Narex vs Two Cherries: Choosing Your First Chisel Set
By Tyler Garner . 10 min read . Updated June 2026
The Narex versus Two Cherries debate shows up in every hand-tool woodworking forum, every subreddit, and every YouTube comment section where chisels come up. Both are genuine working tools with serious community backing. Both are significantly better than the box-store alternatives. The debate persists because neither is obviously better for every person - they appeal to slightly different values. This guide goes through both in detail, covers what the community actually says about each, and helps you decide which one to buy given your actual situation.
The short answer
For most beginners, the Narex Classic is the right choice: it costs less, the steel sharpens easily and holds a good edge, and the hornbeam handles survive mallet use. Two Cherries suit woodworkers who want German heritage character and are willing to pay a moderate premium for it. Both are excellent first chisels. Neither will hold you back once you learn to sharpen.
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The case for Narex
The Narex Classic Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece) has become the default recommendation for beginner chisels in the English-speaking hand-tool community for several reasons. The chrome-manganese steel (Cr-Mn) sharpens easily on waterstones - you can get a working edge on a new Narex chisel in 20 minutes even as a beginner. It holds that edge well for production-level work. The bevel geometry is consistent across the set from the factory, which matters because an inconsistent bevel angle means inconsistent edge retention.
The hornbeam handles are the practical advantage over many competitors. Hornbeam is one of the hardest European hardwoods - denser than most handle materials and extremely tough under mallet impacts. A Narex handle does not mushroom, split, or compress the way beech or cheaper woods do under sustained mallet use. The octagonal handle on the Richter series (see Narex Richter Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece) ) adds anti-roll and improved grip to an already good handle design.
Paul Sellers has used Narex on his YouTube channel for over a decade. Rex Krueger recommends them in his "tools for real life" series. The r/handtools wiki lists them as the default first chisel recommendation. That consensus matters: these tools have been used in real workshops and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive.
Narex Classic Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece)
The community's most-recommended production chisel set for beginners. Chrome-manganese steel holds a keen edge, the hornbeam handles survive mallet work, and the bevel geometry is consistently good from the factory. Paul Sellers and Rex Krueger both point beginners here.
Narex Richter Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece)
The premium tier of the Narex line, using their proprietary Cr-Mn-V steel with a higher chromium content for better edge retention than the Classic. The octagonal handles seat firmly in the hand and resist rotation. A genuine step up for the woodworker who has mastered sharpening.
The case for Two Cherries
The Two Cherries (Zwilling) Bench Chisel Set carries real heritage. Two Cherries is the Zwilling brand, sourced from Solingen, Germany - the same city that has made cutlery and tool steel for centuries. The high-carbon steel is excellent: it takes a fine edge and has a character that Cr-Mn steel does not quite match. The edge feels slightly more precise on hardwood, and the polished bevel geometry from the factory is beautiful.
The beech handles with leather caps are the aesthetic argument for Two Cherries. They look the way most people imagine a fine hand tool should look - the traditional European bench chisel. The leather cap protects the end grain from mallet blows while maintaining a classic appearance. The handles are slightly thicker and rounder in the hand than Narex, which some woodworkers find more comfortable for long paring sessions.
The German heritage angle is not just marketing. Solingen toolmaking has standards that are maintained generationally, and the quality control on Two Cherries is excellent. If you are drawn to the tradition of hand-tool woodworking - to the craft history represented in the tools - Two Cherries connects to that in a way that a Czech production chisel does not.
Two Cherries (Zwilling) Bench Chisel Set
German heritage chisels from the Solingen cutlery tradition. Two Cherries (now under the Zwilling umbrella) use high-carbon steel with a traditional oval-head beech handle and a leather cap. The bevel geometry is classic and the finish is excellent. The community debates these against Narex constantly.
Steel comparison: Cr-Mn versus high-carbon
Both steels make excellent chisels. In practice, the differences matter less than sharpening technique. Here is what is real: Narex Cr-Mn is slightly easier to sharpen - softer than high-carbon and more forgiving on a first sharpening attempt. Two Cherries high-carbon is harder, takes a slightly finer initial edge but requires more care to avoid the slight burring that can happen if you push too hard on the fine stone.
Edge retention: both hold an edge well for bench work. The Two Cherries high-carbon edge lasts slightly longer between sharpenings in dense hardwood, in objective testing. The practical margin is small - you will strop the Narex Classic Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece) about as often as the Two Cherries in a typical session. Both sets benefit enormously from the same strop routine on a Genuine Leather Bench Strop with Green Compound .
The Narex Richter series narrows this gap further. The Cr-Mn-V steel in the Richter adds vanadium to the alloy for improved wear resistance, and the edge retention is noticeably better than the Classic. At that point the Two Cherries and Narex Richter are genuinely peer tools in edge performance, and the choice comes down to handle preference and aesthetics.
Genuine Leather Bench Strop with Green Compound
A smooth vegetable-tanned leather strop charged with green honing compound (chromium oxide) is the final step that makes an edge truly sharp and the maintenance tool that keeps it that way between full sharpenings. Five strops per session after the 4000-grit stone adds a polish that stones alone cannot match.
What the community actually says
The r/handtools consensus: Narex for a first set, full stop. The price advantage means more budget for a sharpening system, which matters more than the marginal steel quality difference. Two Cherries are frequently recommended as an upgrade or as an alternative for woodworkers who specifically want German toolmaking.
The YouTube community (Paul Sellers, Rex Krueger, Matt Estlea) consistently uses or recommends Narex for beginners. None of them dismiss Two Cherries - they are respected tools - but the price-to-performance argument is with Narex.
The British hand-tool community (The English Woodworker, Rob Cosman) tends to include Two Cherries more frequently in their recommendations, reflecting both European availability and a different aesthetic tradition. Both communities agree: either set beats any box-store chisel.
What no one recommends for beginners: the big box store chisels marketed under tool brand names without a country of origin, the sets with plastic handles for under $30, or the vintage American chisels from brands whose steel quality is highly variable. The community has tested these extensively and the consensus is clear.
The comparison in practice
If you are buying a first chisel set and your budget is $55 to $75: the Narex Classic Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece) is the obvious choice. The set works out of the box after a session with the Eclipse No. 36 Side-Clamp Honing Guide or freehand on a waterstone. The hornbeam handles survive the learning process. The steel teaches you what a good edge feels like.
If you have $90 to $130 and want something with heritage character: the Two Cherries (Zwilling) Bench Chisel Set is a beautiful set of tools you will be happy with for years. The price premium buys the German pedigree and a slightly harder steel. Both are good choices; the Narex is just more obvious value.
If you already own a Narex Classic set and want to upgrade: look at the Narex Richter Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece) first - the Cr-Mn-V steel is a meaningful step up in edge retention at a reasonable price. The step to Lie-Nielsen A2 Bench Chisel Set (4-Piece) A2 steel comes after that, when you have mastered sharpening and can actually notice the difference.
The mistake to avoid: buying the most expensive chisel set available before you can sharpen well. A perfectly sharpened Narex Classic outperforms a dull Lie-Nielsen on every cut. Spend the first $25 to $40 on sharpening equipment - stones and a Genuine Leather Bench Strop with Green Compound - before spending on the chisel set. The sharpening system makes the chisels work. The chisels cannot make a bad sharpening system work.
Narex Classic Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece)
The community's most-recommended production chisel set for beginners. Chrome-manganese steel holds a keen edge, the hornbeam handles survive mallet work, and the bevel geometry is consistently good from the factory. Paul Sellers and Rex Krueger both point beginners here.
Two Cherries (Zwilling) Bench Chisel Set
German heritage chisels from the Solingen cutlery tradition. Two Cherries (now under the Zwilling umbrella) use high-carbon steel with a traditional oval-head beech handle and a leather cap. The bevel geometry is classic and the finish is excellent. The community debates these against Narex constantly.
Narex Richter Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece)
The premium tier of the Narex line, using their proprietary Cr-Mn-V steel with a higher chromium content for better edge retention than the Classic. The octagonal handles seat firmly in the hand and resist rotation. A genuine step up for the woodworker who has mastered sharpening.
Lie-Nielsen A2 Bench Chisel Set (4-Piece)
The American-made benchmark. Lie-Nielsen bench chisels use A2 tool steel, oval hornbeam handles, and are ground to a precise geometry at the factory. They arrive nearly ready to use and are the tools r/handtools enthusiasts eventually buy when they decide to stop upgrading.
Eclipse No. 36 Side-Clamp Honing Guide
The original side-clamp honing guide and the tool that introduced consistent bevel angles to generations of woodworkers. The Eclipse No. 36 grips chisels and plane irons from the side, is inexpensive, and works well for routine sharpening. It is less precise than the Veritas Mk.II but costs a fraction of the price and requires no setup beyond projecting the blade to the right length.
Featured in this guide
Narex Classic Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece)
The community's most-recommended production chisel set for beginners. Chrome-manganese steel holds a keen edge, the hornbeam handles survive mallet work, and the bevel geometry is consistently good from the factory. Paul Sellers and Rex Krueger both point beginners here.
Two Cherries (Zwilling) Bench Chisel Set
German heritage chisels from the Solingen cutlery tradition. Two Cherries (now under the Zwilling umbrella) use high-carbon steel with a traditional oval-head beech handle and a leather cap. The bevel geometry is classic and the finish is excellent. The community debates these against Narex constantly.
Narex Richter Bench Chisel Set (6-Piece)
The premium tier of the Narex line, using their proprietary Cr-Mn-V steel with a higher chromium content for better edge retention than the Classic. The octagonal handles seat firmly in the hand and resist rotation. A genuine step up for the woodworker who has mastered sharpening.
Genuine Leather Bench Strop with Green Compound
A smooth vegetable-tanned leather strop charged with green honing compound (chromium oxide) is the final step that makes an edge truly sharp and the maintenance tool that keeps it that way between full sharpenings. Five strops per session after the 4000-grit stone adds a polish that stones alone cannot match.
Shapton Glass Stone HR 1000 Grit
The benchmark for synthetic waterstone performance. Shapton Glass stones bond abrasive to a dimensionally stable glass backing that does not cup or warp. The 1000 grit cuts fast and leaves a scratch pattern that the next stone erases cleanly. The tool most serious hand-tool woodworkers reach for when they want a reliable, non-dishing sharpening surface.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Are Narex or Two Cherries chisels better for mortising?+
Neither Narex Classic nor Two Cherries bench chisels are mortise chisels. They are bevel-edge bench chisels, lighter and thinner than the thick-bodied pigsticker mortise chisels designed for levering waste from deep mortises. For mortising, you want a dedicated mortise chisel. For general bench work including shallow mortises, both Narex and Two Cherries bench chisels perform well.
Can I mix chisels from both sets?+
Yes. Many woodworkers end up with a mix of sizes from different makers as they replace or add individual chisels. The handle and bevel geometry will differ slightly between sets, but that is not a problem in practice. Buy the Narex Classic set to start, then add a Two Cherries 25mm paring chisel if you want to try the steel on a single tool before committing to the full set.
Do Narex or Two Cherries chisels need handles replaced?+
Rarely. Narex hornbeam handles are extremely durable and resist splitting under mallet use. Two Cherries beech handles with the leather cap are also durable. Neither is likely to need replacement under normal workshop use. If a handle does split or mushroom, both brands use standard socket or tang-and-ferrule designs that can be replaced, though this is a very occasional maintenance issue.