Mortising Chisels Worth It?

[Joe Leigh]

So I'm thinking of investing in some mortising chisels but wondering if there's that much of a difference for how I make my mortises. I currently use a brad point bit in the drill press then use my bench chisels to square up the holes. Would mortising chisels improve this procedure? Or are they used to chop out mortises without drilling?

[Prashun Patel]

Mortise chisels are for chopping (and paring). The bench chisels are best for just paring. If you are using a drill press already, I don't think y'll gain anything.

That being said, mortise chisels have square sides, so it's easier (for me) to square corners with them.

[John Coloccia]

So I'm thinking of investing in some mortising chisels but wondering if there's that much of a difference for how I make my mortises. I currently use a brad point bit in the drill press then use my bench chisels to square up the holes. Would mortising chisels improve this procedure? Or are they used to chop out mortises without drilling?

This is a fine way to make mortises. I wouldn't use a mortise chisel to clear waste after drilling....I'd use a bench chisel and maybe even touch up with a paring chisel.

Mortise chisels are really for use without drilling. The very best mortise chisels, IMHO, are the pig stickers, and they are shaped to do two things very well:

1) drive very deeply into the wood...they typically have a shallow primary bevel to go deep, and very stout secondary for durability (like, 25 degree primary with 35 or 40 degree secondary)

2) lever out waste

...neither of which is of any help when you're just cleaning up the sides left by the drill.

[mike holden]

Joe,
For square to the world mortices, a drill press and bench chisels work fine, there would be no advantage to a mortice chisel. HOWEVER, if you wish to make angled mortices, or mortices in shaped wood, such as in building a period chair, then mortice chisels are your friend.
So - if you build square work, dont bother, if you build curvy stuff, then get one and try it.
Just my opinion,
Mike

[Jeff Duncan]

OK, looks like I'm in the minority, but I don't like banging on my bench chisels to make mortises. Especially as I work with mostly hardwoods....I've done my share of mortises in maple and white oak. I just won't use a bench chisel chopping out that end grain :(

I bought a set of fairly inexpensive Marples mortise chisels and they are very much superior for cleaning out mortises IMHO. Now for shaving the sides to an exact size, sure the bench chisels will do the trick.

good luck,
JeffD

[Jim Foster]

You can pick up one or two inexpensive Narex mortise chisels and see if you like using traditional mortise chisels. They are about $8 per chisel or so, and get extremely good reviews. I did, and once sharpened they work fine.

[Joe Leigh]

I thought the same way as Jeff, that squaring up the mortise across the end grain would be hard on the edge of the bench chisel. The mortising chisel has more beef behind the edge...not sure how much that matters.

[Brian Kent]

I really like using the mortise chisel (Ray Iles chisel at Tools for Working Wood). It is so strong that I have no fear doing the job with some power. I bought two but probably one would be fine, about 1/3 of the width of your most commonly used wood.

[paul cottingham]

I have a mortiser, and a single, 5/16" ray lies mortise chisel I use to clean up the sides and bottom. Works very well. Overkill, but I am pleased with the arrangement.

[Thomas Pender]

Did not see any mention of Swan Neck chisels to clean ends and bottoms. These are quite stout and are my go to. Hard to sharpen though. Otherwise, I generally do not use my mortise chisels, of which I have many, if I am using my mortiser. Bought mine from the usual suspect, Lee Valley Tools. There is an illustration of how one is used on the LV page and if you google it, it comes right up. I have several different sizes and SWMBO had no problem saying OK to purchase.

[Brian LaShomb]

I have a 1/4" Ray Iles. I use it to chisel mortises by hand without pre-drilling. I find little benefit to this "pigsticker" style of chisel if you pre-drill the waste. It's really designed to lever out waste. At first I was having trouble rounding over the sidewalls of the mortise when levering out the waste, but using Robert Wearing's techniques from his book "The Essential Woodworker", I had much more success.

[frank shic]

brian, can you describe that process for those of us without that book?