The main parts of a wood chisel include the steel hoop, handle, ferrule, tang, bolster, neck, blade, bevel and the cutting edge. Read our full guide to what are the parts of a wood chisel and what each of their functions are.
Blade
Cutting edge
The blade of a wood chisel is made from a single piece of tool steel. The front part of the blade is ground down to a specific angle and then honed until razor sharp. This is the part of the tool that cuts into the wood.
Edges (bevelled)
The edges of some wood chisel blades are bevelled. This means that the edges have been ground down to a specific angle so as to allow them access into certain carpentry joints such as a dovetail joint.
Edges (straight)
Other types of wood chisel have straight edges. Chisels with straight edges are particularly good for paring jobs and finishing joints with 90 degree angles.
Neck
The neck (sometime referred to as the shaft) is the part of the blade that bridges the gap between the blade and the handle. Depending on what type of chisel you have, the neck will either be attached to a tang or a socket.
Tang
A tang is the part of the blade that is slotted into the handle. Chisels with a tang are typically manipulated by hand.
Socket
A socket is the part of the blade the handle is slotted into. Chisels with a socket are typically struck with a mallet.
Bolster
The bolster (sometimes referred to as the “shoulder”) is a thick part of the chisel’s neck and serves to join the blade with the handle. It also serves as a barrier to stop the blade sinking into the handle. These are typically found on chisels with tangs.
Handle
Handle
The handle is the part of the chisel that the user holds. The handle will either have a hole in it to receive the tang, or will be shaped to fit into the socket of the chisel blade.
Ferrule
A ferrule is a simple (usually) metal band or ring that is used to fasten, seal together, or reinforce two parts of an object.
Steel hoop
Not all wood chisels have these, but they are commonly found on chisels that are designed to be hit with a mallet. The hoop helps to protect the handle from repeated mallet blows and reduce the chance of mushrooming.