# Chisels -- questions



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

So I've been making do with some newish craftsman chisels -- 1/2", 3/4", and 1". I've generally only needed them for rough work, so I haven't bothered putting much effort into sharpening them. Now, though, I'm about to need to cut mortises (probably through mortises) in douglas fir 4x4 -- four posts, one mortise in each -- so I need to make a decision. In order to make it, I need some information.

1) If I spend the time sharpening these Craftsman chisels, how likely is it that they'll actually hold an edge long enough to finish the project? If I have to stop after every mortise, or halfway through every mortise, to sharpen, the work will take a lot longer.

2) Are there any worthwhile chisels sold at any of the big box stores? I need to try to get this done over the weekend, which means I don't have time to wait for mail ordered stuff to arrive. I could theoretically make a run to WoodCraft, but it takes a big chunk out of my day -- they're about an hour away from me.

3) What size do I need? The mortise will be roughly 3/4" x 3" -- I'm joining a 4x4 and 2x4, with the mortise in the 4x4. It's in a bench, and will be practice for doing M&T on more attractive pieces later. I assume, with a 3/4" narrow dimension, that I should use a 3/4" chisel. Is that accurate? I'd prefer to only buy ONE new chisel now, if I have to buy anything.

Thanks in advance for the advice, everyone!


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

My older craftsman were made to take a pounding, and they stayed somewhat sharp. I don't know how the new ones are. But I didn't know they sold mortise chisels? If you're chopping mortises then you really need the right tool for the job, and a thin paring chisel isn't going to cut it. If you just have to do it to save your life then at least drill out as much of the waste as you can first.

Nothing real great at the Borg around here.

If you're doing 3/4x3 square holes, then yes a 3/4 is the size chisel. 
Good Luck, chopping mortises is either a love or hate proposition - nothing in between, and if you're using the wrong tool for the job it's usually ending up in the hate column.


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## lawrence (Nov 14, 2009)

I dont have too much trouble cutting them with a paring chisel if I use a drill first to remove all I can...without a drill it can be a mean job that usually looks shoddy at best with a paring chisel.....it just lacks the right control for mortising . as far as buying a mortise chisel I wouldn't get a 3/4 ....probably 3/8 . it will be more useful down the line if you are just gonna get one


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

lawrence said:


> I dont have too much trouble cutting them with a paring chisel if I use a drill first to remove all I can...without a drill it can be a mean job that usually looks shoddy at best with a paring chisel.....it just lacks the right control for mortising . as far as buying a mortise chisel I wouldn't get a 3/4 ....probably 3/8 . it will be more useful down the line if you are just gonna get one


+1
start by drilling away as much wast as possible.

Second, regardless of the work done your tools should be sharp. While they may not be the best chisels a good sharpening will make all the difference in the world. If you making light paring cuts to clean out the mortise then you shouldn't, by any means after to sharpen too often.

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I'll absolutely be removing most of the waste with a drill -- I have a drill press (bench-top, but it works!) that I'll use to get things started with a forstner bit, and when I run out of reach I'll switch to the hand-drill and guide with a spade bit. I've had good luck drilling straight holes with that technique before, so it ought to work again.

joesbucketorust -- Yeah, I'd rather have more or less the right tool. The chisels I have are pretty heavy, but just not very sharp. My understanding was that mortise chisels don't have beveled edges. I'm not finding any available at the big boxes, which doesn't surprise me, but I'm also not finding any on WoodCraft's site, which does surprise me.

Well, I'll see what I can find before Saturday. If nothing else, the ones I have should be usable if I sharpen them.

lawrence -- thanks for the recommendation on 3/8". I know I'll buy more eventually, but starting out with just one lets me spread the cost out.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Alex I d`not think i can help you with a craftsman chisel.I`v never had one and I`v never been in a big box store.When chopping out through motices I mark both sides with a mortice gauge and chop in maybe a 1/4" on both sides, then drill 1/2 way through on one side turn the piece over and drill the rest from the other side.The first and last hole drilled in the mortice I leave maybe 3/16" away from the end and then you can leaver the chisels against this when cleaning the mortice out.

Tom is right about the chisels being as sharp as you can get them when blunt you will use to much force and that's an accident waiting to happen.
Lawrence is right with the 3/8" motice chisel this is a real beast just made to take a beaten and come back for more.
In the pics the fist chisel is a 3/8" bolstered mortice chisel the second is a 5/8" socket sash mortice chisel and when you say there is no bevel on a mortice chisel I think what is meant by this is the bevel is rounded where it meets the main body of the chisel and this is to allow you to use this point as a lever to clean the waist out of the mortice.

The second chisel is 5/8" and so is the third but the third chisel is a parring chisel and I think this is what Joe means when he says you should not chop a mortice with a parring chisel you can see in the pic just how thin a parring chisel is.

The fourth chisel in the pic is what is called a registered mortice chisel and you can see just how thick the body of the chisel is,this is also for levering waist out of the mortice.

I hope some of this can be useful to you when deciding what to chisel to get, yea a chisel is a chisel is a chisel billy.


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

What i think will be useful if you do not have a designated mortising jig or drill is the special corner chisel that will allow you to cut the corner a direct 90 degrees.

Get the corners right then you stand a chance of paring the sides even. I agree that you have to remove as much waste as possible if you do not have a Motise machine.

Pete


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Well, I decided that, at the very least, I needed a new chisel. I decided to go with 3/8", since it's a size I've wanted several times, and went down to Woodcraft to get it. I was planning on a single pfeil, since those seem to be the most highly recommended of what they sell... what I left with was a set of 8 Wood River chisels, which have also seemed to get decent reviews, and cost about the same as two of the pfeils. I cut a test mortise in a piece of scrap last night: the difference between the Wood River tools and the Craftsmen tools is amazing. Looking closely at them, the craftsman chisels are substantially thicker, with a blunter bevel... I suspect that's a big piece of it. 

My first attempt is pretty messy, but cutting the tenon on the table saw rather than completely with hand tools will make for a cleaner edge. It was just too late at night to use the TS by the time I got to that point. (My shop is about 50' from my neighbor's youngest kid's room... I'm not willing to run any of my power tools after about 9 at night, since I'd rather not wake anyone up.) And the first attempt did get a nice snug fit... I can pick up my 2' 4x4 with the stub of a 2x4 I fit into it!

Thanks for the advice, all... if nothing else, you did convince me I needed to just go buy a better tool. I'm going to keep my eyes open for actual mortice chisels, since, as I said, no one within driving range of me seems to actually sell them. What I bought will work for this project, though.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I can't remember the last time I walked into a store and bought a chisel. Now that I think about it all my chisels were bought at flea markets or garage sales. Some of the ones I have are indistinguishable as to the maker. Sometimes they are nicely laid out on a table and other times you have to sift through a box full of chisels.

A diamond in the rough is what I'm after. As cheap as they are that way, at times I take a chance. My first chisels were the older design Stanleys. To this day I still swear by them as a decent chisel. I think in recent years the steel has changed. I also like the older Buck Brothers. 

I agree that sharp is key. I don't wait until the chisel gets dull. It takes longer to make an edge than just to dress it up.












 







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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> I can't remember the last time I walked into a store and bought a chisel. Now that I think about it all my chisels were bought at flea markets or garage sales. Some of the ones I have are indistinguishable as to the maker. Sometimes they are nicely laid out on a table and other times you have to sift through a box full of chisels.
> 
> A diamond in the rough is what I'm after. As cheap as they are that way, at times I take a chance. My first chisels were the older design Stanleys. To this day I still swear by them as a decent chisel. I think in recent years the steel has changed. I also like the older Buck Brothers.
> 
> I agree that sharp is key. I don't wait until the chisel gets dull. It takes longer to make an edge than just to dress it up.


Yeah... that's how I've been getting my hand planes, and I would have preferred it for chisels. I just need it this weekend, and I wasn't willing to hope something would come up that I could get before then. These last minute projects are always a lot more expensive...

I think I'll be watching ebay for mortise chisels, though, and maybe a few sizes to fill out the collection I now have.


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