Ashley Iles

In the autumn of 1949, a pattern maker named Ashley Iles gave up his day job and set out on his own to make and sell woodworking tools. He began by renting a small workshop in Sheffield for five shillings a week and ended up with a factory in Lincolnshire, making carving and woodturning tools: a brand now renowned worldwide for the finest quality handmade English woodworking tools.

Forged and ground by hand in the old tradition, Ashley Iles chisels still retain the desirable qualities that made Sheffield tools famous throughout the world. Their sublimely thin blades, excellent heat treatment and (correctly) fractionally concave backs make them a sheer delight for woodworkers of all skill levels to work with.

The range spans cabinetmakers chisels, butt chisels, dovetail chisels and specialist carving and turning tools. All are forged from O1 high carbon tool steel, heat treated to RC60-61 right through to the shoulder and individually hand ground without jigs or fixtures by a team of experienced craftspeople who have spent years developing their skill.

The details matter here. Blades are supplied with a low primary bevel of around 22 degrees, ready to hone a secondary bevel to your preference. The dovetail chisels feature elliptical faces that clear right into the corners of a joint. The butt chisels are deliberately top-heavy for better feel and control when chopping. Every tool across the range is backed by an unconditional lifetime guarantee.

Whether you're cutting dovetails, paring joints, carving in the round or turning at the lathe, there's an Ashley Iles tool built for it and built to outlast you.