Introduction

Although you may not use a chisel every day, it pays to keep a couple of them on hand. Nothing can replace a chisel for making mortises, dadoes, or notches. An old one often comes in handy for demolition jobs.

Whenever you pick up a chisel, keep both hands behind the cutting face of the blade. As you work, point the chisel away from your body. Because it takes two hands to operate a chisel, always clamp or anchor the material you're working on. Save yourself wasted effort and ruined materials by keeping your chisels sharp. A properly sharpened chisel should slice through paper easily.