What are wood chisels used for?

13th August 2021

What are wood chisels used for?


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		There are many different types of chisel available for working wood and each has been designed for a specific application. Below is a guide to some of the most common applications.

		Chisel applications
		Cutting Cutting is a general term that refers to any removal of wood from a workpiece. This could involve a large or small area, roughing out of a general shape or finer more intricate shaping.

		Chopping Chopping is when you use the chisel to remove chunks of wood by cutting down into a piece of timber and then cutting across. Large areas of wood can be removed bit by bit in this fashion. Chopping is often used when creating joints.

		Paring Paring is a term that means “to trim” or “to shave”. It is often used in conjunction with chisels where light and intricate woodworking is needed like removing material for a hinge joint, sculpting, or finishing.

		Scraping Chisels can be used to scrape off unwanted coatings like glue or paint from a surface. If very sharp, chisels can remove small amounts of wood like this for ultra-fine detailing and finishing.

		Carpentry joints
		Wood chisels are extensively used in carpentry to create joints. Below is a guide to some of the most common types.

		Dovetail joint A dovetail joint is a joint that holds two pieces of wood together at an angle of 90 degrees. They are constructed by forming a series of reciprocating “tails” and “pins” which interlock to form a strong bond between the two parts. Dovetail joints have a high tensile strength which means that they are very resistant to being pulled apart.

		Mortise and tenon joint A mortise and tenon joint holds two pieces of wood together at a 90° angle via a mortise (a measured and shaped hole). This receives a tenon which is a peg that fits snugly into the mortise hole. Furniture such as beds, tables, chairs and many more weight bearing items are made using these joints.

		Housing joint A housing joint (also known as a “dado joint”) is when a slot is cut into a material (usually wood) and is used to house a second piece of material. These joints are often used to affix a shelf to a bookcase.

		Butterfly joint A butterfly joint is useful in joining together two flats of wood, where the long edges meet. The flats receive the butterflies (the pegs) which hold them together. This joint is commonly seen on table tops.