How many chisels do you use on a regular basis?

[Tony Wilkins]

In the way of an unofficial poll, I’m curious how many chisels you all use in your regular woodworking? Different sizes? Different styles? Different preparations of the cutting angle?

CS says he could get by with one or two and just saw a suggestion of just needing a 1/2”. The “typical” book suggestion is a set of three or four common sizes. It seems that workers of centuries past might have had many chisels. I personally like Adam Cherubini’s suggestion of a few of the ‘bare’ sizes.

[Andrew Seemann]

The main chisel I grab in the shop is a 3/4" Stanley, 750-style. I prefer the wider bearing surface of the 3/4" to the 1/2" for most things. After that it is usually a 1/2" Fulton with a thinner than usual blade. I probably do around a third or maybe even half my chisel work with these two chisels.

Then maybe 1/4", 1", and some of the other sizes. I have a set of Two Cherries I use when I need to beat on them, or if I need to clean up mortices. As for specialty (and non-carving). I use a 1/2" old paring chisel the most. I have others, pigstickers, sash mortices, etc, but I use the 1/2" paring more than all the other specialty ones combined.



I could get by with 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 3/4" in the shop if I had to. And an old 3/4 plastic handle Stanley as a beater chisel.

[James Pallas]

I use all sizes. I have a long standing plan to buy another complete set of the same type I use and grind them to make a complete set from 1/16 to 1 1/4 by 16ths. I use chisels often for layout work. I check them to make sure they are accurate width when setting them up. If I need a 1” long tenon I use a chisel to mark it or 1/2” wide dovetails I just use a chisel. They are usually within reach and help to avoid measuring errors.

[ken hatch]

Tony,

I have a few chisels split between Western and Japanese. Then there are sub categories of firmer, bench, mortise, and paring. Each has its use and each may do the job at hand a little better or worse. Add in the different sizes needed and you end up with a fair number of chisels used in daily work.

Could I limit the number of chisels used? Sure, my guess is you could get by OK with a half dozen firmer or bench chisels but it sure is nice to reach for and use the chisel that best matches the job in front of you.

ken

[Curt Putnam]

I have a thing for chisels and therefore have too many. A Narex set of mortise and paring chisels, a boxed seet of Woodriver butt chisels (gift), A full set of Veritas PM-V11 chisels, Sorby registered, Stanley Fat Max and a motley collection of others. I enjoy them all.

[Ben Ellenberger]

The ones I use the most: 1/4” mortise gets chisel, 3/16” bevel edge for cleaning out mortises and small dovetails, 3/8 for other small/medium tasks, 1” for everything bigger. I really like having a bigger chisel to get clean shoulders on tenons and other visible lines. I’ve got a 5/8, 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4 as well. I think it’s nice to have a range of sizes to use one that best matches what I’m working on, but if I was traveling and only had to bring one or two chisels I’m sure I’d get by just fine.

i grind everything at 30 degrees.

[glenn bradley]

My most used chisel is a 3/8" bench chisel. I use less than a half a dozen on a regular basis but, have many chisels that are specifically for non-regular work ;-)

[Jacob Mac]

I have a 1/2 LN chisel and a 1" LN chisel that sees 90% of my work. The other 10% is a 1/8 Stanley 750.

With that said, I completely fell in love the first time I held a LN chisel. I will definitely be getting more, although I have done fine with these two.

[Derek Cohen]

I have a few “sets” of makes, but that is irrelevant. It is the sizes that matter here.

When dovetailing, removal if waste from tails on drawers is with a 1/8” or 3/6” On cases it is usually 1/4”. Removal of waste from pins may require 1/2”, 3/4”. The baseline benefits from a 1”.

3/8” fishtail chisel for socket corners.

Tenon shoulders generally use a 3/4” (paring with incremental bites, that is 1/8” to 1/4” bites). A 1” chisel for the cheeks.

Mortice chisels: 1/8” used for inlaying drawer handles, and 1/4” and 5/16” for framing furniture.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Michael Bulatowicz]

My go-to chisels are a mix of Japanese and western. For chopping tasks other than mortising, I much prefer oiirenomi (striking chisels) over the Narex bevel edge bench chisels I had been using; I regularly use 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 mm. These serve reasonably well as 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, and 1 inch “bare.” I’d say I use 6, 12, and 24 the most. All are sharpened to something in the neighborhood of 30-35 degrees (I don’t measure the bevel angles).

For paring, I generally use usunomi (Japanese paring chisels) in 6, 12, 24, and 36 mm but also use a Pfeil 8 mm and occasionally the 3mm oiirenomi. The usunomi are sharpened closer to 25 degrees and again I prefer them over the Narex bevel edge bench chisels.

For chopping mortises, western 1/4 and 5/16.

[Jim Matthews]

Like most here, the 3/4" (19 mm) is my most commonly used size. I have a 2" wide chisel for flattening tenons and a 3/8" mortising chisel that gets some use.

The 3/4" is the only one appreciably shorter than the rest. I like less expensive, "softer" 01 steel that is easy to sharpen.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Seems 5/8" always finds its way into my hand. Make? Well..........it's vintage, with tang handle. When it comes to grabbing a sharp object, it's whatever is nearest!

[Ron Brese]

It has everything to do with how you work and the task in which you use chisels. For general paring I think most people could do well with a good 1/2 chisel, but if you do a lot of dovetailing your needs are considerably different. Even in woodworkers that dovetail a lot their needs are different again depending on how they layout dovetails. Some may never need a 3/16" wide chisel and some couldn't do without that size and maybe a 1/8". Chisel needs are as different as there are woodworkers.

Ron

[Andrew Pitonyak]

It has everything to do with how you work and the task in which you use chisels. For general paring I think most people could do well with a good 1/2 chisel, but if you do a lot of dovetailing your needs are considerably different. Even in woodworkers that dovetail a lot their needs are different again depending on how they layout dovetails. Some may never need a 3/16" wide chisel and some couldn't do without that size and maybe a 1/8". Chisel needs are as different as there are woodworkers.

+1

I seem to spend a lot of time with hand cut dovetails for drawers so much depends on the size of the drawer, but, most likely the 1/4 through 3/4 depending on the drawer and dovetail size. If the spacing is very small for the tails, then the spaces between the pins is large. When I am making tiny dovetails (like on a toothpick holder) then I use my very small detail chisels.

[Jim Koepke]

It has everything to do with how you work and the task in which you use chisels. For general paring I think most people could do well with a good 1/2 chisel, but if you do a lot of dovetailing your needs are considerably different. Even in woodworkers that dovetail a lot their needs are different again depending on how they layout dovetails. Some may never need a 3/16" wide chisel and some couldn't do without that size and maybe a 1/8". Chisel needs are as different as there are woodworkers.

Ron

+2

From 1/8" to 1" by 1/8" steps with a 1/16" step in a couple of places. Larger than 1" by 1/4" up to 2", the only size not in my set is a 1-3/4".

Dovetailing on 2/4 stock uses different chisels than dovetails on 8/4 stock.

There are at least five distinctly different sets of chisels regularly used at various times in my shop.

A mixed set of 'butt' chisels consists of various bevel edge chisels that have become short over time. One of them may have actually originated as a butt chisel.

My set of paring chisels is all Buck Bros from 1/8" to 1" by 1/8" increments. This set has been put together over the years one or two at a time.

A set of Witherby firmer bevel edged chisels has some spots unfilled.

There is a set of square edge chisels by a few makers also with a few sizes still to be acquired.

A set of mortise chisels from 5/16" to 1" with the 3/4" and the 1" not being true mortise chisels. Mortise chisels bigger than 1/2" are few and far between.

There are also a lot of other chisels that do not belong to any particular 'set' of chisels.

There are only a few that do not see regular use for something or another.

jtk

[steven c newman]

usually just the size for mortises....with a 1" for clean up....

Most used? 1/4" ( or so) a 1/2" , or a 3/8"...and the 3/4" or 1"

Can use up to 1-1/2" wide, mainly as a slick...

bevel, firmers, mortise chisels....size to the job...

[Christopher Herzog]

My favorite sizes tend to be 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4. Fourth is 1/2 and the rest are not my go to unless the task requires it.

I admit to be being a chisel addict and have many. Right now I am mostly using the LN Bench Chisels with a couple pm-v11 butt chisels in the mix as well.

The greater the variety I do use the less I think I have to sharpen them. Have grown spoiled as time passes to only want a razor sharp in my hand. Used to let them slide too long.

My two cents,
Chris

[Osvaldo Cristo]

My most used pair of chisels are 12 and 50 mm (1/2" and 2").

[Matthew Hills]

How many I use on a given day depends on how many I have to try before I find one that is sharp...

my bench chisels:
LN: 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4
Japanese: 3mm, 6mm, 12mm, 36mm
Czeck Edge 1/4" dovetail chisel

I use the entire range of these, depending on the task.
I do wish I had a japanese chisel in between the 12mm and the 36mm. At the time, I wanted a really wide chisel, which can be nice for setting a baseline, but 36mm is only good for tenons or dadoes, and not useful for things like between the pins.

I don't do really delicate dovetails, so the 1/8" chisels are used to clean out corners. You may prefer to get a fishtail or pair of skews for that application.
Do be aware of the side profiles, as that affects your ability to get in and clean out between the tails.

Matt

[Bill Yacey]

I use gouges more than chisels:
440693
440694

[Scott Winners]

I use half inch for probably 75% of my bench work. I have a nice half inch LN bench chisel for clean wood and a beater plastic handled half inch for unclean or not wooden things. If I ever buy a nice paring chisel it will be a steel other than A2 since I work so much softwood, and probably be half inch.

[Joe A Faulkner]

My sets (bench, pairing, mortise and cranked necked) are all in a tool cabinet. On the wall that my bench is pushed up against is a small chisel rack with a random collection of one off bench chisels and one pg sticker. These get the most work when there is a random need for a chisel because they are within an arms reach, otherwise the task at hand dictates which chisels get brought to the bench.