Chisels: Can someone post a book report?

[Todd Burch]

I know there are several styles of chisels: paring, mortising, crank necked, firmer, butt, etc..., but I'd be lying if I said I could pick one of each style out of a pile of different chisels and successfully name each one to it's type. (I might get a couple correct... ;) )

Could someone who has a nice assortment kindly help my ignorance in this regard, and post here with pictures and short, although distinctive descriptions of what makes a certain chisel belong to one family and not another?

And, if you are feeling inclined, and you are not letting your chores lapse by doing so, a written example or two of each style chisel's preferred application would be in order as well. (Yes, this could probably be a small book.)

And, it's use too. I've read here recently that you don't hit paring chisels. Why not? What other ones should not be hit? And when they can be hit, do you use a wooden mallet or metal hammer? Why are some chisels metal capped and some leather capped?

Any assistance is muchly appreciated.

Thanks, Todd, A.K.A. "Chisel Challenged" (and who probably already owns every type chisel known to man and just doesn't know it).

[Monte Milanuk]

Todd,

I'm probably not qualified to answer your question in detail (still Scary Sharpening my Lowes-bought Stanley bench chisels) but a couple of books that would probably be fairly helpful is 'Choosing and Using Hand Tools' by Andy Rae, and 'Classic Handtools' by Garrett Hack. Probably answer some of your questions, and raise some more you weren't even thinking of!

HTH,

Monte

[Tyler Howell]

Life must be good down there in Katy TX. A steady roll of new Toyls keep showing up at Burchwood Central. A fine craftsman needs fine tools and to be rewarded for his success. Congratulations.
Thanks for sharing your time and talents with us.;)

[Steven Wilson]

Todd,

I'm not going to give you a definative chisel lecture, because I'm fairly clueless myself, but I've attached a photo showing some of the various chisels I use. Going from left to right we have

Crank Neck Paring Chisel. No hoop, you don't really want to strike these.
Mortise Chisel. Big and beefy and can really take a striking.
Bench Chisel. Your basic bevel edge bench chisel. Notice the hoop at the top, you can strike these.
Swan Neck chisel. For scooping out stuff, usually at the bottom of a mortise.
A very nice Japaneese bench chisel. Same use as a regular western bench chisel. This one just happens to be very cool. Notice the hoop, you can stike these.
Another style of Japaneese bench chisel, typically called a "dovetail" chisel because of the very steep slope to the sides. Hard to sharpen with a jig, so you need to learn to sharpen these freehand.
A small japaneese dovetail chisel.
A Japaneese Crank Neck Paring Chisel. Notice the similar "dovetail" shape, some are like this some have a flat profile. Notice that the chisel does not have a hoop and has a very long handle. You don't strike these
A Japaneese Paring Chisel. Bevel edge like regular western paring chisels. Notice the long handle without hoop. Push with your hands only. This one can take paper thin shavings like a smoothing plane. Actually I sharpen the Japaneese chisels to a finer grit than my western chisels and I use them mainly for fine trimming cuts.


For striking I use a large wooden malet swung lightly or my brass head carving mallet. The only one I really beat on is the Mortise chisel and it is made to take a beating.

[Todd Burch]

Steven, thanks for taking the time to put your post together. I still have a lot to learn.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Todd, here's a couple of other chisels Steven didn't cover.

Paring chisels are usually very long and (over 10") and thin. They are not meant to be struck by a maller or hammer. Some bench chisels have no hoop at the end and can be struck by a mallet, but not a hammer and sash mortise chisels are for smaller work (not timber framing)

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Here's the bench chisel without a hoop. I prefer these because they fit my hand better than the two cherries with the large hoop on the end.

Maybe someone can make the previous pictures smaller for me!

[Matt Woodworth]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the sharpening. Typically the paring chisels are sharpened to a wood slicing 20 degrees. That angle cuts nicely but doesn't stand up to much of a pounding.

The mortise chisels are sharpened to around 30 degrees. That doesn't "shave" quite as nicely but you can pound and pry with it.

Normal bench chisels at typically somewhere in between at around 25 degrees.