The Best Wood Chisel Sets for Any Project

Guide to Buying the Best Wood Chisel Set

We’ve already gone through the basics, but there’s a lot more to learn about wood chisels, from all the terminology you’ll need to know to recommendations for specific chisel types.

Breaking Down Wood Chisel Set Terminology and Accessories

Cultivating a more comprehensive understanding of wood chisel terminology and accessories will ensure that you go on to purchase the most appropriate wood chisel set for your needs. To help you become a more informed buyer, we’ve broken down the wood chisel jargon we think you’re most likely to encounter.

Cutting Edge: The cutting edge is the sharpest plane on the chisel blade. Located at the tip of the chisel, the edge is angled downward and honed until sharp.

Neck: The neck, or shaft, bridges the blade and handle of your chisel. In some cases, the chisel neck will be connected to a tang or socket at the handle.

Tang: The tang is the metal rod which connects the chisel blade with the chisel handle. Designed for hand manipulation, chisels with a tang are unsuitable for use with heavy mallets.

Socket: A socket is another type of joint between the chisel blade and handle. The handle typically slides into a round socket on the bottom of the blade. Chisels with a socket are more suitable for use with a mallet.

Bolster: Typically used in chisels with a tang, the bolster is found at the thickest section of the neck. Also called the shoulder, this feature prevents the chisel blade from penetrating the handle during use.

Handle: As the name suggests, the handle allows you to hold and use a chisel without injuring your hands. If your chisel doesn’t use a socket, it will need to be fitted with a tang. Traditionally, chisel handles were made from beech or ash wood. Nowadays, you’ll find many wood chisels have handles made from PVC plastic. While plastic handles are more impact resistant, many wood chisel purists will insist that wooden handles offer better ergonomics and superior tooling versatility.

Ferrule: This metal ring is used to seal and reinforce the attachment between the chisel blade and handle.

Steel Hoop: If a wood chisel is designed for use with a mallet, a steel hoop is placed on the end of the handle to reduce the impact of mallet blows and minimize the likelihood of mushrooming.

Protective Caps: Some wood chisels are fitted with protective strike caps. These caps sit on the cutting edge of your chisel, warding off bluntness and preventing chipping between use.

Storage Case: Most wood chisel sets come packed in a hard tool case or cloth bag. By storing your wood chisels in their protective case between use, you’ll minimize the chances of blunting, chipping, or damaging your chisels.

Faces, Shapes, and Cutting Edges

Wood chisels come in a huge variety of different faces, shapes, and edges, all of which have distinct uses for different woodworking projects.

Blade Faces

Flat Face

As the name suggests, a flat face is when the chisel blade has a smooth horizontal plane. A flat blade face is ideal for cleaning up a square edge or 90 degree corner.

Bevel Face

Not to be confused with beveled edge blades, beveled face blades meet at a peak in the middle of the chisel’s cutting edge. Beveled face chisels perform best when they’re used to cut or pare joints.

Oval Face

Oval or round faced chisel blades are not very common. When they do pop up, it’s almost always for the purpose of paring or carving.

Blade Shape

Square edge

Often called a straight or plain edge, a square edge chisel has a square blade shape and rectangular cross-section. Despite being extremely common, square edge chisels are near useless when working in tight corners or with slanted joints.

Bevel edge

The sides of a beveled edge chisel are ground down to form a trapezoidal shape. This provides the chisel user with easier access to acute-angled joints, such as dovetail or half-lap joints.

Blade Cutting Edge

Bevel

You’ll generally find a beveled cutting edge on bench, bevel, and paring chisels. The cutting edge itself sits at a ground angle between 20 degrees and 30 degrees. Because bevel blades are so thin, this cutting edge is perfect for precise paring and shaving work.

Registered

For all intents and purposes, a registered (also known as a firmer) blade edge is a thicker and sturdier version of a bevel edge. A firmer cutting edge sits at a ground angle between 25 degrees and 35 degrees, increasing the cutting arc and improving the chisel’s resistance to mallet impacts.

If you’re interested in purchasing one or more registered chisels, you can’t go wrong with the Narex 4-Piece Firmer Chisel Set.

Mortise

The thickest type of cutting edge, mortise chisels are typically used to leverage out large wood fibers in and around mortise joints. Because of their thicker cutting edge, mortise chisels are suitable for use with heavy mallets. If you’re looking for a set of mortise chisels, check out the Narex 4-Piece Mortise Chisel Set.

Chisel Sizes

When we’re discussing wood chisel sizes, the length always refers to the width of the cutting edge. You can purchase wood chisels in a wide variety of sizes, with measurements listed in both metric and imperial standards. Broadly speaking, sizes in a wood chisel set range from 1/4-inch to 2-inch (6mm to 50mm), with width increasing in 1/16-inch (2mm) increments.

Depending on the number of pieces in your set, you could also receive a 3/8-inch (10mm) or 1-1/4-inch (32mm) chisel. With so many different-sized wood chisels on the market, which set you purchase will ultimately depend on your woodworking requirements.

To ensure quick differentiation between tools, most wood chisels have their size imprinted on the face of the blade. Remember, chisels are not a one-size-fits-all tool. For most DIY projects, you’ll usually need at least 4 different-sized blades to satisfactorily complete your woodworking tasks.

Handle Construction: Wood or PVC?

If you talk to veteran woodworkers, they’ll probably tell you that wooden handles are the lighter, safer, and more comfortable option. If you’re shopping for a wooden handle wood chisel set, look out for handles made from ash, beech, box, or hornbeam.

On the flip side, a wooden handle, in comparison to a PVC handle, is far more susceptible to splitting, especially if you plan on using a heavy mallet with your chisels.

Therefore, even though a set of plastic handle chisels may not be as comfortable as wooden handle chisels, at least you won’t need to worry about a mallet impact causing a split or mushroomed handle.

If you’d rather use a PVC handle, look out for impact resistant plastic handles over rubberized grip handles. This is because rubber gripping tends to disintegrate after long-term use.

Benefits of a High-Quality Wood Chisel Set

Though it might not seem to be the case to the untrained eye, there are actually several differences between high-quality and low-quality chisel sets that goes far beyond the types of chisels included. If you spring for a top-of-the-line wood chisel set, your equipment will last longer, be gentler on wood, and generally be more of a pleasure to use.

Long-Lasting Equipment

For the most part, the lifespan of your wood chisel set will be determined by blade material and handle construction. One of the most common causes of a broken wood chisel is splitting or mushrooming in the handle.

To address this risk and reduce strike stress on the chisel handle, high-quality wood chisel sets utilize tough PVC or reinforced hardwood construction. To further improve the lifespan of your wood chisels, make sure you are using clean mallet strikes when driving your chisels into wood.

Another benefit to purchasing a top-quality wood chisel set is improved rust resistance. Despite their blade strength, low-grade 01 carbon and A2 carbon chisels are very susceptible to rust. In a high-quality wood chisel set, 01 carbon steel and A2 carbon steel blades are almost always finished with an anti-corrosion spray or lacquer. What’s more, a top-quality wood chisel set will usually include some kind of storage case, helping you protect your chisel blades from dust, termites, and moisture.

To prevent a buildup of rust on your chisels, we recommend either wiping each unit with camellia oil or spraying them with a corrosion inhibitor. Both of these products create a moisture barrier atop your tools, preventing rust from forming and spreading on the surface. Alternatively, you can combat moisture-derived rust by placing one or more desiccant packets inside your chisel storage case.

Minimize Damage to the Wood

As long as you know what you’re doing, investing in a high-quality wood chisel set like the Kirschen 6-Piece Wood Chisel Set will ensure that your blade leaves a clean finish on your wood. Not all chisel blades hold their edge after repeated use. To maintain a clean finish and avoid a rough blade edge, we recommend pairing your chisel set with a honing guide and sharpening stone.

However, before you go ahead and begin sharpening your chisels, make sure you take the time to learn a proper sharpening method. If you skip this step and commit to a flawed sharpening technique, you could easily end up cracking your chisel face or destroying the blade’s capacity to hold an edge.

A Sturdy Case

A good quality tool case can drastically extend the lifespan of your wood chisel set. Unless you’re purchasing individual chisels, most wood chisel sets come with some kind of protective case. Traditionally, wood chisel sets came packed in leather or cloth pouches.

Nowadays, you’ll find cases made from wood, leather, metal, and plastic. The case you choose will ultimately depend on your project requirements and aesthetic preferences. For instance, a leather pouch may feel more authentic, whereas a metal box will offer significantly better protection to your tools.

Finally, be sure to consider your storage situation when deciding what type of case you need. A wood, plastic, or metal case affords better tool protection, but it will take up a lot more space in your garage or workshop.

If the chisel set you’re looking at doesn’t come with a case or you want to change things up, there are plenty of excellent roll-up tool cases that would be great for storing chisels.

Wood Chisel Identification

Each chisel in your wood chisel set should be machine stamped or laser etched with an identification print on the forward-facing surface of the chisel blade. In most cases, this print will list the chisel type and blade size (in either imperial or metric measurements).

By purchasing a chisel set with an easy-to-use identification system like the VonHaus 10-Piece Premium Wood Chisel Set, you’ll have no trouble sorting between different-sized chisels on a crowded workbench.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wood Chisels

What Are the Most Common Uses of a Wood Chisel Set?

Wood chisel sets are primarily used for creating joints and shaping wood. Specifically, the most common applications are:

• Cutting: This includes the removal of wood to create joints or manipulate shape.
• Paring: When you lightly shave or trim an area of wood.
• Scraping: Chisels are often used to scrape off any unwanted coatings on your wood, be it glue, resin, or paint. This technique can also be used for fine wood carving and detailing.
• Joint work: Wood chisels can sculpt out several different joint types, including dovetail joints, mortise joints, housing joints, and butterfly joints.

What Kind of Mallet Do You Use With a Wood Chisel?

Using the wrong type of mallet is the most common cause for mushrooming or splitting in a wood chisel handle. For starters, you should never use a metal mallet on a wood chisel. More often than not, the impact of a metal mallet on a chisel will force the blade through the handle, splitting the wood in half. This is particularly common in tang chisels. If your chisels have PVC handles, you may be able to use a heavier mallet, but you should still proceed with caution.

Using a wooden mallet or plastic mallet will prevent wooden chisel handles from splitting upon impact. Finally, you should never use any kind of mallet on a paring chisel as their blades are too thin to withstand the impact.

How Do You Sharpen a Wood Chisel?

A sharp blade is the key to a safe, clean, and smooth chisel cut. As long as your blade isn’t too battered, you can sharpen your chisel with a combination of sandpaper and a honing guide. However, if your blade is dented or rounded, you’ll need some heavy duty sharpening equipment, such as a bench grinder.

If you’re looking for a chisel kit with included sharpening equipment, check out the VonHaus 10-piece set.

Please note, chisel sharpening can be dangerous, especially if you have limited experience sharpening edged tools. To protect yourself against any potential chisel sharpening injuries, please make sure you’re wearing protective clothing and enclosed footwear.

If you’re not sure how to sharpen your own wood chisel set, you can check out this video guide for more detailed instructions. Alternatively, you can always take your wood chisel set to a carpentry or home repairs store for professional sharpening.

What Is the Best Type of Steel for a Wood Chisel Blade?

Steel quality is an effective predictor of chisel toughness and edge retention. The majority of wood chisels are cast from 01 carbon steel, an alloy known for holding a keen edge and being relatively easy to sharpen. Although sufficient for general use, 01 carbon steel is a relatively soft alloy. This means 01 carbon chisel blades tend to require frequent sharpening.

If you want a more durable set of chisels, look out for blades forged from A2 steel like those contained in the Stanley 5-Piece Bailey Wood Chisel Set. As a cold work tool steel, A2 blades are tough and require less frequent sharpening. However, when the blade edge does begin to blunt, the hardness of this alloy can turn sharpening into quite a protracted or tiring process.

Some wood chisel sets are cast or coated with CR-V, an alloy of carbon steel, chrome, and vanadium. Due to the metallurgical properties of chrome and vanadium, CR-V casting or coating will produce an extra tough chisel blade. However, similar to A2 steel, CR-V wood chisels will require more intensive sharpening.

Is a Tang or Socket Chisel Better?

Unsurprisingly, the answer to this question will depend on how you intend to use your chisel. Broadly speaking, socket chisel handles are more durable than tang chisel handles.

This is because the socket design in chisels like those in our top overall pick prevents the chisel blade from splitting at the grip. If you’re using a cheap tang chisel, the impact from repeated mallet strikes will gradually drive the blade back into the chisel handle, eventually causing mushrooming and splitting.

However, if you do not intend to use your wood chisel with a mallet, a tang chisel such as the ones contained in the “>VonHaus 6-Piece Premium Wood Chisel Set is an excellent lightweight alternative to a socket chisel.

Key Takeaways

For anyone in the midst of starting or building out their tool collection, the inclusion of a high-quality wood chisel set is an absolute necessity. Even though you don’t need to splurge on an ultra-premium wood chisel set to see great results, spending a little more can be worth it if it means you’re able to secure a top-quality set.

If you’re a specialist carpenter or an enthusiastic at-home woodworker, you may want to consider investing in a professional-grade wood chisel set. A professional-grade set will not only improve the quality of your woodworking, it’ll also maximize the lifespan of your wood chiseling tool collection.