument. The first step was sharpening the blade. Flattened back that was almost flat out of the box. I've seen chisels much more expensive, not flatter than this one. The factory sandmarks were no worse than any I've seen and were polished to a beautiful shine on a diamond plate in just 3 minutes. The same goes for the chamfer. I added a 30 degree micro bevel at the end and ended up with a tool that cuts through paper with ease. I used it to slice DADO cherries off a pallet. A very tough piece, and the slit went right through the massive knot. The ability of the handle to withstand strong blows with a hammer is successfully used. The chisel left a mirror-smooth surface on the wood and even crossed an ugly piece of wood. When all was said and done, there was only a tiny ridge left on the edge, and it still cut through the sheet of paper easily. 20 puffs on a leather belt and it's almost perfect again. Just a tiny, tiny nick near one corner. To be honest, a $50 chisel couldn't have been better. I have no doubt that this thing will easily chop regular lumber for a whole day. At $10, that's a bargain! The fact that it folds up to fit in your pocket and can still be beaten to death with a hammer when unfolded is pretty damn nice. I won't be using it for dovetail carving in furniture drawers because it's too big for that. but he found a place on the workbench. You just don't have to worry about him falling off the bench and chipping the edge, which is worth it. I want Stanley to make a 1/2" version. I'd buy it in a heartbeat. way too long. I don't know the hardness of the blade, but if I had to guess I'd think it's somewhere between 57 and 59 RC lies. Good enough for its intended purpose. Highly recommended. If you need it you can't go wrong. This is a very impressive chisel.