Stanley Hand Tools FMHT16145 FatMax Folding Pocket Chisel

Wasn't sure what I was going to end up with here. VERY pleasantly surprised. This review is coming from a woodworker, and not a carpenter, which is probably the more usual audience for this piece, so I don't have the same needs as someone who will be chopping massive 2x4's or 4x4's all day. I did make use of the striking plates on the end of the handle though. As the description of this item says, you can beat this thing hard with no damage to the handle. It can take quite a lot of hard hits with no noticeable damage. Very impressive for a $10 tool.First thing was sharpening the blade. Flattened the back, which was pretty much flat right out of the box. I've seen much more expensive chisels no flatter than this one. The grinding marks from the factory were no worse than others I've seen, and polished to a nice shine with only about 3 minutes on a diamond plate. Same thing for the bevel. I added a 30 degree micro bevel to the end and ended up with a tool that would slice paper with zero effort.I used this to chop a DADO into a scrap piece of cherry from a pallet. Very hard piece, and the slot went right thru a massive knot. Made good use of the ability of the handle to hold up to a lot of beating with a hammer. The chisel left a mirror smooth surface on the wood, even going crossgrain thru a nasty piece of wood. When all was said and done, there was only the tiniest burr on the edge, and it still sliced a piece of paper effortlessly. 20 strokes on a leather strop and it was back to a near perfect edge. Only one tiny, tiny little nick near one corner. Honestly, a $50 chisel would not have done any better. I have no doubt that this thing would hold up to chopping into normal construction lumber all day with no problem. For $10, this is a bargain! The fact that it folds up to go into your pocket and still is able to handle being beat to death with a hammer when unfolded is pretty darn sweet.I won't be using it for cutting dovetails in furniture drawers because it's too big for that, but it has found a place on the workbench. Just not having to worry about it falling off the bench and chipping the edge is worth it. I wish Stanley made a 1/2" version. I would buy it in a heartbeat.I would like to see the blade be about 1" longer, but that would make the whole thing 2" longer when folded and that might be a bit too long. I don't know the hardness of the blade, but if I had to guess, I would think somewhere around 57-59 RC. Plenty good enough for it's intended purpose.Highly Recommended. If you have a use for this you can't go wrong. It's a very impressive chisel.

This is a really clever design for an all-purpose chisel. The handle folds up to enclose the blade, so that you can put it in a tool belt, apron or pocket without having to worry about cutting yourself or your clothes. Yet when you need to use it, you just flip it open and it's ready to go for both delicate work or heavy whomping. The secret is in the very cleverly designed handle, which is both convenient and can take a heavy pounding.I don't use this chisel in my woodworking shop, where I keep several sets of chisels for joinery, mortising, and carving. I suspect that's why it only comes in 1 size (1 inch wide blade). It's really perfect for construction and work around the farm, though, and it's incredibly handy to have -- I always keep one in my tool belt. The steel is good quality and takes a sharp edge, although (like all chisels) you should expect to have to flatten the back and sharpen the blade before use.I've had mine for about 4 years and have used it quite a bit, and it's still in good shape. Only problem is if I lend it out on a construction site -- you have to tell people to avoidl nails (or be prepared to regrind the edge!)

Hey I like it. This thing works just fine Goes well in the toolbox unlike a regular chisel

I perform a lot of handy work around my home and the few rental units I own. For my intentions , I needed a general-purpose chisel that's built like a tank, could take a beating, was semi-compact (wouldn't take up too much space on my tool belt), and could take an edge well (resharpen on a bench grinder).After lengthy comparison shopping, this Stanley folding chisel is the only product that met all of my purchasing requirements.I was very relieved to discover that the folding feature of this chisel is NOT just a gimmick. What makes this product truly functional, even with its advantages of being lightweight & compact due the use of high-grade plastics in its handle: the thick metal strike-cap at the end of the handle.The only negative feature I could find with this chisel was that the position lock clip (pointed out in my accompanying picture) is made of plastic and located in a difficult to reach area.Therefore, even though Stanley may have had safety in mind, to begin with, I anticipate that consumers will use various instruments to unclip the lock again and again, compressing/malforming the plastic clip until the integrity of the hold is no longer good.I therefore subtract half-a-star, giving this quality product an overall score of 4.5 Stars!!

This chisel is light, compact and more sturdy than I thought it would be. Yes there are other tools a bushcrafter already carries that can perform most of the duties of a chisel. So why carry it. 1. Less chance of damaging your knife. 2. Nothing chisels faster and easier than a chisel. 3. It’s durable, compact and lightweight, about the size of a Leatherman Super-tool. 4. One of the easiest tools to maintain in the field.

Wow, I bought this on a whim, dropped it in my toolbox and within 3 weeks I find a use for it because it was accessible. Of course it was super sharp because it was new, but the handle construction is quite impressive despite it folding over. It is a very innovative and impressive tool. Highly recommend.