Best Chisels for Cutting a Clean Housing Joint in Softwood
A housing joint (also called a dado or trench joint) is easy to cut in...
Equipment
Honing Guide vs Freehand Sharpening for Keeping Chisels Square
The square-edge problem A chisel can cut cleanly only if its bevel and back meet...
How to Sharpen a Chisel for Clean Cross-Grain Cuts
Why cross-grain cuts need a sharp chisel Cutting across the grain puts more pressure on...
Best Cranked-Neck Chisels for Cleaning Recesses in Tight Spaces
A cranked-neck chisel is useful when a straight chisel’s handle or blade runs into a...
How to Choose a Mortise Chisel Width for a Timber Frame
Mortise chisel width should follow the mortise you need to cut, not the size of...
Firmer Chisels vs Paring Chisels for Trimming a Door Casing
The short answer For trimming a door casing, a firmer chisel is the better first...
Bench Chisels vs Mortise Chisels for Cutting Deep Door Hinge Pockets
What the two chisels are built to do A bench chisel is the general-purpose choice:...
Best Mortise Chisels for Cutting Traditional Joints by Hand
A mortise chisel is built for one demanding job: cutting a narrow, deep-sided hole without...
How to Store Hand Planes in a Site Kit Without Damaging Their Soles
Why Site Storage Damages Plane Soles A hand plane is easy to damage in a...
How to Pack Chisels and Plane Irons for Transport to a Job
Chisels and plane irons usually arrive at a job with their edges damaged not by...