Chisel
A chisel is a tool that is primarily used for shaping wood. They have been in use for 8,000 years and have remained a favorite tool among craftsmen. Chisels are capable of rounding the corners of wood and enhancing its appearance. Additionally, they can be used to connect two wooden pieces through dado, dovetail, or mortise and tenon joints.
By utilizing the natural growth of a tree and the inherent strength of wood, a chisel enables you to create the most robust joint conceivable when working with two wooden pieces.
Types Of Chisels
Chisels are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is not necessary to possess each one, but we will discuss them all to help you determine the most suitable chisel for your specific task.
Bench Chisel
Bench chisels are designed to be used with a mallet. They can be found at a very low cost, or alternatively, you can opt for more luxurious bench chisels.
Hammered Chisel
Below, we will discuss the different types of chisels that are used for working on metal, wood, or stone and require hammering during the process. These chisels work with a hammer or mallet and are equipped with thicker and tougher blades to endure a greater force. Additionally, their handles are designed with a flat head that can be struck by a hammer.
Bevel-edged Chisel
The bevel-edged chisel is a chisel of moderate length that is strong. It possesses a side that is beveled or angled, as well as a side that is straight. These beveled and straight edges enable optimal access to dovetail joints and facilitate reaching corners more easily.
Paring Chisel
Paring chisels have longer blades, a thinner shape, and elongated handles. They are designed for use with body pressure, where one leans and presses down on the chisel, without any additional force. It is important to note that hitting a paring chisel with a hammer is strongly discouraged.
Mortise Chisel
This chisel is designed for the purpose of making mortises or cutting holes in wood. It is evident that the mortise chisel is noticeably thicker than the paring chisel. The reason for this is that the mortise chisel is constructed to endure being hammered and exerted significant force while leveraging wood.
Tang Chisel
The tang chisel possesses a pointed end that enters the chisel’s handle. If you anticipate using the tang chisel frequently with a hammer, it may be wiser to choose a socket chisel. This is due to the fact that repeated hammering significantly increases the chance of the chisel point penetrating further into the wooden handle, potentially causing the handle to break.
Socket Chisel
The socket chisel consists of a wooden component that fits into the socket of the chisel. The wooden tenon extends further into the chisel’s socket, resulting in increased compression of the wood fibers, thus enhancing its strength with continuous usage.
Firmer Chisel
Firmer chisels, which are called so because of their name, are made from tough materials such as steel and are designed for heavy-duty tasks. They have been in use for a long time, making them one of the oldest types of chisels.
With a rectangular cross-section and a 20-degree bevel, they possess a blade that is perfect for producing extremely sharp corners at a 90-degree angle. The handle of a firmer chisel is made of hardwood or hardened plastic, allowing it to endure the impact of a hammer or mallet.
Bolster Chisel
A bolster chisel, also called a brick chisel, is used to create straight lines on bricks, metal, or stones. It consists of a flat handle and a robust beveled edge blade that can cut through various hard materials when struck by a hammer or mallet.
Butt Chisel
A butt chisel is characterized by its short blade which is derived from firmer or bench chisels and features beveled and straight cutting edges. These chisels are highly effective for installing butts and hinges in carpentry, and also prove useful when working in confined or difficult-to-access sections of a workpiece.
Concrete Chisel
A concrete chisel is used to break up concrete floors, sidewalks, and paving slabs. It is made up of a large striking area and a head design that prevents mushrooming.
Cold Chisel
The cold chisel is used to cut and shape hard materials, specifically cold metal with a thick stock, in situations where other tools such as hacksaws, shears, and tin snips are not appropriate. The term “cold” indicates that the metal is not heated before employing the tool.
Cold chisels, which are typically made of tempered carbon tool steel, are sufficiently hard to cut through metal and masonry. There are different types of cold chisels, such as flat, cape, round-nose, and diamond-pointed chisels. To learn more about the design and uses of cold chisels, we recommend reading our article on the subject.
Dovetail Chisel
Dovetail chisels are used for creating dovetails and finishing joints. They have a lengthy blade and cutting edge that is angled at 20-30 degrees. Because of their extended size, they are well-suited for cleansing and honing joints.
Slick Chisel
The slick chisel operates in a similar manner to a paring chisel; however, it possesses a wider and more straight-edged blade. Its handle is uniquely shaped like a baseball bat to ensure a comfortable grip while shaving off thin wood pieces from the woodwork.
Power Chisel
The power chisel is powered by an electrical grinder motor, functioning similarly to a hammer and proving to be faster and more efficient than traditional handheld chisels.
What materials can chisels work with
Chisels can be further classified based on the materials they are designed for. They are adept at working with wood, metal, or stone, regardless of whether or not they need to be used with a hammer.
- Wood Chisel: Wood chisels are for carpentry or furniture work. They include bevel-edged, butt, framing, mortise, dovetail, corner, skew, parting, Japanese, carving, and flooring chisels.
- Metal Chisel: Cold and hot chisels are the two main chisel types that shape and cut metals. Cold chisels work on unheated metal by hammering, while hot chisels work on metal softened by heat from a forge or torch.
- Stone Chisel: Stone chisels are used in masonry to cut, shape, and scrape stones and bricks. They include standard and toothed stone chisels, masonry chisels, spoon chisels, and brick bolsters.
How Many Chisels Do you Need
In my view, it is important for every craftsman to possess two different sizes of bench chisels and one mortise chisel. Nevertheless, many bench chisels are sufficiently thick that you can continue cutting mortises for a considerable period before requiring a mortise chisel.
What Size Chisels Do you Need
If you reside in America and plan on acquiring most of your wood from a nearby home center, it would be suitable to have two sizes in mind.
A chisel that measures 3/4 inch in width.
A chisel measuring 1/4 inch.
If you plan to connect two pieces of wood together using mortise and tenons or dado joints, it is generally advisable to ensure that the adjoining piece is approximately one-third the thickness of the main case piece.
If we obtain one chisel that matches the width of the main piece of wood (3/4 inch) and another chisel that matches the width of the adjoining piece of wood (1/4 inch), we will possess the necessary tools to join the two pieces of wood together.
In some cases, it can be beneficial to have a bigger chisel that you can use forcefully to remove a significant amount of wood. While a wider chisel, like one measuring 1 1/2 inch, is quite useful, it is not essential in the beginning.
Chisel Safety
It may come as a surprise, but out of all the tools used in woodworking (including the table saw), the chisel is considered the most dangerous. It is always important to ensure that neither body parts nor anyone else is positioned on the opposite side of the working part of a chisel.
Ensure that all your “soft bits” are positioned on the opposite side of the cutting edge as you establish a consistent practice.
