Greenlee · No. 230 · by 1928 into the 1970s
Twin brothers Robert and Ralph Greenlee started out in Chicago in 1862 making barrel machinery, built the first successful hollow-chisel mortiser in 1876 and moved to Rockford, Illinois, in 1904. Hand tools for woodworkers came after the machines, and Greenlee's catalogs say they were made by the same workforce that made its mortising and boring tools. The 1941 catalog lists the No. 230 socket firmer with a bevel-edged blade 6¼ inches long and a three-ply leather-tipped hardwood handle. Back then the blade was invisibly welded to a socket made from drawn steel tubing. By 1969 the catalog says blade and socket are one piece and the handle is hickory. Greenlee still sold woodworking chisels in its 1970 catalog. Today the name is on electricians' tools.
Identify and date it
Greenlee numbered its socket chisels by pattern, the No. 200 butt (2¾-inch blade), No. 230 firmer (6¼ inches) and No. 265 framing chisel (8 inches). Measure the blade to tell them apart. A visible line where blade meets socket points to the earlier welded construction, and a one-piece forging to the later chisels.
Leather-tipped handles split and the leather layers wear away, and sockets hammered without handles mushroom. Backs pit near the edge on chisels stored damp.
Buying guide
A single Greenlee socket chisel to use asks about $20–25 delivered at the low end, and most of the 53 or so listed sit at $25–45 delivered, so there's no need to pay more for a common width. Greenlee numbered its socket chisels by blade length, about 2¾ inches for the No. 200 butt, 6¼ for the No. 230 firmer and 8 for the No. 265 framer, so ask for the blade length from socket to edge before you buy. Look for a clear GREENLEE stamp, a round socket rim and a leather tip with sound wood under it, and ask for a photo of the back near the edge. The 3-inch timber-frame chisel at $119 delivered is a specialist width, so buy it only if you need it.
$7.84est. delivered
A 1/2-inch bevel-edge socket chisel at auction with 1 bid and about a day and a half left, so it will climb. We'd stop at about $13 bid, $20 delivered, since a 1/2-inch Greenlee asks that at Buy It Now.
Old woodworking tools Vintage Greenlee 1/2" bevel edge socket chisel
$24.33est. delivered
A 1-inch bevel-edge socket chisel marked Rockford Ill. per the title, 10½ inches long, for about $24 delivered, just under the band. Ask for the blade length to see whether it's the No. 230 firmer.
VINTAGE GREENLEE 1" BEVEL EDGE SOCKET CHISEL 10 1/2” LONG ROCKFORD ILL.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$7.84est. delivered
$0.99 + $6.85 shipping
Auction · 1 bid · ends in 1d 13h
Good buy
1/2-inch socket chisel at auction with 1 bid. It will climb.
Seller: antiquesmugglers
99.8% positive
Used$24.33est. delivered
$18.00 + $6.33 shipping
Buy It Now$18.00
Good buy
1-inch bevel-edge socket chisel, Rockford Ill., 10½ inches long.
Seller: icefishfish
100% positive
Used$20.03est. delivered
$14.00 + $6.03 shipping
Buy It Now$14.00
Our take
1/2-inch. The title doesn't say socket or bevel edge.
Seller: icefishfish
100% positive
Used$22.15est. delivered
$14.95 + $7.20 shipping
Buy It Now$14.95
Our take
3/4-inch socket chisel, 8 1/8 inches long.
Seller: my_weekly_deals
99.9% positive
Used$37.70est. delivered
$25.00 + $12.70 shipping
Buy It Now$25.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Bevel edge, no width in the title.
Seller: estatesalefinds100
99% positive
Used$39.84est. delivered
$24.99 + $14.85 shipping
Buy It Now$24.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
2-inch bevel edge.
Seller: cnycards73
99.6% positive
Used$38.16est. delivered
$30.00 + $8.16 shipping
Buy It Now$30.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Seller at 95.8% feedback.
Seller: fangzillia
95.8% positive
Used$118.71est. delivered
$110.00 + $8.71 shipping
Buy It Now$110.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Priced high
3-inch timber-frame chisel, a specialist width at about two and a half times the band top.
Seller: mstmarketplacellc
99.8% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 11, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay searchWitherby · Bench chisel
Socket firmer1840s–1955
$25–$70 typical ask
Stanley · Bench chisel
7501930–1969 (Sweetheart logo until about 1935)
$65–$170 typical ask
Buck Bros. · Bench chisel
Firmer1900–1917
$20–$35 typical ask
Witherby · Bench chisel
Socket framing, 1 inch1840s–1955
$55–$110 typical ask