Wood chisels are a very common tool in woodworking joinery to perform cut outs and shapes. In this article, we will go over the different types of chisels, features to look for, how to use a chisel, common mistakes, and more.
Directory
- What is a wood chisel?
- Types of wood chisels
- How to use a chisel
- Common chisel mistakes and issues
- Common chiseling questions
What is a wood chisel?
Wood chisels are woodworking tools that are create cut outs and shapes. Chisels are commonly used with wood joinery to create mortise and tenon, dovetail, and box joints for example.
Chisels are not used for carving wood and can only create straight lines, like a dovetail joint.
Types of wood chisels
There are 5 main types of wood chisels in woodworking.
| Bench chisel | Mortise chisel | Dovetail chisel | Paring chisel | Corner chisel | |
| Use | General chisel to perform most tasks | Cutting mortises in mortise and tenon joints | Cutting dovetails in dovetail joints | Chiseling tight grained wood | Cutting corners in wood |
| Essential | ★★★★★ | ★★★✰✰ | ★★✰✰✰ | ★★✰✰✰ | ★★✰✰✰ |
| Price | $-$$$ | $-$$$ | $-$$$ | $$-$$$ | $$-$$$ |
Bench chisel
Use: General wood chisel to perform most tasks
Importance: ★★★★★
Every woodworker who uses hand tools to cut joinery should have a set of bench chisels in their stack.
Bench chisels are the most common woodworking chisel and can perform essentially any cut with the right technique. The other chisels are specialty chisels that will make performing certain cuts much easier.
It is ideal to have a set of chisels ranging from 1/8 to 1 1/2 inches.
Many woodworkers create cutouts based on the sizes of chisels they have available. For example, one may cut a 1″ mortise because they have a 1″ chisel. This is because creating a cutout that is the width of the chisel will make the process much easier and quicker.
Additionally, you should try to use the size that is closest to the wood cut surface. The chisel will be easier to control, and it will result in a cleaner cut. This is why having several chisel sizes is preferable in woodworkers.
Mortise chisel
Use: Cutting mortises in mortise and tenon joints
Importance: ★★★✰✰
Mortise chisels are very helpful in cutting out mortise and tenon joints and cut outs. Mortise chisels are useful in many situations but are not as essential as bench chisels.
Mortise chisels have straight sides to allow for a flushed cut along the sides of the cut out. Normal wood chisels may result in the sides of the cut out to be jagged and will require extra cleanup.
Dovetail chisel
Use: Cutting dovetails in dovetail joints
Importance: ★★✰✰✰
The beveled edge of dovetail chisels is more beveled than bench chisels. This allows for more control and less pull back when chiseling at an angle.
Dovetail chisels are used for paring and not to take off a lot of material at a time.
I do not find the dovetail chisel to be that essential because I use a handsaw and dovetail guide to chisel at the correct angle.
Dovetail chisels are useful to have if you already have a bench chisel set.
Paring chisel
Use: Chiseling tight grained wood
Importance: ★★✰✰✰
A paring chisel is thinner than the other chisel types and is used to pare tight grained wood. Paring chisels prevent the wood from splitting due to its thinness. However, much like the dovetail chisel, these chisels do not remove a lot of material at one.
Corner chisels
Use: Cutting corners in wood
Importance: ★★✰✰✰
Corner chisels have a 90 degree angle that is used to right angles in the wood.
Corner chisels are not as useful as they may seem because they are only used for wood cutout. You will not need a corner chisel for every right angle that you cut. Additionally, with the right technique, you can create a right-angle cutout with a bench or mortise chisel.
Even though, corner chisels are useful for easily cutting right angles in the wood. I would recommend getting this chisel if you already have the bench and mortise chisel.
Read on
So far, we have discussed the different type of wood chisels and things to consider when purchasing a chisel. Below, we will discuss how to use a chisel and common mistakes and questions.
How to use a chisel
There are two main ways to chisel wood. The first way is along the wood grain and the second way is across the wood grain.
Depending on the joinery, you may not be able to decide if you cut along or across the grain. Which is why it is important to know the pros and cons along with the techniques for both methods.
Along the wood grain method
Pros:
- Easier to cut through the wood
- Smoother cuts with less force
Cons:
- Easy for the chisel to veer off course
Chiseling along the wood grain requires less force and is generally easier than cutting across the wood grain.
However, chiseling along the wood grain is prone to the chisel veering off course and over or under cutting the wood.
Across the wood grain method
Pros:
- Harder to veer off course
Cons:
- Requires more force to chisel
- May result in wood break off and a rough finish
While it is harder to accidentally veer off course when chiseling across the wood grain, it does require more force.
How to chisel along wood grain
Step one: Outline Parameter
I like to outline the parameter of cutouts to break the wood grain. This prevents from wood splitting and cutting past the line.
Step 2: Align plain edge 90 degrees with the wood
Angle the chisel so that the plain edge is at a 90 degree angle with the wood. With practice, you can eyeball this. However, for precision, I like to use a small wood block to align the chisel in the right direction.
Important Note: Only chisel half of the wood. Its good practice to chisel in halves to prevent the chisel from being pushed back too far.
Step 3: Strike chisel with mallet
Using a rubber mallet, lightly handle of the chisel.
It is good to start off light and increase pressure to use the minimal force necessary. Using too much force can result in over striking and splitting the wood.
Step 4: Chisel, following the guide
Continue to chisel, following the guide and wood edge.
You want your chisel to be consistently flushed with the wood. Having a gap between the wood face and the chisel will result in overcutting.
How to chisel across the wood grain
You can chisel across the wood grain using the same method as along the wood grain. However, I do find that using the beveled edge to be useful for wood that is chipping and breaking away easily.
Step 1: Outline Parameter
I like to outline the parameter of cutouts to break the wood grain. This prevents from wood splitting and cutting past the line.
Step 2: Align bevel edge end 90 degrees with the wood
Angle the chisel so that the bevel edge end is at a 90 degree angle with the wood (see picture for reference). You will not be able to use a guide like you can for the plain edge.
Important Note: Only chisel half of the wood. Its good practice to chisel in halves to prevent the chisel from being pushed back too far.
Step 3: Strike chisel with mallet
Using a rubber mallet, lightly handle of the chisel.
It is good to start off light and increase pressure to use the minimal force necessary. Using too much force can result in over striking and splitting the wood.
Step 4: Pull chisel back, towards the bevel edge
Now you will pull the chisel back, towards the bevel edge to break away the wood.
This will allow for you to chisel little at a time, thus limiting wood chipping.
Step 5: Repeat steps 1-4 until desired depth is reached
Now you will repeat steps 1-4.
It is crucial to continue to outline the parameter with each repetition when chiseling across grain. This is because when you break away the wood in step 4, you will increase the chances of the wood splitting.
Common chisel mistakes and issues
- Hitting chisel too hard
- Hitting the chisel too hard can result in overcutting and wood splitting. It is ideal to use the minimal force necessary when chiseling.
- A good practice is to start off with light hits with the mallet and increase the force.
- Using dull chisel
- Using a dull chisel will increase your chances of splitting the wood and wood break away
- No chiseling in halves
- This is one of the most common mistakes that woodworker make when chiseling.
- Do not chisel at the line on your first pass.
- Chisel at the halfway mark and continue to chisel at the halfway mark until you cannot anymore. If not, the chisel will be pushed back into the wood and you will overcut.
- Starting chisel angle wrong
- Many people eyeball the angle of the chisel. This method does take practice and trial and error.
- To ensure you are starting at a 90 degree angle, use a square wooden block as a guide for the chisel.
- Trying to chisel too much material at once
- Not taking into account the wood grain.
- As mentioned earlier, chiseling along and across the wood grain is different and should be considered. You are likely to veer off course with chiseling along the wood grain and you will require more force across the wood grain.
Common chiseling questions
Can you chisel with a flat head screwdriver?
Generally, you cannot chisel with a flat-head screwdriver. Since the screwdriver does not have a flat surface to reference off of, you will split the wood.
Can you split wood with a chisel?
Yes, you can eventually split wood with a chisel. However, they are designed to cut into wood and to not split it. You will spend more time trying to split wood with a chisel and would be better off using a wood splitter, axe, or a flat head screwdriver for smaller wood pieces.
Conclusion
In this article, we went over the different types of wood chisels and how to use a wood chisel.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this article and I wish you luck on your woodworking journeys!
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