Getting Started with a Chisel | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains basic chiseling techniques.
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Skill Level: Beginner
Tools List for Getting Started with Chisels:
Chisels
Whetstone
Grinding wheel
Steps:
1. Buy a set of chisels of varying widths with high quality steel.
2. Chisels with wooden handles are meant for more delicate jobs and can only be hit with a rubber mallet or used by hand.
3. Chisels with metal ends can be hit with a hammer.
4. To make a basic cut, hold the chisel perpendicular to the surface being chiseled and tap it in to set the depth. Make a few cuts in this way across the entire section being chiseled.
5. To actually chisel out the material, hold the chisel roughly parallel to the surface, bevel side down, and use the bevel against the surface to control how much is being taken out.
6. To sharpen a chisel, hold it flat against a whetstone and drag it back and forth until it’s sharp.
7. For seriously damaged chisels, a grinding wheel can be used with a sharpening jig attached to it.
Resources:
Tom suggests buying a few chisels with a variety of different widths, all with high quality steel. These can be purchased at home centers and woodworking supply stores.
To sharpen a chisel, usually a honing stone or a whetstone can get the job done. Tom used a diamond whetstone, manufactured by DMT (/). For more serious sharpening jobs, a grinder with a chisel sharpening jig can be used. Those can found at lumberyards and specialty woodworking stores.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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Getting Started with a Chisel | Ask This Old House
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