Steel Wood Chisel

Types Of Chisel Used In Woodworking

The bevel-edge chisel is the most common type of chisel. As its name suggests, its upper edges are bevelled (have sloping sides) so that it can undercut or cut side¬ways into the corner of an acute angle. The paring chisel has a long thin blade which is usually bevel-edged. It can be used for cleaning out deep holes or long slots in wood where other chisels cannot reach. It should never be used as a lever, only for paring off wood. The blade of a firmer chisel is rectangular in cross-section but otherwise it is similar to the bevel-edged chisel. The mortise chisel has a thick, rectangular section blade and a strong handle. It is designed specifically for cutting mortise joints in which the chisel is subjected to hammering and bending.

In theory, a firmer chisel is supposed to be stronger than a bevel-edge chisel and a mortise chisel should be stronger still. In practice, the strength of a chisel depends on the design of the blade, par¬ticularly the shoulder and tang, and on the type and heat treatment of the steel used. To satisfy the British Standard for chisels, the blade must be hardened to within 25mm of the shoulder, and must also be able to pass certain bending tests. There are now one or two brands of bevel-edge chisel which are sufficiently well designed and so well made that they can quite easily be used for mortising without any likelihood of damage. So it seems that a good set of bevel-edge chisels is all you need.

New chisels are not usually sharpened. To get a cutting edge, first make sure that the back of the chisel is flat by rubbing it across an oilstone until an even polished surface is obtained. Then hone the edge using the technique des¬cribed for a plane iron. The sharpening angle of a chisel is very critical; a vari¬ation of only 3 degrees can make as much difference to the life of the blade as the total variation in blade quality of most of the brands on the market. For good quality chisels on softwood, the best grinding angle is around 30 degrees. On hardwoods, this figure should be in¬creased to around 35 degrees. Increasing the angle means that more force is re¬quired to use the chisel. On the other hand, decreasing the angle will increase wear. Even a good chisel will blunt rapidly with a honing angle less than about 27 degrees.

Chisels are used for a wide variety of jobs and, like screwdrivers, they tend to be used for some rather unorthodox tasks – often to their detriment. Their main intended uses are:

• removing wood when making joints such as housing, lap joints, mortises and dovetails
• paring, or removing thin slivers from the edge of a piece of wood, often across the grain.

For paring, you use a chisel with its bevel upwards. Always make sure that you keep both hands behind the cutting edge – one hand on the handle and the other over the top of the blade. And always secure your workpiece firmly. Make sure that if the chisel slips it will not cause damage to you or the wood.

When removing wood from a mortise, you generally drive a chisel into the wood with a mallet. When you do this, start the cut well on the waste side of the wood, with the flat side of the blade nearest the cutting line. If you start the cut on the line, the wedge shape of the blade tip will drive the blade past it when the chisel is driven in. Moreover, the tendency to use the edge of the wood as a fulcrum when levering out the waste wood will bruise the edge of the wood left and create an unsightly joint. When most of the waste wood has been removed, clean up to the line by paring away the remain¬ing wood. You can speed up making mortises by drilling out some wood first.

About the Author

You might also be interested in learning how to lay foam-backed carpet and also how to deal with rising damp in your house.

How To Make A Wooden Chisel • When To Use A Wooden Chisel verses a Wood Chisel

PSI Woodworking LCSIXW Hi Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel $88.98

Stanley Short Steel Blade 3 Piece Wood Chisel Set Vintage Old Handles Tool NEW $34.99

Legend 3/4” Wood Chisel Blades Sharp Steel New $4.99

2pk 1″ & 3/4″ Legend Wood Chisel Blades Sharp Steel New $9.79

LEGEND 1” Wood Chisel Blades Sharp Steel New $4.79

12PC Chisels Wood Carving Tools set Asstorted steel blades with pine wood handle $0.01

8 Pc Professional Wood Lathe Chisel Set M2 Steel w/Case $66.13

NEW WindsorDesign Wood Lathe Chisel Set M2 High Speed Steel Carving professional $69.99

Professional Quality Wood Lathe Chisels Set of 8 High Carbon Steel Taiwan LT use $34.99

Wood Lathe Chisels Set of 6 Midi size special Carbon Steel Taiwan LT use 6 1/2″ $19.99

8 pc High Speed M2 Steel Wood Turning Lathe Chisel Set $62.99

Bosch HS1445 SDS-plus Shank Hammer Steel – 1″ Wood Chisel $31.15

Bosch HS1435 SDS-plus Shank Hammer Steel – 1/2″ Wood Chisel $39.35

Bosch HS1450 SDS-plus Shank Hammer Steel – 1-1/4″ Wood Chisel $44.77

CRAFTSMAN 4 PIECE HIGH SPEED STEEL WOOD TURNING LATHE CHISELS NICE! $9.95

Footprint 127029 1/4 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel NEW $14.99

Footprint 127060 3/4 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $15.99

Footprint 127104 1-1/2 In. Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $26.99

STEEL GRIP 3 PIECE WOOD CHISEL SET $5.99

Footprint 127074 7/8 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $16.99

Footprint 127081 1-Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $16.99

1″ Stanley® Steel Wood Chisels $23.15

6 Piece Wood Hardwood Chisel Set w/ Carbon Steel Blades and Vinyl Storage Pouch $19.99

Windsor Design #47066 Wood Lathe Chisel Set-8 High Speed Steel @ 16″ Long unused $99.99

WOOD WORK CHISELS SET HEATED HIGH CARBON STEEL CARPENTERY CARPENTER TOOL NEW $18.00

5/8″ Stanley® Steel Wood Chisels $21.08

PSI Woodworking LCSIXW High Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel Turning Set, 6-Piece $98.03

7 Pc Wood Chisel Set Woodworking Carpentry Steel Tool $35.99

Stanley Fat Max Steel Core Wood Chisel 3/8″ 10mm New! $11.95

Jet Powermatic High Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel Tool NEW Made In England $35.59

5 PC HAND STAINLESS STEEL WOOD CARVING CHISEL WOODWORKING SCULPTING TOOL SET KIT $49.99

1-1/2″ Stanley® Steel Wood Chisels $26.26

8 Piece High Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel Set CHISEL GOUGE WOODWORKING SET NEW $99.99

SE 8″ 12 Pc Hand Pro Wood Carving Chisels Tool Carved Set Vintage Kit Steel NEW $39.95

NEW! Footprint 7/8 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel FREE SHIPPING Made In England $15.79

NEW BAHCO TOOLS HIGH QUALITY STEEL WOOD CHISEL SET $119.00

PSI Woodworking LCSIXW High Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel Turning Set, 6-Piece $98.32

1/4″ Stanley® Steel Wood Chisels $21.08

3/8″ Stanley® Steel Wood Chisels $21.08

CRL Stanley 4-Piece Deluxe Steel Wood Chisel Set $87.82

Wood Chisel Set – ‘Go-Thru’ -4-Piece Carbon-Steel $17.48

8 Piece High Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel Set $69.00

Footprint 127043 1/2 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $15.99

Footprint 127050 5/8 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $15.99

Footprint 127098 1-1/4 In. Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $21.99

Stanley® 6-Piece Deluxe Steel Wood Chisel Set $102.49

7 PC FOREST STEEL TOOL WORKS HAND WOODWORKING FLAT WOOD CHISEL TOOL SET IN CASE $59.99

NEW! Footprint 3/8 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel FREE SHIPPING Made In England $14.69

3/4″ Stanley® Steel Wood Chisels $21.08

1/2″ Stanley® Steel Wood Chisels $21.08

Bosch HS1430 SDS-plus Shank Hammer Steel – 1/4″ Wood Chisel $27.79

New Wood Carving Chisels 8 Pc Set Heat Treated Steel Blades $11.99

Stanley® 4-Piece Deluxe Steel Wood Chisel Set $73.54

4pc. Wood Chisel Set / Steel Wood Chisel w/ PVC Handles $9.99

Footprint 127036 3/8 Inch Carbon Steel Wood Chisel $15.18

BAHCO HIGH-QUALITY STEEL WOOD CHISELS, 6 PC SET 425-083 $106.76

King Canada Tools K-1212 12 PIECE WOOD CARVING CHISEL SET high carbon steel $63.17

Amico 4 Pcs Graver Carving Tools Carved Skew Straight V Parting Chisels Set $4.56 They are the ideal tool for carvers, each tool has a smooth wood handle. Hardwood handles is comfortable for gripping, and the steel shafts for edge-holding durability. Wood carving tool set that included 4 pcs here! there are Carved Chisel, Skew Chisel, Straight Chisel, V Parting Chisel Graver Carving Tool. Easy to resharpen and holding. Net Weight: 31. Packagen Content: 1 x Skewn Chisel, 1 x C…

Bosch 11221DVS 7/8-Inch SDS Rotary Hammer $349.99 The first thing you’ll notice about Bosch’s rotary hammer is its great ergonomics, which clearly were a major consideration in the design of the hammer. The grip and trigger mechanism are well integrated, especially the front grip, and long enough to accommodate different body styles (I’ve got long arms; my buddy is the opposite: we both liked the tool’s feel). For a rotary hammer, design is espec…

Bosch 11224VSR 7/8-Inch SDS-Plus Bulldog Rotary Hammer $129.94 Bosch’s 11224VSR 7/8-inch SDS-plus bulldog rotary hammer offers the utmost in versatility and functionality thanks to its compact size and powerful motor. Ideal for use during overhead and down-drilling operations, the 11224VSR features an ergonomic design with a D-handle to increase control yet reduce user fatigue. Multiple working angles and operational modes make this rotary hammer a must…

Milescraft 1213 Complete Door Mortising Kit $29.95 Increase security and privacy in your home by replacing interior and exterior doors without damaging the jamb or door frame with the Entry and Interior Door Mortise Kits from Milescraft.Each kit features an easy to use drop-in template design. Sturdy steel frame adjusts from 1-3/8″ to 1-3/4″ doors and jambs. Centered tabs on each template ensure complete accuracy Includes a durable carbide tipped …

Chisel Stainless Steel Wood Key Chain Chisel Stainless Steel Wood Key Chain Dimensions: Width: 11.00 mm Length: 9.50 mm. GIFT CARD OPTION WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS ITEM! Finejewelers Style Number: SRK118….

Men’s Stainless Steel and Wood Inlay Key Chain $43.00 Key chains are probably the easiest gift to give because everyone uses one everyday. This key chain is designed for a rugged individual, is meant for everyday use and is crafted with stainless steel. Features genuine wood inlays. Polished finish. 2 1/4″ x 1 5/16″…

Chisel Polished Stainless Steel and Wood Key Ring $25.95 …

Mens Chisel Stainless Steel Wood Cuff Links $39.95 Boasting a rustic -east meets west- design, these great stainless steel wood cuff links demonstrate a perfect marriage between both worlds. A real head turner. SKU: 87QG1140…