Wide Chisel Question

[JohnM Martin]

First, let me say I'm new to the forums and a newbie woodworker so I apologize in advance for the elementary question.

Recently, I've been researching cutting mortise and tenon joints with hand tools. It seems that more than one resource suggests pairing the shoulder of the tenon with a wide (1 1/2" or 2") chisel. I don't have such a chisel and what I'm trying to understand is why none of the premium makers manufacture such a chisel. I have found vintage chisels on the auction site, but i didnt see them offered by Lie Nielsen or Veritas. Am I looking in the wrong place? What do you all suggest for paring tenon shoulders?

[Andy Hutyera]

I use wide slicks as you describe in canoe building. I had to find mine from auction sites and old tool dealers. I have never used them to pare tenons preferring to use a good shoulder plane instead. Veritas makes a really nice one.

[Mike Henderson]

My theory is that most people don't use a chisel that wide and therefore there's not much demand for them. But they're available on eBay. Since they don't get a lot of use, there's not much sense paying for some exotic steel for them. The old chisels of plain carbon steel fill the bill at that width.

I have seen some pretty wide modern Japanese chisels but I don't know exactly how wide they were.

Mike

[Malcolm Schweizer]

It's a good question. I like a wide chisel for paring shoulders and truing mortises. I settled on the Veritas butt chisels. They are wide and still long enough to do mortise work. I do believe the Narex chisels are offered in a bit wider version than the other guys offer. Also the Stanley Sweetheart set has a wider chisel than the Lie-Nielsen version, although I do not remember how wide they go.

[Phil Mueller]

I don't tend to use anything beyond 1", or a shoulder plane as mentioned above. I do have a new Irwin 1 1/2" I use for paring the walls of mortises or faces of tenons. I don't do a lot of volume, so edge retention isn't really an issue for me. Any newer, wider chisel, well sharpened should last through a normal paring session.

[Stew Denton]

Hi John,

Welcome to the creek and Neander forum.

If you aren't necessarily inclined to buy a new premium chisel you can save some money buying a vintage chisel and restoring it.

I like to look for old paring chisels on the Bay auction site. You should be able to get a decent one for not a ton of money. If you don't go for the collectors chisels you should be able to buy one for a reasonable amount, that can be restored without a ton of work.

Look for one with a good handle, and that the back is not corroded. A patina or very light surface rust is OK, but don't buy one that is pitted.
You want to get the back dead flat, or close, and get the surface worked down to almost a mirror finish, at least near the business end. For that reason you don't want pits that are a pain to get rid of.

Regards,

Stew

[lowell holmes]

I have a 2" wide bevel edge chisel that I use occasionally. It really does not get much use, but when I need it, I'm glad to have it.

If you google 2" wide chisel there will be several selections.

[Warren Mickley]

I have used a 1 inch chisel for 40 years for this purpose. I have used a 2 inch chisel and a slick for heavy timber tenons, 6X6 and larger.

I would learn to make nice fitting tenons, get some experience under your belt, and then worry about whether a wider chisel might be nicer to have.

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy John and welcome to the Creek.

Often my tenons are trimmed with a large chisel. A shoulder plane is sometimes used for small tenons.

My accumulation of chisels has a few wider than an inch. They see use often.

Often an old Union Hardware, Greenlee, PS&W or other brand are available for less than a premium price.

Ouch! Just looked at the auction site and saw what the prices are on these. There are a few inexpensive choices.

Maybe it is time to start selling my excess tools to buy a bigger bandsaw.

jtk

[John Schtrumpf]

I find a largish chisel for general paring work handy. I also prefer it to be a size I can comfortably use. I use a Pfeil 32 mm (1¼") chisel that I reground the bevel to 20°. Some of the modern brands that go to at least 1½" are: Narex, Ashley Iles, Pfeil, Pfeil carving, Sorby, Blue Spruce.

I do agree with Warren, a 1" inch chisel works, and as larger chisels can get expensive, you may want to wait until you have more experience.

[Bruce Haugen]

I find a largish chisel for general paring work handy. I also prefer it to be a size I can comfortably use. I use a Pfeil 32 mm (1¼") chisel that I reground the bevel to 20°. Some of the modern brands that go to at least 1½" are: Narex, Ashley Iles, Pfeil, Pfeil carving, Sorby, Blue Spruce.

I do agree with Warren, a 1" inch chisel works, and as larger chisels can get expensive, you may want to wait until you have more experience.

I agree. I have two 2" Berg chisels, one very robust, darn near the size of a slick, maybe 14" long. The other is a short Shark-O-Lite, the size of a butt chisel. I use that one so often it doesn't even get put away; it stays on the bench all the time. I use it for paring, cleaning up the edges of big cuts, marking.

[JohnM Martin]

Ok, good to know that I'm not crazy that I can't seem to find them. It's also good to know that what I found in my research seems to be pretty common and there really is an argument for picking up a wide chisel. Now I guess the question is... should I look for a bench or butt chisel? Honestly, I didn't know butt chisels even existed until this thread - so much to learn.

[Jim Koepke]

Now I guess the question is... should I look for a bench or butt chisel?

Questions like this are best answered with one word… both.

They become handy in different places.

jtk

[Bruce Haugen]

?....Now I guess the question is... should I look for a bench or butt chisel? Honestly, I didn't know butt chisels even existed until this thread - so much to learn.

I prefer short chisels, but that's just my preference. I wouldn't make that chisel a priority until you decide you need it. For many years I used a Stanley no. 60, 1-1/4" wide.

[JohnM Martin]

I prefer short chisels, but that's just my preference. I wouldn't make that chisel a priority until you decide you need it. For many years I used a Stanley no. 60, 1-1/4" wide.

I’m in a unique position in that I don’t have much to start with. I don’t currently have any wide chisels or any shoulder planes so I need to pick up something for a table project I’m going to attempt with some large tenons. I guess the question for me now is what would be the most versatile? That’s why I was leaning towards the chisel instead of the shoulder plane.