Tim,

Firstly, I assume we are talking strictly about Winsted Edge Tool 
Works products.  I don't have anything actually made by T.H. Witherby 
so I simply cannot speak about those tools.

Secondly, I do not feel comfortable specifically stating that any one 
maker is better than any other.  The primary reason for this is that 
such a statement is very hard to prove.  Put two tools side by side 
and run them through their paces: quantitatively measure wear, 
hardness, edge holding ability, etc.  Then I can tell you which is 
better.  Without a quantitative comparison, all I have is a "feeling" 
and that could mean anything.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Winsted Edge Tool Works chisels.  I 
don't intend to be dismissive or pejorative.  But since you mention 
Swan, I do not think that WETW tools are reliably or substantially 
better than  Swan chisels.  Of the dozen WETW tools I own, a couple 
might be and a couple are definitely not.    I have at least two WETW 
chisels that have let me down.  One is a lot softer than I would 
expect, perhaps someone did something untoward to it, and the other 
one would not know "flat" if it came up and bit it on the 
hindquarters.

WETW was in business for about 72 years.  They had at least 5 
different foreman, likely more. In that time they made some really 
great chisels and I am sure there are some dogs out there.  I KNOW 
there are some dogs out there.  There were probably bad days at the 
forge and in the hardening room.  In general, they are very fine 
tools.  But I cannot say that they are substantially better than a 
Swan or half-a-dozen other makers.

I think every tool has to be judged on it's own merits, taking some 
generalizations into account. And as far as price, I once bought a 
Swan chisel for $3.99 on an unnamed auction site.  I don't think you 
could do that with anything that says Witherby on it.  The real 
problem is that there are so few Swan chisels on that auction site 
that it is difficult to be conclusive.

When I say, "But this quality is commonly matched and even excelled 
by manufacturers..." I do think there is at least one manufacturer 
that makes a reliably better chisel than WETW.  But I won't name 
names.  The first reason  is that it is just my "feeling".  The 
second reason is that those kinds of things sometimes stick, become 
popular knowledge and unfortunately/artificially inflate prices.

Keep in mind, this is just one man's opinion.  There is plenty of 
room for others.

I also agree with J. Thompson, PEXTO are good tools but it is a cheap 
name.  It sounds like 1950's gimmick and it looks just plain ugly. It 
can't compete with Witherby and Swan, nice old British names.

Nathaniel
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