Chisel types

[Richard Hutchings]

I was just thinking about mortise chisels. I had just cut a pretty good size mortise for a tote in the plane I'm making. I don't own mortising or paring chisels but if I did, what would I do with the normal chisels I own. I think they would gather dust. I mean there's mortising and there's paring. What do you say?

I obviously have too much time on my hands at work.

Oh, and do you need more than one size paring chisel? Maybe 2, 1/2" and a 1"

[Jim Matthews]

I would suggest the widest paring chisel you're comfortable handling. The only place I've used them is flattening tenons - wider blades allow better registration.

If you're like me, most of the things you make will have common dimensions.

My stock is mostly dressed to 3/4" and 3/8" tenons are my preference.

That means a single 3/8" MC and paring chisel are enough. I like the Barr framing slicks for paring. Pricey, but built to last.

https://barrtools.com/

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Highly dependent on the work that you do and how you do it. For example, if you cut a dovetail and remove the majority of the waste with a saw of some wort, perhaps a paring chisel is fine. Would you use a paring chisel to hog out waste in a hand cut dovetail?

And what is the difference between a paring and not paring chisel? OK, the handle and the edge geometry. OK, so there are differences.

[Richard Hutchings]

I would suggest the widest paring chisel you're comfortable handling. The only place I've used them is flattening tenons - wider blades allow better registration.

If you're like me, most of the things you make will have common dimensions.

My stock is mostly dressed to 3/4" and 3/8" tenons are my preference.

That means a single 3/8" MC and paring chisel are enough. I like the Barr framing slicks for paring. Pricey, but built to last.

https://barrtools.com/

I won't be buying any 153 dollar chisels anytime soon!

I like the 3/8" mortise idea, 2 chisels and done.

[Richard Hutchings]

I think for paring the handle AND the blade need to be longer, at least that's what I find lacking in my current set.

[Rafael Herrera]

Narex produces paring chisels.

[Richard Hutchings]

Yes I've been looking at them and they along with mortise chisels are in my wishlist. My kids have actually taken to looking there for my special days. Birthday and Christmas coming up.

[Jim Matthews]

I won't be buying any 153 dollar chisels anytime soon!


Me, neither. I didnae pay anywhere near that.

A single Narex (in your preferred width) is about $40.

https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/narex-premium-paring-chisels.aspx

[Jim Koepke]

I won't be buying any 153 dollar chisels anytime soon!

My set of Buck Brothers socket chisels came in at less than that. It took a bit more than a decade to acquire a set from 1/8" to 1" by eighths, but worth it. A lot of other chisels were bought along the way.

Bob Smalser posted "Wood Chisel Survey for Beginners" > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?13734

The images were posted off site so some of them have been lost to time.

jtk