Lets talk chisel sizes

[Derrell W Sloan]

I'm in the process of looking for some new chisels. Most chisels are offered in sets that usually range from 4 - 10 chisels. Now I can't see myself ever wanting a set of 10 chisels, but it got me thinking. What would be the minimum number of chisels you think you could get by with and what sizes would they be? If you were forced to I'm sure you could make due with just one, but that wouldn't be very practical. But could you happily get by with say 3? Lets assume these would be bench chisels used for working on furniture type projects, not building log cabins or anything like that. So lets hear it. What's the minimum number and sizes of chisels you could be content with?

[Greg R Bradley]

One more than you have at the time.

[Steve Meliza]

Greg has the correct answer.

What you need depends a lot on what you plan to use your chisels for and what type of joinery you use. Do you pare down a fat tenon with a 1.5" chisel or whip out the router plane? Do you cut off pegs using a flush cut saw or pare them off with a chisel? Does the glue squeeze out get cleaned up with a chisel or plane? Do you saw your tenon cheeks or split them off with chisel? Buy what you need as you need them.

[Derrell W Sloan]

I know the answer will probably be different for everyone. My question really has nothing to do with me. What I'm interested in is what others consider the minimum number and size that they (not me) could be content with for the work they (not me) do.

[paul cottingham]

I use a 1/4", 1/2", and 1" the most. I have a 1.5" chisel that I have ground to use as a paring chisel. Do I like having my other chisels? You bet. Could I live without them? Probably.
Just to be clear, I make craftsman style tables, and other such furniture for the most part.

[glenn bradley]

Just to add to the melee, I use 1/8", 1/4", 3/8" and 3/4" the most. I don't have anything wider than 1" but, do have a few of some sizes in differing formats; butt, paring, bench, dovetail. As much as I am attracted to shiny objects all in a row, I could survive without ever having a "complete" set of chisels from any one maker. The qualities I am after in a paring chisel have little to do with the one I am smacking with a mallet ;-)

[Mike Henderson]

I tend to use narrower chisels a lot more than wider chisels. So I could probably do with 1/8", 3/8", 1/2", and 5/8".

But unless you want to resharpen your one set a lot, it helps to have two sets, one for chopping and one for paring.

I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many chisels I have and how little use some of them get. I went on a kick of "collecting" old chisels but mostly I use modern chisels because of the better steel.

Mike

[Jamie Lynch]

I'm relatively new to hybrid work methods. I find myself using my 1/8", 1/4", 1/2 and 1" the most(so every size I have except 3/8" and 3/4"). I think I'd like to try out a wider chisel for paring tenons, but I'm able to get by with what I have.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm always using the 3/4" bench chisel.

When I've got something smaller (like between dovetails - if I've cut thin pins) I use a float after a coping saw.
I find that narrow chisels don't "register" well on a knife line and tend to twist if driven with a mallet.

I have two larger width paring chisels, one just under 1" and one around 1 1/2" that I go to for free hand paring.
I think the balance of a chisel is important, and that's dictated by what you're clearing away.

For me, it's either dadoes (almost always 3/4" wide) or cleaning up dovetails.
For carvers, or people that do more freehand work - more chisels might be necessary.

I think the balance (fore and aft, like a tennis racket) is overlooked in selecting chisels.

For instance, I like a paring chisel to be "head heavy" and want to tip down toward the workpiece.
For chopping, I like a chisel to be "neutral" without tendency to tip toward me or away.

[Lloyd Robins]

Just to add a couple of chisels to the small set idea. A wider chisel for a first class cut (see Chris Schwarz http://www.leevalley.com/en/newslett...article1-3.htm ). I have a 1-1/4 inch for that, and I really like my fishtail chisel for cleaning up.

[Shawn Pixley]

I started with a set of six. Of that set, I really only use 4 (the smallest like Mike). I have acquired a few more (1/16". Skew chisels and fishtail chisels) each gets used for a particular task or two. My advice, start at 3-4 and get more when you have identified a need to yourself. Only you can define what your need given the way you work.

[Scott Stafford]

One more than you have at the time.

Snappy reply! Sadly, it sometimes appears to be the truth.

Scott in Montana

[Sean Hughto]

I would feel I did not have enough without all of the following. In order of frequency of use: 3/8; 1/2; 1/4; 5/8; 3/4; 1

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Using lots of vintage chisels ('cause that's what I ended up with) one thing I find surprisingly helpful is to have two chisels that are close - I don't how many of my chisels are exact sizes (except for my modern mortise chisels) but I've got two chisels, one almost 3/8" and one a just over 3/8, as an example. Particularly helpful if, unlike the plan, your tail sockets don't all end up the size you planned.

I probably do way too much of my work with a 40mm chisel. It's kind of my go to for everything where it fits.

My last project, I used a 1/4" mortise chisel (or whatever matched the plow plane iron I had), my 40mm chisel for trimming and some rough shaping. A maybe 3/8" chisel for the majority of the dovetails, with a 1/4" chisel for cleaning the corners. That's usually what I end up using the most, depending on the size of the dovetails. I don't make anything nearly as complex as some folks here, though. As I pick up more chisels, I find I really like being able to just grab another one if I feel the need, of course.

[Derek Cohen]

What I'm interested in is what others consider the minimum number and size that they (not me) could be content with for the work they (not me) do.

Let's see .. for dovetail tails I absolutely need a 1/8" and 1/4" for tails (and also use a 1/16", 3/16", 3/8"). For pins I could get away with just a 1/2" (but probably also need a 3/4" - the size I use most commonly - and, possibly, a 1").

If I was working in very hardwood, then these need to be a bench chisel that can be used with a hammer or mallet.

So, I could get away with a 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" in a bench chisel - if taking you literally that was all I could have. However, I prefer not to force a chisel through wood if I have the option, and also benefit from wider chisels for cleaner long baseline, or dados (chiseling across the groove), or wasting rebates and cleaning up tenon cheeks. My preference is a Japanese paring chisel, and I have 1/4" through to 1 1/2". I could probably just get away with a 3/4" and 1 1/4" in these.

1/4" mortice chisel (however I also frequently use a 1/8" and 5/16").

Minimum number: 6 chisels.

Thankfully this is just theoretical!

Regards from Perth

Derek