Chisel sizes & types [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

Mike Holbrook

02-03-2011, 8:43 AM

I want some good chisels. I have read lots of threads about the peerage of various manufacturers and have those bases pretty well covered.

I have decided to purchase chisels of several different types from several different manufacturers. LNs, Asley Isles, Pfeil, Lee Valley Bevel-Edge Chisels, Barr "cabinet maker's" chisels, Blue Spruce....

My question is which sizes would you choose of these various types of chisels if you could only have 2-3, maybe even just one. This topic being valid because that is exactly what I plan to do. As a couple other people have mentioned there are always one/a few chisels in any set that get most of the work, those are the ones I want, not the whole set.

David Weaver

02-03-2011, 8:56 AM

I guess different people work different ways. If I have more chisels available, I'll use more.

If I could only have three chisels, I guess I'd probably go with a 1/4, 1/2 and either a 3/4" or 1", but I don't know that it would matter that much (1/8th and sometimes 16th inch can be really handy chisels depending on what you're doing).

I'm also not sure I would buy all of those brands of chisels, not because of the cost, but because if you decide what you really want later, you'll have to screw around selling all of them. My personal preference would be to have one set of bevel edge chisels that could go on a dry grinder and that had fairly delicate bevels, brand doesn't really matter, I'd buy on cost and then work your way out from there as you see the need for something else.

To me, for what you pay and what you get, the AI "narrow" set from TFWW would be my first choice - it has an eighth chisel, and the largest is an inch. LN chisels are nice, but they are expensive for what they are. Never used Barr or BS, they are also nice looking, but a lot if you're just looking for a functional chisel. (i have spent more than they cost on chisels, though, so I'm not criticizing, just trying to be objective). I have the iles london pattern chisels. They are just as pleasant to use as my more expensive chisels, curiosity just killed me when I was buying and trying, and reality, i would probably like the AI MK2 chisels better than the larger london pattern chisels, but I'm done playing the shuffle game with that kind of stuff.

Derek Cohen

02-03-2011, 9:02 AM

Hi Mike

Crazy way of going about this - you are sure to be overwhelmed by too much detail. But ...

Mortice: 1/4 and 5/16"

Paring: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4"

Dovetail: 1/8, 3/16, 1/4"

Regards from Perth

Derek

Mike Holbrook

02-03-2011, 9:33 AM

I did not mean to infer that I was going to buy several chisels from each manufacturer mentioned. I was simply trying to mention most of the favorites so the thread did not wander off onto another discussion of the "best" brand. I have some economy chisels now and a set of Japanese chisels which I do not care too much for (more like butt chisels). I should add I am in the market for english/american more cabinet making types of chisels.

So I guess it is fair to ask what work I plan to do. I am about to start building some rough cabinets, moving to nicer cabinets and furniture as compliments to the construction projects I have done and am currently finishing up. If we have to talk brands I am thinking AI & Pfeil to start, probably AI in the smaller sizes and Pfeil in the larger sizes. I might go with a couple or three LV's Bevel Edge Chisels in middle sizes as I think they would stand up to abuse well. I work and live on 12 acres and move between two buildings at opposite ends of a steep hill. The work building may get a few LV's for the rough more construction related work I do there. The nicer chisels will reside in my growing shop and not move from there.

So if I read the post above correctly the suggestion would be AI narrow set of MK2's 1/8,1/4,3/8,1/2,3/4,1.

Opps another post, yeah a break down of sizes for types of work, thanks back to Perth.

Mike Holbrook

02-03-2011, 10:07 AM

I am curious about the metric vs inches decision. I know some, particularly hand made chisels are not terribly consistent in their sizing anyway... I am wondering if people here think they need exact sizes of chisels to match work or not? Again I guess it depends somewhat on specific work and how one organizes their work. I guess if one is leaning more towards hand tools and less toward machine made cuts then there is less reliance on exactly matching machine made cuts? I saw an interesting demo at Highland hardware on using older hand tools not too long ago. The most interesting thing to me was the moderators emphasis on matching parts instead of working to exact measurements.

David Weaver

02-03-2011, 10:13 AM

That narrow set would be my choice. It's not expensive, and I have used other Iles chisels made of the same steel and they do exactly what they're supposed to do. I think those will have nice balance if you don't like butt chisels.

I have not been able to use older marples chisels, but if you could find a set that was several decades old, they are another good inexpensive choice - they had nice delicate bevels. They are far and away the most common chisels I've seen in "pay" shops but you have to hunt now that they managed to mangle them by sending them over to the PRC for manufacture. The fact that they kept the price the same is a very bad joke.

To your other question, i've never needed exact sizes to do anything. i would think that anyone who would feel they did must have something else dictating how their layout and marking is done, or may be working off of patterns and have habits of wanting to size the tools to the pattern. I'd hate to do that.

Mike Holbrook

02-03-2011, 11:14 AM

David,
I think we are thinking alike on general strategy here. The LN's and BS chisels are very nice and at some place & time I may very well invest in them, but right now I am a little more concerned with having a larger selection of very good as opposed to excellent chisels. I was thinking about handles in terms of mixing up a couple or three chisel brands: LV's hard acrylic for work and handling that can get abusive, Pfeils with the reinforced heads in case I want to bang on them with my mallet and AI's for paring and hand smacking.

Zach Dillinger

02-03-2011, 11:26 AM

Depends on what you are trying to do, I guess. Adam Cherubini wrote once that, to do hand joinery, you need the following: square sided firmers from 1/8" to 1" by 1/8ths, one nice wicked sharp wide chisel (1" or 1.5"), a 5/16" mortise chisel, and a couple of paring chisels in widths from 3/8" to 5/8". I use mostly vintage square sided chisels in my work and have yet to have a problem with dinging dovetails and the like.

Joseph Klosek

02-03-2011, 11:44 AM

I have a set of Barr chisels from 1/8" - 1" in 1/8" increments.

I use the 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 1" the most.

I have had them for about 10 years now and they have performed very well over the years.

I also have a set of the blue Marples as well which I used before the Barr chisels.

Eventhough the Marples are a more mild steel than the Barr tools, they also have worked well over the years. They just require a little different sharpening schedule at more frequent intervals as opposed to the Barr chisels.

I use my tools every day as a furniture maker and restorer so they get more use as opposed to someone who is using tools on the weekend or as time permits.

I don't know too much about the other tools listed.

So depending on the types of projects you are working on, a basic set of 1/4" - 1" in 1/4" increments with an 1/8" thrown in should get you by pretty well. Although if you could trade the 3/4" for a 3/8" then you would probably be better off.

J.P.

Jim Koepke

02-03-2011, 1:21 PM

It really depends on what you are doing and what size of stock you will be working with in your projects.

If the widest part of a dovetail pin is 1/4", a 1/2" chisel will do you no good.

Using a chisel to make a stopped or concealed dado, you will want it just a bit narrower than your stock if you want a tight fit. This is where some of the metric sizes might work well. Some of mine that are dual marked use 12mm for 1/2" and 18mm for 3/4".

If you plane to make larger mortise and tenon joints in 8/4 or 2X stock you may want a 1/2" mortise chisel.

My solution was to just buy any chisel at the flea market or yard sale that looked to be useable. Now my selection includes cheap hardware store brand chisels with plastic handles that wouldn't bother me if they got lost in the creek. They get used in the field work and in something that might have nails or rocks embedded.

The selection includes some nicer chisels that only get used for paring.

In conclusion to keep the number of chisels at a minimum, only buy the sizes you need to match the joinery you will be cutting. I do find it nice to have multiple chisels for cutting a dovetail. One for chopping most of the waste and then another for doing the final paring. It is also handy to have one a little wider than the stock to pair on the tails or pins for the final fit.

Just because my system works for me does not mean it is the best way. My set up is likely to have more 1/2" chisels than most people have in their whole set.

Here is a great post by Bob Smalser covering chisels:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?13734-Wood-Chisel-Survey-for-Beginners-(Revised-For-The-Record)

jtk

Michael MacDonald

02-03-2011, 1:40 PM

the more chisels you have... the more chisels you have to sharpen...

Right now I find the 1/8 mortise to be invaluable for 1/4 inch mortises in 3/4 inch stock. I can get into the corners and flatten the bottom where the drill press has jumped over a ridge. is this normal for everyone to work 1/4 inch mortises?

Otherwise, I have a mixed set of cheap 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4. I think a 1" would be helpful, so I am going to add that. I am going to replace the cheap set with an "investment" set of bench chisels asap. Then after a period of time, I will probably add a few smaller size mortise chisels from a much-too-expensive brand. And I may get crazy and look into a set of japanses chisels once my finances recover from all this "investment"--just out of curiosity for the mystical properties of edge retention.

Russell Sansom

02-03-2011, 1:48 PM

I also have two endpoints where I need to use hand tools. At one end is my home shop where I maintain the house, make furniture, and build musical instruments. At the other end are several victorian-era apartment buildings made of first-growth redwood and Douglas fir.
I mention all this because I've found myself relying almost exclusively on the "firmer" format at the building end, where I seldom cut a dovetail. The firmers work fine on mortises...in fact they're just the ticket for stuff like inlaying locks.
The modern "very hard" chisels don't make much sense at the far end. They're at far greater risk to find a hidden nail or to drop to the floor. Reconstructing an edge is a substantial chore and I prefer a fully-equipped sharpening station for that. So, I'm using my grandfather's cast steel and odd Marples firmers which are considerably easier to maintain. Rust is a constant concern, of course, so I keep them wrapped.
BTW, I have a set of the Barr chisels. They aren't mentioned so often here on SMC, but are highly worthy of consideration. There's probably no more perfectly-formed modern chisel for that building at the other end of the property. If you just hold one you'll see what I mean.

Mike Holbrook

02-03-2011, 2:29 PM

I found a nice set of 8 Pfeils 5/32> 1"
Just a minuet I wasn't looking at sets. I'm not ADD I'm just easily distracted. What about the idea of getting 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 AI's and 5/16, 1" Pfeil's? The idea being the 5/16 for mortises and the big 1" will be struck with a mallet or dead blow more. I think the AI's will serve well as paring/bench chisels.

Later I can get into more specific designs as I find the need for them. I have a few Marples & Stanley chisels that I may be able to supplement with some refinished flea market/auction old guys to handle my needs at my work building. Those Barr's look like they would be great chisels for tough work but I think I will wait on something that nice until I establish a better set of skills and more specific interests.

Andrae Covington

02-03-2011, 3:25 PM

My two cents, based on what I did, is to buy a pretty full set of reasonably inexpensive bevel-edge bench chisels, then just a few of some nice paring chisels. I have the Narex set of 8 but I think the LV would be a good choice as well, though a little more money. The backs are probably ground better so the money vs time issue may very well be a better deal. Then (as always, depending on the type of work you do), I think only two to four small sizes of good paring chisels are needed for dovetails and other more delicate work. Point being that the cheaper sets are quite robust and will withstand heavier work including construction, and you won't cry as much if you beat them up. They can, at the same time, be used for fine furniture. For paring I have AI MK2's and roundbacks in 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, and 1 but of course any of the more premium chisels would be good choices as well.

On the metric vs imperial issue, again it depends on the work you do and the other tools you use. The primary argument is "tool slaving". For example if you have a 1/4" mortising chisel, then when it comes time to pare the ends of the mortise, it is nice to have a 1/4" paring chisel so you can do the full width in one pass and not under or over cut. But as long as the follow-up chisel is the same size or smaller than the first chisel (or other tool, such as a plow), you can deal with differences in sizes. It is more problematic when the follow-up chisel is a little wider, due to differences in standard metric and imperial size graduations.

Pam Niedermayer

02-03-2011, 8:35 PM

I use mm exclusively starting at 2mm, mainly because I can work in whole numbers, 1 mm being the smallest measure I ever need. Now, I do have a lot of old western tools that are in inches, but I hardly ever use them outside carving or turning.

Pam

Mike Holbrook

02-04-2011, 7:49 AM

Pam,
I believe you like the Pfeils? I know how good Swedish tool steel is and I think I will like them too. I also had a grandfather who came over from Sweden...Anyway are there particular sizes/jobs that you think they are best at/in? I was thinking about getting larger sizes and also 5/16/8mm & maybe 1/4/6mm for mortising...I guess the hoops are a double edged sword making them better at being struck but maybe for some a little less comfortable for paring..I actually like the "different" handles. I was planing to get Pfeil chisels in those sizes I may want to strike with a mallet or dead blow hammer regularly.

I did not think about the advantage of whole numbers using metric sizes, admittedly a nice feature. I think the Ashley Iles are actually metric too, or maybe their "hand made" feature just makes them more individually sized?

I noticed the Henry Taylor paring chisels at Best Things and found a nice video about them. I think the longer blades can be handy in some paring chores, cleaning rabbets and dadoes comes to mind. I remember the guy who did the hand tool seminar at Highland Hardware/Woodworking using long shaft paring chisels for this work. I was pretty impressed with how fast & accurately he made rabbets and dados with chisels and a router plane. Although I might have to use my electric router for this work, I am guessing the bottoms will benefit from a little chisel work. I was wondering if others favored this type chisel for some specific work? I am considering 1/4 and or 1/2 chisel(s) of this type, even if they are a little more pricey.

Sam Takeuchi

02-04-2011, 8:07 AM

Are Pfeils made from Swedish steel?

John Coloccia

02-04-2011, 8:47 AM

Actually, they're Swiss. As far as I know, they're still a relatively small, family owned company. I've been perfectly satisfied with every Pfeil tool I've ever owned or used.

David Weaver

02-04-2011, 9:02 AM

I don't know what the steel is, but it's fairly fine grained and closer to "old steel" than a lot of newer tools. I don't have the bench chisels, a buddy of mine does, but their steel seems a lot like the carving tool steel.

No clue if it's different than the standard oil hardening steel everyone else uses, or if it's just the quality that makes it feel nice. I wish they'd have chosen something a little more like the marples profile and handle shapes, or stanley, though.

Sam Takeuchi

02-04-2011, 9:10 AM

I see. I kind of hoped it is so when Mike mentioned it. It would've been nice if someone made good quality chisels akin to good ol' Berg (plastic handled Berg reincarnated Bahco doesn't count).

Andrew Yang

02-04-2011, 10:00 AM

I went with a recommendation from Chris Schwarz. I have the LN 1/4", 1/2" in A2, 3/4" in O1, Ray Iles mortise chisel 1/4", and a 1 1/2" Stanley #720 paring.

Pam Niedermayer

02-04-2011, 9:28 PM

Pam,
I believe you like the Pfeils? I know how good Swedish tool steel is and I think I will like them too. I also had a grandfather who came over from Sweden...

I only have a few Pfeil carving chisels, which I like quite a bit, great edges, easy to hone, all those good things; but I also have Takahashi and Addis carving chisels, which I also like a lot.

If choosing mortising chisels, I'd stick with Tasai or old English. If choosing paring chisels, I'd go with Tasai or Yamahiro. I no longer buy bench chisels, found I don't need them once I've got all the speciality chisels I need.

Pam

Derek Cohen

02-04-2011, 10:00 PM

Hi Pam

You have touched on the same point I made elsewhere, that is, once you begin buying/using specialist chisels, there is no need for allrounders. For example, Japanese bench chisels can be replaced by a combination of Japanese dovetail chisels and paring chisels. Once I began adding the former, my Iyoroi bench chisels were no longer used. The Japanese dovetail chisels are simply bench chisels with a different profile. I also have specialist dovetail chisels, such as Blue Spruce, and I can chop with my Stanley #750s, but the latter have been modified to the paring (i.e. specialist) end of the spectrum (longer handles and minimal shoulders).

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Stanley%20750%20Dovetails/Chisels4.jpg

I really cannot see one wanting to chop with a chisel wider than 1", and generally I would stop at 3/4". My Koyamaichi dovetail chisels go 3, 4.5, 6, 12, 18, 24 ....

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Koyamaichi%20chisels/Stu-chisels2.jpg

With long-handled parers I just find that they become cumbersome with narrow blades (< 6mm). My (very new) Kiyohisa slicks go 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Kiyohisa/6.jpg

There is still a place for all-rounders, but as the saying goes, "A Jack of all trades, a master of none".

Regards from Perth

Derek

David Weaver

02-04-2011, 10:26 PM

That particular set of koyamaichi dovetail chisels (well, I cannot tell if that's the put-together set or if you've differed a little from it) is a fabulous set of basic dovetail chisels. I lucked into purchasing them (by chance) as my first japanese chisels a long time ago when they were under $300. Had no clue who made them or whether they were good, just figured I'd try one and I wanted to try japanese chisels and at the same time, I wanted dovetail chisels - so total luck to run into what I would consider one of the best moderate cost makers i have seen, though they have gone up a little. Actually, i don't know of any as good and as cheap. I know of slightly higher finish (that I have - miyanaga - they are a little small, but very very tough and hard) and as good for another couple hundred bucks (for a small set), and I have several brands that are not quite as good, but they are probably the cheapest chisels I have been thoroughly impressed by with no complaints at all.

They are as hard as...fill in the blank with whatever sounds best - they are super super hard, but not chippy even though they're white steel, and the sides are so delicate so as to be exactly what you'd do as a user designing your own if you had the skill to smith them yourself. It seems like most of my other lower priced japanese chisels are not as hard as they say they are. I have only had the stones to test one that claimed to be 64, and the average of the hardness tester strikes on it translated to 61, a significant difference. I did not have the cajones to put my KI chisels under the hardness tester because there is not much iron on them to absorb the shock, and I've already been through regrinding three of them by hand after dropping them out of the roll on a concrete floor.

Too, the slicks look extra super tidy. I know they are new, have you had a chance to put any of them through their paces yet?

Pam Niedermayer

02-05-2011, 12:17 AM

Yeah, my one set of bench chisels has been languishing for 5 or 6 years now, time to get them out of here.

I do find a great use for chopping with 30-42mm chisels: making dai.

Pam

john brenton

02-05-2011, 12:21 AM

Mentioned it, but there was a cool thread by Bob Smalser about chisel types that might help.

Derek Cohen

02-05-2011, 12:58 AM

I know they are new, have you had a chance to put any of them through their paces yet?

Hi David

Not yet .. not even sharpened them yet. But I am hoping to get there this weekend.

I am building two military/campaign chests. (These will form the basis of an entertainment centre - essentially a stand for the TV in the livingroom). The carsases are 3/4" Jarrah and dovetailed together. I am almost done with fretsawing and chopping the waste out (after two weekends) ... nearly ready for some paring.

Of course I got a little sidetracked at this stage ... turning screws for a Moxon dovetail vise. I was asked yesterday to be a presenter at the first LN workshop in Perth in a month's time, and I thought that this was a good excuse to build the vise so that I have one to take with me.

But I will get to the slicks this weekend.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Johnny Kleso

02-05-2011, 2:55 AM

I'd go with a 5/16" morticing chisel vs the 1/4"
Also I get a 24mm and 36mm Japaness slick/paring chisel

I don't have any of the brands you asked about I just have a ton of old chisels I bought used but I do have one new set of Two Cherries Firmer but due to the way they polish them they have a small raidus at the sides corners that are a problem for some uses..

If I had to buy chisels all over again I would buy

LN A-2 Tool Steel full set
Ray Iles 1/4 and 5/16 D-2 Tool Steel Morticig Chisels
Dovetail Chisels 2-3
Japaness Paring/Slick Chisels

Mike Holbrook

02-05-2011, 4:30 AM

Interesting thoughts on the 'Bench" chisels and their long term utility. I originally started this thread with the idea of not buying a set or sets for some similar ideas about not buying into something that later would become obsolete. I was sort of thinking: mortising chisels, paring chisels, maybe more specialized dovetail chisels. Derek layed it out in his basic selections early on and it made sense to me. The thing that sort of threw me with this strategy is what I saw as different options for the three different areas and crossover between types. Take mortising, 1/4 and or 5/16 chisel being the popular ones. Some use "bench chisels, there are firmer chisels which may be better here, there are the Ray Iles specifically designed chisels, then I discovered that LN makes a version of their chisels specifically for mortising. Then I started noticing antique pig sticker and mortising chisels for auction... I suppose final decisions have to do with personal style, which I have not figured out yet.

I ordered a couple books/DVDs from Christopher Schwarz's site: "The Joiner and Cabinet Maker" (book plus DVD) which I hope will give me practical knowledge and experience using hand tools, Coarse, Medium and Fine: Fundamental Woodworking Techniques (DVD) which I hope will help me better understand & properly utilize the basic processes of woodworking, blending power & hand tool skills.

I ordered some Ashley Isles MK2 chisels to start with, ultimately one has to start somewhere: 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4. I figure with these I can start making mortises, dovetails... get my feet wet. I am thinking about ordering either a Ray Iles or LN mortising chisel in 5/16 maybe even another 1/4 but I will probably wait until I have a little experience with the AI's. I am excited about making mortises and tenons for my cabinets and plan to start developing that skill set ASAP.

Anyone have thoughts on the Ray Iles mortising chisels vs LN's offering?....

Mortise Chisels
Designed with cabinetmaking in mind, not timber framing, these well-balanced Mortise Chisels are ground with parallel sides and are taller than they are wide to help keep them straight in the cut.
Lie-Nielsen Mortise Chisels have Hornbeam handles. Chisels are illustrated with Heartwood Hornbeam.

Mike Holbrook

02-05-2011, 8:49 AM

This may be off topic a little but..
Has anyone tried LN's Joinery floats?...

"Our new Joinery Floats are sized with cabinet making and furniture building, rather than planemaking in mind.

Floats can cut more aggressively than rasps, yet leave a finely finished surface for either exposed work or a glue bond. They're also sharpened with a file, and hardened and tempered to around RC 50, like a good hand saw."

These guys look like something between a plane, chisel and rasp, closer to a Micro Plane maybe? Just wondering if these might do some of the same work as the chisels we are discussing?

John Coloccia

02-05-2011, 9:03 AM

Anyone have thoughts on the Ray Iles mortising chisels vs LN's offering?....

Pig stickers, such as Ray Iles, are a refined mortising tool, right down to the taper and the low primary bevel with high secondary. Their only reason for existing it to drive deeply into wood, and pry out big chunks. In my opinion, the LN and most others are not optimized to do these two tasks.

Derek Cohen

02-05-2011, 9:34 AM

Mike Holbrook

02-05-2011, 9:55 AM

It might be fair to say the Ray Iles tools are very specific in their intended use, probably the best for removing large amounts of wood from mortises? The LN chisels look like they share a little more with firming, sash and regular straight sided mortise chisels, possibly leaning a little more toward utility and finesse than Ray's offering?

I wonder in the case of someone who has not developed advanced skills whether or not the Ray Iles offerings might be more likely to cause tear out than the less aggressive LN tools? I guess a newer worker might have a better chance of damaging the LN tool though? My greatest fear is causing splits or tear outs in the edges of those finer pieces. Working faster is great as long as it does not end up causing me to need to start over. It's a circle I think I am chasing my tail!

Derek,
Thanks for the link, I had just done a search and found it on my own, great article, very helpful! I use my micro planes a great deal and I think I would like the floats too. I think one or two of these in the pull variety might help reduce my tear out early on.

Andrew Yang

02-08-2011, 8:17 PM

I've been using the 1/4" Ray Iles mortise chisel and haven't had any problems with splits on 3/4" poplar. I'm not clear as to your concern with tear out in a mortise.

John Coloccia

02-08-2011, 9:23 PM

I'll also add that if anything, you have a better chance of damaging the mortice with a straight sided chisel than with one that tapers a bit. Anyone who has ever gotten just slightly twisted in the mortise and made a nice gouge in the side has experienced this, though I'm sure that none of us has ever been guilty of such a grievous sin. :D

Also, the oval shape of the pig sticker handle makes it much easier to align in the mortise, much the same way that a pistol grip tote on a saw is easier to align than a round grip a'la gent's saw. I think it is, at any rate.

That's not to say that all the other mortise chisels on the planet are junk. There are plenty of fine mortise chisels, including the LN. It's just my opinion that the pig stickers are superior in function. I'm surprised no one else is making them. I'm still extremely annoyed at myself for losing mine in a move, and I've just been too cheap to pick up new ones. I keep thinking I'll find some in decent condition at an antique shop or estate sale somewhere. It's never happened.

Mike Holbrook

02-09-2011, 12:52 AM

I was assuming that the Ray Iles tool had less bevel so that it could stand the greater pressure applied to break out pieces of wood in a mortise. From the description of the Ray Iles mortising chisel at Tools For Working Wood I read....

"Some people feel that A2 and D2 don't get as sharp as good traditional carbon steel, but this is less of an issue than it would be in, for example, a paring chisel, since mortise chisels don't need to be as surgically sharp. And the pummeling required by the mortise chisel's higher bevel angles makes the extra toughness of D2 a real boon. Ray thought that in D2, these chisels would stay sharp forever. He's off by a few years but the edge retention on these chisels is amazing."

I followed a few likely looking chisels similar to Ray's that were on auction but so far I have not made an acquisition. It seems that 1/4 and 5/16 are the popular sizes for these tools. Would purchasing just one or both of those sizes handle most situations? I also thought socket chisels like the LN mortise chisels or Henry Taylor's Firming Chisels might protect handles better and allow me to switch handles. It is also true that I am just curious about the LN & Henry Taylor chisels and would like to try them. The same is true of Ray's tool too.

John Coloccia

02-09-2011, 1:30 AM

The Iles come with a 20 degree primary to which you're supposed to put something like a 35 degree secondary. My old pig sticker was the same way when I got it. VERY shallow primary and steep secondary. I thought it was strange but it actually works very well. The steep secondary keeps the edge from falling to pieces, and the shallow primary allows you to drive it deeply into the wood. The tapered sides keep it from getting stuck when driving and levering.

Those old timers knew how to get it done :)

What pigstickers DON'T have going for them is that they are ugly as sin itself. It looks like something you'd find an unlucky, ornery pirate wielding at the poker table ("Take me chips, will ya? Arrrr!").

Many fine mortises have also been made with LN's, Hirsch, Two Cherries, etc chisels.....a drill bit and a sharpened screwdriver too :)

David Weaver

02-09-2011, 8:07 AM

I followed a few likely looking chisels similar to Ray's that were on auction but so far I have not made an acquisition. It seems that 1/4 and 5/16 are the popular sizes for these tools. Would purchasing just one or both of those sizes handle most situations? I also thought socket chisels like the LN mortise chisels or Henry Taylor's Firming Chisels might protect handles better and allow me to switch handles. It is also true that I am just curious about the LN & Henry Taylor chisels and would like to try them. The same is true of Ray's tool too.

One of them would be fine to start. They are the nicest mortise chisels i've seen. I like 5/16ths, but if your stock sometimes tends to get a little thinner than 3/4ths, maybe 1/4th inch is better. You don't need both, I guess. It'd be a real challenge to find someone who made a 1/4" tenon and claimed that their M&T joint failed because it wasn't 5/16ths.

I have a couple of the LN mortise chisels, too. I would buy an RI chisel first. If you are doing small furniture, i don't know if it makes much of a difference, there's just more there to grab on when you're breaking things out with the RI chisel.

Despite all of the discussion of D2's perceived dullness, I've noticed the RI chisels sharpen fine on all of the waterstones I have. They dull on the edge a little with each mortise, but it's so little that i just keep the polishing stone next to the bench and pull the bevel of the chisel across it 5 or 10 times quick after each mortise and it stays pleasingly sharp.

As john says, a steep final bevel. I like to roll mine a little, it makes the edge tough without having to screw around with a big flat bevel, but the final effective angle is probably around 35 degrees or so. By the time you need to move the primary back, if you do it right, you still haven't chased the edge that steep.

Derek Cohen

02-09-2011, 9:19 AM

I have 1/4 and 3/8" RI mortice chilsels, plus a bunch of vintage oval bolstered mortice chisels from 1/8" (which gets a fair amount of use for drawer pull mortices) through 1/2". The D2 chisels are excellent, but do not discount the vintage, HCS types - mine all hold an edge very well.

The vintage OBM types can be bought relatively cheaply if you get ones without handles or poor handles. Re-handle them yourself (there is a tutorial on my website). This is what I did ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRestorations/Rehandling%20an%20Oval%20Bolstered%20Mortice%20Chi sel.html

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/OBMC1.jpg

Now there is an even cheaper way. You can purchase HSS square section blanks (used by turners to make there own lathe chisels). I made a couple of chisels (1/4 and 5/16") for squaring the ends of grooves, but they are really just mortice chisels ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/SquaringChisels.html

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/SquaringChisels_html_3a50e2e2.jpg

In my experience all the steels can get as sharp as each other. I have O1, A2, D2, HSS, 3V .. If you find one is not sharp, then you are not sharpening it on the ideal media, that is all.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Mike Holbrook

02-09-2011, 10:21 AM

Great information Derek, thanks! Thanks to everyone as this has been a very valuable & educational experience.

I ordered the RI 1/4 inch and at the last minuet ordered a 1/8 too. From what I have read the 1/8" pig stickers are very difficult to find at auction and almost impossible to make well. I just think I will get good use out of a 1/8. I will be doing some narrower wood starting out. I will be searching auctions for 5/16, 3/8 and or using Dereck's idea of making them. I think this gives me what I need to get started and hone my skills. I will work on the larger sizes to speed things up a little as I learn.

Another boarder subject is how to store these soon to be sharp little beasties? I have a couple tool rolls but my experience even with less expensive chisels is they have a nasty way of cutting their way out. I know there are quite a few cabinet designs for hand tools. Some of the designs I have seen are master works that I am sure I am not ready for yet. I am wondering if there is a good, fairly simple design that might both give me a good project to learn on and net me a good storage space for the: chisels, braces, hand drills, planes & scrapers, Yankee screw drivers, measuring & marking devices and small collection of hand saws... I have/am collecting?

My basic Ashley Iles selection of chisels is due to be delivered by UPS today and I am itching to put them to good use.

Jim Koepke

02-09-2011, 10:52 AM

Just a note on metric sizes.

Last night I was chopping a 1/2" mortice. My 12 mm chisel came in handy to do a little of the clean up work. My 1/2" firmer was a bit too tight in the mortise to do the fine paring.

All three of my mortise chisels were bought off of ebay, 5/16, 3/8 & 1/2".

Just a thought.

jtk

Russell Sansom

02-09-2011, 12:39 PM

A thin drawer with dividers is hard to beat for storage. A removable tray that sits in a drawer is even better. This has the advantage of storing the business end of the chisels facing away from your hands. The pig stickers love this storage method.
For dovetail / firmers, I have thin, hinged boxes that hang behind my bench. This makes a nice dovetailed-box-with-hinges project depending on your ambition. A piano hinge isn't beautiful, but easy to do.

Mike Holbrook

02-09-2011, 2:27 PM

Jim, I understand that the AI chisels, due to arrive today, are not exact sizes since they are hand made. I was planing to fill in gaps with auction chisels over time. I just won a 1/4 Fulton chisel and have a bid on a 1 1/2" too.

I like the idea of the removable drawers Russel. I might be able to do one or both of those suggestions with my small work bench.
I realized that I had saved a small wooden chest my wife was going to throw away. It was designed with lots of shallow drawers to hold jewelry. It turns out those drawers are great depths for chisels too. I will need to do a little work on some of the drawers that are divided into small sections. The drawers are even lined with a felt like material. The drawers are light enough to be pulled out and moved around the shop too. I think with a little work I will have a great storage cabinet for my more delicate wood working tools.

Firmer chisels ehhh, so far this thread has not actually discussed them. What specifically do you guys use the Firmers for?

Mike Holbrook

02-11-2011, 12:35 PM

So My AI's have a new home:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/macholbrooks/5435701065/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/macholbrooks/5436311440/

The rescued jewelry cabinet in the picture is sized quite well for Hand tools. The two larger bottom drawers work well for planes. The smaller 5 top drawers work well for smaller more delicate tools like chisels, measuring devices.... The felt like drawer liners work especially well to protect delicate chisel & other fine cutting blades. The drawers are small and light enough to carry around the shop for easy access to specific sets of tools. An easy mod or two to the doors will allow me to hang tools there too. It is a little hard to reach sitting on the floor so it may get wall mounted. The knobs/handles are fragile and will get replaced with something sturdier that can be secured on the far side of the drawer face.

With all those great drawers for housing chisels I guess I need to get busy filling them up. A couple auction wins have me on the way: Mix & Co 1" bevel edge, Dunlap 1/4" bevel edged socket chisel....So far I have been a little low on my Pig Sticker offers, but my RI 1/4" is on the way. Apparently the 1/8" RI's are back ordered so I am rethinking that one.

I am also curious about swan neck chisels. They seem like a good tool for cleaning out mortises. I would think their shape would help in reaching the bottom corners in mortises? I have read that they can make stock removal quicker and save wear & tear on more delicate bench type chisels too? For some reason I have yet to see one at auction, although I have not been watching chisels very long.

Jim Koepke

02-11-2011, 1:50 PM

Firmer chisels ehhh, so far this thread has not actually discussed them. What specifically do you guys use the Firmers for?

I will use them often for chopping on dovetails and save the paring chisels for the paring. I also use them for chopping stopped dados. Any work that entails a lot of whacking with a mallet has me using the square sided or heavier bevel edge chisels.

I am also curious about swan neck chisels. They seem like a good tool for cleaning out mortises. I would think their shape would help in reaching the bottom corners in mortises? I have read that they can make stock removal quicker and save wear & tear on more delicate bench type chisels too? For some reason I have yet to see one at auction, although I have not been watching chisels very long.

If you haven't done so already, expand your search to include > lock mortise chisel <, this is how they are often listed. Most of the time since it will not be seen, the bottom of the mortise doesn't need a lot of cleaning. They are usually cut a bit deeper than the tenon to allow for extra glue. A lock mortise only needs to be as deep as the lock being installed since there isn't any glue.

BTW, that looks to be a great tool storage cabinet. It kind of scares me to think of a woman with a jewelry drawer big enough to store hand planes.

jtk

Mike Holbrook

02-11-2011, 7:47 PM

Right Jim, that jewelry cabinet scared me too. I guess she finally gave up on the idea that she was going to need that much space. Of course, it will be much cheaper and better to fill it with hand tools.

I got several packages today. The Ray Iles 1/4" mortising chisel is gigantic, at least compared to my expectations. The 1/8" RI's were on back order. The info. with the RI mortise chisel suggests that using a chisel 1/16 smaller than the planned mortise will make chopping the mortise easier and faster. Using the 1/3 width standard for mortise size, a 3/4 board needs a 3/16 mortise chisel to cut the 1/4 mortise. Now I am thinking a 3/16" RI might be a good idea since I have plans to do a large number of cabinets that will use thinner wood. I am also thinking about making a bunch of stools for the business and dog club. They could run into larger mortises, until I have a plan though... The used German/Dunlap socket chisel I got in the mail today is 7/32 so it fits in well.

Got me thinking about firmers to do the main chopping on dovetails and all those things I want to go ahead and whack a chisel into other than mortises, maybe 1/4, 1/2, 3/4"?

I have seen wood mallets with wood heads and larger plain wood mallets...that are apparently popular for striking chisels. I have a small dead blow and a Wood is Good MA-12, are these good mallet/hammers to start or is something else better for smacking?

Derek Cohen

02-11-2011, 8:34 PM

The Ray Iles 1/4" mortising chisel is gigantic, at least compared to my expectations. The 1/8" RI's were on back order. The info. with the RI mortise chisel suggests that using a chisel 1/16 smaller than the planned mortise will make chopping the mortise easier and faster.

Hi Mike

Most disagree with this method. It requires that you use a wide chisel to pare aware the sides of the mortice. Most unwise. Just use a chisel that is the same width as the mortice - that is the very reason for the specific tapered design of the OBM chisels.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AHandcutMorticeandTenonPrimer-BlindMortice_html_m22c5eb81.jpg

Article: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AHandcutMorticeandTenonPrimer-BlindMortice.html

Secondly, if you think the 1/4" RI is large (I don't think so, but then I am used to these mortice chisels), then you should see the 3/8" RI!

Here is a 1/4" RI flanked by a vintage 1/4" and a vintage 1/2" ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/RayIlesmorticechisel1.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

Jim Koepke

02-11-2011, 8:56 PM

Using the 1/3 width standard for mortise size, a 3/4 board needs a 3/16 mortise chisel to cut the 1/4 mortise. Now I am thinking a 3/16" RI might be a good idea since I have plans to do a large number of cabinets that will use thinner wood.

...

I have seen wood mallets with wood heads and larger plain wood mallets...that are apparently popular for striking chisels. I have a small dead blow and a Wood is Good MA-12, are these good mallet/hammers to start or is something else better for smacking?

My vote is with Derek on this one. Use the mortise chisel at the size you want the mortise to be. Try a few practice cuts and you will see how it does just like it should. I set the pins on my mortise marking gauge to the tip of the chisel and cut the tenon to match. After a few times you will be cutting tenons that do not need much if any trimming to fit the mortise.

There are all kinds of mallets. One of my favorites is made from a scrap of 2X4 oak salvaged from a pallet. Some of mine are made out of firewood turned on the lathe. Those are mostly for whacking my froe when making kindling. I have also made carvers mallets on the lathe and use those at times. One that is used a lot for hitting a chisel is one with a rectangular head on a tapered wooden handle. The head is about 12 oz. if my recollection is right.

182329

The bottom mallet is the one from the recycled oak, the top one and the second from the bottom are store bought.

jtk

Mike Holbrook

02-11-2011, 9:21 PM

I think my first image of this tool came from my concept of a shiv or pig sticker, in my mind a small concealable edged weapon. It might take two hands to handle that 1/2" wood sticker.

Ahh, so regarding sizing, again opinions vary. It does seem most of what I have read at least implies using chisels to match size, especially the straight sided chisels. By the way, the suggestion to cut 1/16" shy comes in an instruction sheet with the RI chisel, not sure if that is Ray's idea or that of someone at Tools for Working Wood.

I got my copy of The Joiner & Cabinet Maker (book & DVD) and Schwarz's Coarse, Medium & Fine DVD today too. I guess I am going to learn a little more now.

Great pictures Derek & thanks for the thoughts.

Nice Mallets Jim. I have a big chunk of Ash I cut out of a log with my chain saw, might get a couple mallets out of it and a chance to use my draw knives.

Joel Moskowitz

02-11-2011, 9:45 PM

By the way, the suggestion to cut 1/16" shy comes in an instruction sheet with the RI chisel, not sure if that is Ray's idea or that of someone at Tools for Working Wood.

I wrote the instruction sheet that came witrh the chisels. The method of using an undersized chisel is traditional and actually described in Moxon.
With the technique it becomes trivial to make vacuum tight mortises, through mortise where the joint is perfect, but most important it allows for very rapid work witohut loss of accuracy. (especially important in a through mortise).

Another major benifit is if you cut your mortises by machine. If is FAR FAR FAR faster to set your machine to cut an approximate tenon of the correct size, gauge the resultant tenon and scribe to whatever that exact size happens to be, take the next size smaller chisel and [sloppily and] quickly chop the mortise. Then with a wide paring chisel on the scribe line a quick push exactly gets you to the right measurement. Done - a perfect fit for how many tenons you cut at the same time and setting. No tuning and test fitting.

Otherwise you have to chop your mortise to some size, paying real care not to damage the size of the mortise with a carelessly placed chisel tip, and then fuss with your machine to get the right measurement. And if you are off a hair you have a whole series of tenons that need to be either shimmed or trimmed.

If you saw your tenons by hand there is a slight savings of time but you do have to gauge each mortise individually and of course with practice accurately sawing tenons isn't that hard.

Derek Cohen

02-11-2011, 10:08 PM

Otherwise you have to chop your mortise to some size, paying real care not to damage the size of the mortise with a carelessly placed chisel tip, and then fuss with your machine to get the right measurement.

Hi Joel

To ensure that the mortice is made within the desired boundary (although a few early errant strikes should go unnoticed under the tenon anyway), I pare the initial "layer" (effectively creating a guide) ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AHandcutMorticeandTenonPrimer-BlindMortice_html_m72d8b451.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AHandcutMorticeandTenonPrimer-BlindMortice_html_me4c36ad.jpg

After this it is a simple matter to use the correct sized mortice chisel.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Joel Moskowitz

02-11-2011, 10:46 PM

Derek,
Aside from the speed issue (which may not be important to you) You are still forcing yourself to have exactly standard sized tenons which is harder to do than just cutting the mortise to fit.

"(although a few early errant strikes should go unnoticed under the tenon anyway), "

not if it's a through tenon.

I've tried both methods and I find the Moxon method (with the paring the sides on the scribe line) to be faster, easier, and require less skill) So that's why I recommend it. Other methods do work.

Derek Cohen

02-11-2011, 11:17 PM

Thanks Joel

I will try out your/Moxon's method when I get the chance, and report back on which I prefer. (Anything that requires less skill if good for me! :))

Regards from Perth

Derek

Mike Holbrook

02-11-2011, 11:49 PM

Well hi Joel,
Interesting to meet you here. I just started reading "The Joiner and Cabinet Maker" tonight, seems like your name was up in the front there somewhere, strange how improbably distant things seem to travel the same circles sometimes. Great to get your input.

I am a professional dog trainer, an endeavor for which there is precious little science and tons and tons of theory. I know full well how many methods can be made to work and how there is always a better way. It's good to challenge and push the windows, often only to discover that somehow we made a circle. I think that is my fascination with hand tools, running old circles to find forgotten and new trails. I'm convinced that learning to do things with the hand tools will make me better with the powered ones too.

Well back to a little reading and watching DVD's, tomorrow I will go poke some holes in wood with these "old" fangled contraptions.

John Coloccia

02-12-2011, 12:32 AM

Jim Koepke

02-12-2011, 2:31 AM

In the end, it seems to all come down to whether one cuts tenons first and fits the mortise or if one cuts the mortise first and then fits tenons.

My pig stickers all have trapezoidal profiles and seem to work well without bruising up the sides. If they were square sided, they might ding up the sides more.

What ever works...

jtk

Pam Niedermayer

02-12-2011, 3:59 AM

It's so easy to use the correct size chisel: simply set the mortise gauge with the chisel. This is really a no brainer. Then use the same mortise gauge with the same setting for tenons. Then chop and saw and it all comes out perfectly, with no fiddling around whatsoever. I tried the "Moxon" method once and didn't like it at all, required too much fiddling about and test fitting.

Pam

John Coloccia

02-12-2011, 8:34 AM

george wilson

02-12-2011, 9:53 AM

I'm with Derek and Pam. I can cut a mortise in just a few minutes using the correct size chisel. It takes some personal skill to keep the chisel from going astray,but not a lot.

Mike Holbrook

02-14-2011, 11:49 AM

So I just found an advertisement here on the creek for Highland Hardware/Woodworking. I clicked on it out of curiosity since it is local to me and found Stanley 750 chisels for sale. Apparently these chisels have been reintroduced or maybe they never actually faded away, at least in the UK. Has anyone used this modern version of this venerable old chisel? Is the steel, good, bad indifferent?

Jim Koepke

02-14-2011, 12:34 PM

Stanley has recently released a line of premium woodworking tools.

Popular Woodworking dot com/blog has discussed this. Just recently a bunch of the Stanley 750 chisels came in to be tested. It is already down toward the bottom of the page.

One person mentioned that they picked up a set with two 1/8" size chisels and no 1/4" chisel.

I would wait for review before buying. Then again, I have a lot of chisels and it is unlikely that I will buy any new sets.

jtk

Shawn Albe

02-14-2011, 5:51 PM

Joel Moskowitz

02-14-2011, 7:12 PM

Joel-
Seems to me that it would be "six of one, half dozen of the other"; or if anything, it would be easier to trim the tenons than a mortise?

Or maybe you are saying that starting with a tenon, you can use the sawn tenon to scribe the exact thickness on the mortised piece, i.e., a direct marking? Much like we see people doing on their Roubo benches these days? I suppose it *would* be rather hard to use the mortise to mark on the end of a tenon! I'll have to try it that way and see.

Shawn,
The advantage is that you can trivially hit any exact size of mortise and chop faster and sloppier even on a through mortise where there is a visible joint. For former reason means that if need to do 50 joints by hand and you want to set up a saw to quickly do the tenons you don't have to pray that your 50 tenons are all a little thin or a little fat and need tweecking. You just gauge the joint to the actual size of the tenon you have, pick the next smaller size mortise chisel, go to down and trivially pare to a perfect perfect fit.
If you hand saw a few tenons the main benifit is on through tenons although it's easier to get a perfect fit too with this method.

Pam Niedermayer

02-14-2011, 8:39 PM

Shawn,
The advantage is that you can trivially hit any exact size of mortise and chop faster and sloppier even on a through mortise where there is a visible joint. For former reason means that if need to do 50 joints by hand and you want to set up a saw to quickly do the tenons you don't have to pray that your 50 tenons are all a little thin or a little fat and need tweecking. You just gauge the joint to the actual size of the tenon you have, pick the next smaller size mortise chisel, go to down and trivially pare to a perfect perfect fit.
If you hand saw a few tenons the main benifit is on through tenons although it's easier to get a perfect fit too with this method.

Joel, I just plain disagree that perfect fits result from this method. I know this is not the case. The method is kind of like trimming bushes: cut a little here, a little more there, a lot more over there, oops, a little more here, and pretty soon you've got a row of bushes trimmed to nubs.

Pam

george wilson

02-14-2011, 8:56 PM

Zach Dillinger

02-14-2011, 9:17 PM

I haven't had to resort to praying that my tenons fit. I agree with Pam that using the correct width chisels is the most efficient way to go. To do any work right,you DO have to learn to saw accurately. Failing that,saw oversize and plane the tenons down.

I've tried both methods and I find that I do better and more accurate work by doing the mortise first, using my mortise chisel to set a mortising gauge and then using that gauge to lay out the tenon. Make sure to gauge both pieces from the "face" side and saw the tenon in the line created by the gauge. This might be a slightly looser fit than some people like because of the set of the saw, but it works nicely with finely set tenon saw, plus hide glue and drawboring pretty much obviates the need for a "piston" fit tenon anyway. The important thing for me is that the tenon fits off the saw so I can work quickly, goes together with no gaps at the shoulder and drawbores nice and tight. Using the chisel to determine everything is the best way for me and my work.

Jim Koepke

02-14-2011, 9:18 PM

It seems like two different methods to get to the same end.

One way is better for some, the other way is better for others.

Since only three of my chisels are really mortising chisels, they will do their part and the tenons will be cut to fit. However, if a little paring in the mortise seems a better way to make the fit, then it will be done that way.

We now return to the debate on how many angels can really dance on the head of a pin.

jtk

Joel Moskowitz

02-14-2011, 9:56 PM

Joel, I just plain disagree that perfect fits result from this method. I know this is not the case. The method is kind of like trimming bushes: cut a little here, a little more there, a lot more over there, oops, a little more here, and pretty soon you've got a row of bushes trimmed to nubs.

Pam

Pam,
No trimming, you get a perfect fit. You put the paring chisel on the scribe line, make sure you are plumb, push down. As long as you measured the tenon acurractly, and it was sawn square you are done. No fuss no muss - it takes careful scribing any a little practice. otherwise it's dead easy.

Joel Moskowitz

02-14-2011, 10:00 PM

What is the correct width chisel? If you just cut 20 tenons and they are all a 1/64 fat (table saws tenon jigs can be fussy) They don't make a 17/64" mortise chisel. and who wants to hand trim 20 tenons? and who wants to fuss with a tenon jig trying to get it perfectly 1/4" - a waste of time. For blind mortise where fit doesn't matter it's either or but for through mortises you might as well get it right the first time and save trimming.

John Coloccia

02-14-2011, 10:18 PM

The only thing I find funny about Joel's method is I would never use a mortise chisel to remove the waste. I would drill it out as that's much faster (I'm a fair-weather neander :) ). Other than that, it's a pretty standard way to make mortises. I think using the chisel to hog out the waste is throwing everyone off.

Mike Holbrook

02-15-2011, 2:27 AM

The information I posted is being taken out of context. I apologize for doing Joel's work an injustice by misrepresenting it. The information I posted paraphrased something I had not even fully read at the time. The few words I posted are a small part of about two pages of instructions that come with Ray Iles mortising chisels. These chisels are only available in a limited number of sizes, several of the sizes seem to be out of stock frequently. I imagine most people only buy 1-3 sizes of these chisels. Barring having the exact size the instructions simply suggest using the largest size chisel that is smaller than the mortise. I had ordered two chisels one of which was not in stock. I was simply trying to figure out whether or not to change my order to another size chisel, cancel the second chisel.... Joel's instructions certainly help me to realize how best to put my new chisel into effective use. I bought a 1/4 inch chisel, my fear at the time was that I might have substantial need to make mortises in pieces less than 3/4" thick. A 3/16 chisel might have actually been a better choice for me starting out, since I was thinking narrower wood.