What chisel to get?

[deadeye]

With my move this summer I have found that my chisel has gone missing. Just curious if the chisels like the jiffy Mille Lacs/eskimo redneck chisel are worth the extra dough?

I had a plain chisel before and it was decent as I kept if sharp. I knew that one solid chop it would go through 3" of ice but not through 4". So I guess I had a system down for early ice which was nice but I'm thinking if the newer style ones work better its time to upgrade. I'm not planning on chopping through more than 6" of ice with it or anything but I won't go on early ice without a chisel to check as I go.

[MJ1657]

I have had a Jiffy Mille Lacs Deluxe for years and it cuts awesome. It is not a chisel for prying on anything like a froze down house etc....

[Random guy]

I use a JIffy Mille Lacs chisel every day on the lake and love it.

[BrandonN]

I had a Mille lacs chisel and yes that is the best one out there by far! I forgot and left mine at rush lake, went back two hours later and she was gone. Now I have a eskimo chisel, get the job done but not close to the same :-(

[deadeye]

Ok cool, thanks for the responses. I was leaning towards the Mille Lacs one as it was so now I just need to find one...

Doesn't seem like a lot of places are stocking the Jiffy stuff anymore. Was up at Gander and they didn't have them, same with Fleet Farm and Richards. I don't see them on Cabelas' site, Reeds' site or on Red Rock Store. Any suggestions? I'm in Fridley and would much rather pick one up in person rather than wait for shipping cause I'm trying to head up to Ely this weekend for a little early ice fun.

[Hardyboy]

Ok cool, thanks for the responses. I was leaning towards the Mille Lacs one as it was so now I just need to find one...

Doesn't seem like a lot of places are stocking the Jiffy stuff anymore. Was up at Gander and they didn't have them, same with Fleet Farm and Richards. I don't see them on Cabelas' site, Reeds' site or on Red Rock Store. Any suggestions? I'm in Fridley and would much rather pick one up in person rather than wait for shipping cause I'm trying to head up to Ely this weekend for a little early ice fun.

Last one i picked up was at Gander in Brainerd, I know reeds also caries them. Have you tried Capras?

[MJ1657]

Don't get the real small Jiffy chisel. Handle isn't long enough to get anything done.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Do you have the ability to make one? I ask cuz I just saved me some dough and made a chisel.

Took a piece of 3/8 flat, cut a chunk out, cut off the head of a lag bolt and welded it to it, sharpened it, heated it up cherry red and swirled it in a pail of drain oil to heat treat. Thread the thing into an old broken splitting maul handle I had and voila.....chisel.

I've done this in the past for others and it works good. Just tossin it out there if you have the ability to make some stuff instead of buying, you have the opportunity to take the cash you would have spent on a chisel, and buy beer and minnows.

[cavalierowner]

I agree with Eric. If you can make one, it's a lot cheaper and can be a lot better. Try to find some hardened steel. The chisel I have now was made by a guy years ago who used to work in the Blandin Paper Co. in Grand Rapids. He would use the hardened steel from the wood chippers when they changed chipper blades. That blade is TOUGH and really holds an edge; I've had it for probably 20 years now and have only had to sharpen it a small handful of times. And it gets sharpened with a stone, just like a good knife.

[bassNspear]

i got the lacs jiffy. Excited to use it, PLEASE MAKE ICE

[deadeye]

You know that's actually what the chisel that is mia was. I made it and it was pretty awesome. Unfortunately I don't have electric set up for my welder in the new garage and won't for quite some time so I gotta buy one. Kind of a bummer right now cause I got my fun car in the garage that needs a strut tower welded in too but that's another story.

Anyways thanks for the recommendations. I will hopefully find one after work tomorrow. Gonna head up to Ely this weekend and see whats crackin up there.

[dmichaelm]

just ordered the Eskimo Redneck Economy from from the goose mtn store online for 19.99 plus free shipping... we'll see.