Woodpeckers has launched their new line of limited edition Collector’s Vault One Time Tools with the first set of 40 woodworking chisels.
The Woodpeckers Collector’s Vault is a restart of their limited edition One Time Tool offerings.
Shown above is the first offering from the new collection, a 4pc set of woodworking bench chisels with a steel wall rack.
Advertisement
Woodpeckers says that they will be launching a total of 40 new chisels, including bench chisels, dovetail chisels, pairing chisels, mortise chisels, and butt chisels.
They’re starting with bench chisels in 1/4″, 1/2″, 3/4″, and 1″ sizes, and announced a released schedule that will include 9 sets over the next 4 years.
At this time, it looks like you can only get Woodpeckers chisels in sets. For example, the current launch includes a 4pc bench chisel set and the next launch will be for a 5pc “completer” set with both in-between and larger sizes (1/8″, 3/8″, 5/8″, 1-1/4″, 1-1/2″).
Woodpeckers says their chisels – at least the bench chisels – feature a “razor-sharp edge straight from the box,” as well as fully ground and polished backs.
Imagine buying new chisels and not spending countless hours attempting to flatten the backs by hand. Nor will you spend any time on initial sharpening.
Order Window Ends: 6/23/25
Delivery ETA: August 2025
Advertisement
Price: $519.99 for the 4-tool set
Discussion
It looks to me like these are Blue Spruce (a Woodpeckers company) chisels with red anodized aluminum handles. You can buy Blue Spruce Toolworks chisels today.
The sticker price seems high, and it’s a bit higher than for other premium woodworking chisels. As with other premium tool brands, Woodpeckers does the initial flattening and sharpening for you, which contributes to the higher price.
From everything I’ve seen, Woodpeckers is only selling their chisels as sets, meaning you can’t just get a 1/2″ chisel, you need to buy all 4.
And as these are Collector’s Vault One Time Tools, once the ordering window ends, that’s it. It looks like they’ll be doing the same for all of the chisel sets over the next 4 years.
Woodpeckers will be machining the manufacturing year into the stainless steel handle caps, which doesn’t seem like a great use of machine tooling or time, but could contribute to the collectible aspect.
Woodpeckers says the tools will “only be made to order and will not be stocked.” They’ve said the same about other One Time Tools but reissued many of their designs over the years. Maybe this time it’ll be different.
You have a 4-week window to order the set of 4 woodworking chisels, and then the next 5pc “completer” set will be launching in the fall with a similar preorder window.
These aren’t for me, and I’m not really a fan of FOMO marketing. The pricing doesn’t seem outrageous for premium USA-made chisels, but these are also just A2 steel.
I’d sooner spend less to get Lee Valley’s premium PM-V11 bench chisels, but that’s just me.
I have no doubt that these are as “exquisite” as Woodpeckers boasts. But are they good enough to spend $520 for, and who knows how much if you want the additional sizes that will be in the next set?
The release schedule continues into 2029. Maybe they’ll allow you to buy individual sizes starting in 2030.
I’m not enthusiastic about this approach. I might be open to one or two dovetail chisels, such as 1/2″ and 3/4″. Unfortunately, that would require buying a 4pc set in 2027 and then the completer 4pc set in 2028.
Woodpeckers makes some great tools, but these chisels seem more “luxury” than “premium” to me, and the sales model makes them too inaccessible. Maybe their next Collector’s Vault One Time Tools will be different, but I’m not exactly optimistic about that.
Disappointingly, Woodpeckers is still selling knock-off Viking Arm lifting jacks. I’m not going to shed a tear if knockoffs of these chisels start popping up on Amazon and elsewhere. Maybe those brands will offer lookalike A2 steel bench chisels in individual sizes.
Here’s the announcement video:
Jared
That price seems outlandish to me. A2 isn’t so exotic. While it might be nice to have a sharp edge out-of-the-box, if you can’t sharpen your chisels… seems like that only gets you so far.
I think the Lee Valley chisels are a much better recommendation – unless the collector aspect REALLY appeals to you.
MM
Yeah, the price is very high for what you get if you ask me. I think this is more “absurd collector pricing” than it is “luxury”.
One can get Kirschen aka Two Cherries chisels that are ground only (not polished). These have flat backs right out of the box too and cost about $150 for a set of 6. And if you willing to spend premium money I think you’d get much better bang for your buck with Veritas or traditional Japanese chisels.
Perhaps these are super-sharp out of the box, but if you actually use them that doesn’t help much, you’ll still be needing to sharpen them soon enough.
Goodie
At these prices Lee Valley is where I would spend the money. That or Lie Nielsen.
Still a big fan of Narex for the “good enough” at affordable prices. Their Richter line is excellent and 50% of what these cost.
MM
Narex and MHG are great value for money.
Goodie
I did check out those Kirschen Chisels. They are beautiful and I think they are excellent quality for their price. My next set is a vintage set of Stanley socket chisels (Sweetheart era). A friend has them and wants to sell them. I am sucker for antique tools.
MM
If you are interested in Kirschen tools one of the best sources I’ve found is Dieter Schmid fine tools, (fine-tools.com) They just did a major update of their website a day or two ago, frankly the new site is not as easy to find products in as the old one was, but they have much better prices than any USA based source I’ve found.
For example:
https://www.fine-tools.com/Set-of-6-Chisels-grinded-not-polished-with-wooden-Handle-in-Wooden-Box-TWO-CHERRIES/303980
…By default the prices include European VAT, which you wouldn’t pay in the US, so you would actually pay 19% less than list price, this will update when you set the shipping location in your cart.
They stock the same chisels individually in a huge range of sizes, and they’re also a great source for Japanese saws and chisels.
Goodie
Thanks MM!
Brent
I think the standard Blue Spruce Chisels look better and are little less. I had a teacher who was doing a tool test for Fine woodworking and he asked Blue Spruce about how removed the Burr without ruining the mirror polish on the chisel back. Blue Spruce told him to strop it with denim. His chisel preference that’s currently in production is the Stanley 750 because he can maintain their edges with stropping. I prefer Lie Nielsen because of the more refined sides bevel unfortunately I only have one with the rest my main set a mix of vintage and new Stanleys. I find my set of German Two Cherries chisels little too long to hold for cleaning out dovetails. I’m sure I would have the same issues with the Narex chisels.
fred
I have more chisels and gouges than I am likely to use in the time I have remaining on this earth. At some point I flattened, sharpened and honed all of them – and put most to use. Many were inherited – like my Stanley 750’s.
With Blue Spruce – I only own 2 – both long paring chisels – bought in 2008 and used occasionally. Based on them – I’d recommend the brand.
As far as the Stanley’s – I use my old #40 series (pocket chisels) and #60 series (butt chisels) – bought in the 1960’s much more than the 750’s. I have a set of Lie-Nielsen (C-B series) chisels that I think hold an edge better and feel better in my hands.
Regarding Two Cherries (WILH. SCHMITT & CO.) – – their products make up the bulk of my full-sized carving tools. I have about 80 pieces in both straight and bent configurations covering a full range of sweeps. I don’t recall that any were fully ready to use out of the box – but sharpening and honing all resulted in excellent tools. I also use many Flexcut (Falls Run Woodcarving) carving tools – which I like better for smaller pieces and detail work, Based on my experience, if Two-Cherries chisels are as good as their gouges – they’d be on my recommended list.
Brent
My problems with the Two Cherries Chisels is with the ergonomics not the steel. I prefer the Lie-Nielsen and vintage casted steel Stanley 750 ergonomics. the new milled/machined Stanley 750 I have some weird transitions so they’re not quite as nice. I have some stanley 720 that I use for paring but if I was looking the Blue Spruce would be on my list. Their fish tail chisels also look interesting.
MM
Speaking of carving gouges, I am fond of Pfeil which are Swiss made. They have an extremely wide range of different sweeps & styles, and many of them are available with palm-style or reduced size handles. I have around 15 and only one of them needed honing out of the package. There are a number of good sources for them based in Canada. I bought most of mine from Woodworker Specialties. Their prices are good, they have free shipping to the US at $100, and there’s no sales tax.
That said, I have learned that if there is a specific size/sweep you want then it might be best to buy whatever one you can find when you see it. Their product range is so broad (hundreds), that if the factory runs out of stock it could be months or years before they make more.
Also on the subject of carving gouges, Kawasei in Japan makes some very very good ones, and while these are expensive new, they pop up fairly often on Mercari or Yahoo Auctions Japan for a fraction of their typical price.
The “Akatsuki” is a 10pc set and these have reinforcement hoops on the handles so they can be struck with a mallet or even a steel hammer. These often list for $500/set, or more, though I’ve seen a few sets sell for under $150 secondhand, even less if the tools are used or there’s one missing.
https://shop.kurashige-tools.com/en-us/products/brand-new-akatsuki-carving-chisels-set-by-chousei-blue-steel
They make other sets as well, another that shows up fairly often is called “Tsurugi”; that is a 15-pc set of smaller tools meant for finer detail work. This set has an even higher list price but again I’ve spotted them go on auction sites for a lot less, I paid under $200 for my set and the only thing wrong with it was some stains on the wooden box.
https://shop.kurashige-tools.com/en-us/products/ken-carving-chisels-set-with-blue-steel-by-chousei-chokokuto
One thing that’s especially nice about those sets is that they both include a small “yari-kanna”. This is actually a type of plane, they are useful and very satisfying to use as well. Full-size yari kanna are fascinating woodworking tools in their own right…
Robert
For collectible, I would think appearance matters a lot. And I agree with Brent, the normal Blue Spruce bench chisels look nicer, the figured curly maple appeals more to me as a wood worker than the industrial looking red of the Woodpeckers version. Perhaps it’s the skill of the photographer. Right now, you can get the same 1, 3/4/ 1/2, and 1/4 inch set at Blue Spruce for $370.
Yadda
Lots of options in the chisel market. I buy old chisels and refurbish them. If I were buying, Narex would get my dollars.
Brad
I haven’t been finding as many well-priced vintage chisels since Craigslist turned into a cesspool.
Yadda
Try estate sales in your area.
JohnBCS
I’m glad you mentioned it, but the first thing I thought of was if I’m gonna drop some serious cash on chisels, it’ll be the PM-V11s.
Plain+grainy
I wonder what the entire chisel set(9 total sets over 4 years), will cost? Probably 4 or 5 thousand dollars? Then I wonder how many total sets will be actually accumulated?
Yadda
They are hoping a select.group of buyers get completion syndrome.
Jronman
These also are cryogenically treated whatever that means.
Plain+grainy
Maybe the prices are frozen?
CVANBUREN
I agree with the majority opinion, including your own, that these are expensive. However I think they are likely appropriately priced if you think about the large cost differences in handle material/fab comparing Blue Spruce Resin-infused wood to Woodpeckers machined & anodized aluminum.( Don’t forget the current WP bench chisels have steel that goes all the way through the handle like Blue Spruce mortise chisels so we can’t )
I think Woodpeckers has missed the mark. I don’t own Veritas PMV11 chisels, but I have read/heard owners complain about their weight, balance, and feel. I own some Blue Spruce chisels and love their feel and balance. There is something to be said for having a natural material as a handle when doing hand tool work. I don’t think I would like to have a hexagon cross section handle when trying to put my chisel in a specific orientation.
The Router Plane was a great Woodpecker/Blue Spruce collaboration. I don’t think these chisels are that. In reading the Blue Spruce Newsletter you can see they have been spending a good amount of time/money into prepping for the anticipated influx of Woodpeckers chisel orders. I wish they had spent that effort on their handsaws instead.
Plain+grainy
Glad to see the One Time tools are back again!
ElectroAtletico
These are clearly collector’s items to be mounted in some shelf full of other collector’s items to gather dust.
Sort of reminds me of some county-employed parts-warehouse clerk I saw on YouTube with an orange, double-bank, Snap-On EPIQ tool box, with approximately $100k of tools, and not one tool showed a single sign of use.
That’s the customer these chisels are intended for.
Neal
I’ve seen some pretty cool tools from Woodpeckers. Personally, I dont like their sales gimmick . Get it now or it’s goodbye, basically speaks volumes to me.
Some woodworkers have to have all the tools recommended to perform various skill sets. I find that ridiculous. But! Of that’s your thing man, go for it.
I’d much prefer stocking all the hardwoods I work with. In this comment I never mention Woodpeckers method to justify their pricing.
We live in a capitalistic society. But when I was in the market for a 18″ T square and saw their version and ESPECIALLY the Price thats when I thought geez folks it’s a damm T square!
All I care about is accuracy. I don’t need a fancy colored aluminum version of one. Not to say their t square isn’t accurate, no. It’s just ridiculously priced.