The blade of a woodcarving chisel or gouge is specially shaped to remove a small amount of wood from a workpiece. The shape, depth and angle of the blade will determine what kind of cut it makes and how much material it removes.
Tang
A wood carving chisel has either a tang or a socket. The tang of a woodcarving chisel is the part of the tool that connects the blade to the handle. The tang is essentially a metal spike that extends from the blade’s shaft into the handle, forming a strong friction bond.
Socket
A socket is where the neck (or shaft) of the chisel is hollow (typically conical) to receive a mating handle. The handle is shaped to fit snugly into the hollow socket part of the chisel’s blade. The friction created when the wooden handle is inserted keeps the fit tight and secure. Chisels with sockets are more often used in conjunction with a mallet. The repeated blows from a mallet actually help to strengthen the frictional bond between handle and blade.
Ferrule
A ferrule is simply a metal ring which helps to bolster the connection between handle and blade. It also reduces the chance of the tang splitting the wooden handle after repeated mallet blows. Ferrules are typically made from bronze or steel.
Handle
The handle is the part of the tool that the user holds. It is typically ergonomic in design, and so comfortable to reduce user fatigue. Handles are traditionally made from hardwoods such as hornbeam, ash and beech, although there are other materials available such as hard plastics.
Butt/end cap
The butt of the chisel is simply the part of the handle that is struck with a mallet. On some woodcarving chisels the butt may be protected with an end cap typically made from steel, hard plastic or leather.
