Chisel

A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge (such that wood chisels have lent part of their name to a particular grind) of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal by hand, struck with a mallet, or mechanical power. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or of wood with a sharp edge in it.

Chisel use involves forcing the blade into some material to cut it. The driving force may be applied by pushing by hand, or by using a mallet or hammer. In industrial use, a hydraulic ram or falling weight ('trip hammer') drives a chisel into the material.

A gouge, one type of chisel, serves - particularly in woodworking, woodturning and sculpture - to carve small pieces from the material. Gouges most frequently produce concave surfaces. A gouge typically has a 'U'-shaped cross-section.

Use

Chisels have a wide variety of uses. Many types of chisel have been devised, each specially suited to its intended use. Different types of chisel may be constructed quite differently, in terms of blade width or length, as well as shape and hardness of blade. They may have a wooden or plastic handle attached using a tang or socket, or may be made entirely of one piece of metal.