Craft Wood Effortlessly with the Leading Carving Chisels

The carving chisel is an invaluable tool in the woodworker's arsenal and has been for a long time. They are usually used by woodworkers for fine detail work that requires a small span. With a carving chisel, it’s easier to envision what each movement of the carving chisel will accomplish relative to the state of your wood.

There are different types and things to consider when buying a carving chisel. You need to find the best carving chisel for the tasks that you are going to be working on. Our buyer’s guide examines the features you need to consider to assist you to make the right choice of the best carving chisel you can buy. 

Things To Consider When Buying the Best Carving Chisels

There are some main features that you should know about when buying a carving chisel. These features help you work out what to expect and what to avoid when buying a wood chisel.

The handle

The handle part of your chisel is very important for both usability and also the durability of your tool. If you want your chisel to last, you need to choose a chisel handle that is made of strong wood, metal, or plastic and rubber. A rubber handle is not as durable as a metal handle but is soft to touch and would allow you to work for longer before starting to feel the ache in your hands. A compromise that implements the best of both worlds would be a chisel that has a metal handle with a rubber finish over the top – this combination gives you a strong and durable handle, along with the comfort to work for as long as you need. 

The blade

The blade of your carving chisel is just as important as the handle. Without the chisel blade, you have no chisel! It is very important to look for a carving chisel that has a good quality blade that is going to be appropriate for the types of tasks you want to use the chisel for.

A thinner blade will be easier to work with and will be able to get into smaller areas that you are working on. Longer blades are more awkward to work with if you are new to working with wood chisels. They can cover a larger area and get into tighter spaces than short blades might be able to reach.

It is important to also consider the material that your blade is made of. A badly designed blade made of poor-quality material will only end up costing you more money in the long run. Poor blades will wear a lot faster and take longer to get the job done. For more durable blades, check for blades that are manufactured with chrome steel with high amounts of carbon. A carving chisel made of specially hardened steel will stay sharp for a very long period.

Also, always look at the shape of the blade on the chisel you plan to buy, they usually come in a lot of different designs. A wider blade surface will enable you to work on more material at a time. Tapered blades on the other hand give you a more precise finish.

The size

When looking for the right carving chisel for you it is important to think about the size that you are going to need. They usually come in a range of sizes from around ¼ inch up to 1 ½ inch. Small-sized chisels are better for delicate and detailed jobs. Larger chisels are more fitting if you have big areas to work with.

Even though it would increase your cost, we would recommend purchasing more than one wood chisel. It will save you a lot of future hours if you have more than one size of carving chisels. It will also assist you to complete your woodworking jobs quickly and with much ease.

What Are Carving Chisel Sets?

There are a lot of carving chisel sets available on the market that may be a better choice for you than buying individual chisels. Carving chisel sets are sets of chisels sold together that usually come in sets of between 4 and 8 – offering carving chisels of different sizes so that you can switch between them depending on what task you are performing.

Even though it is more expensive to buy multiple chisels in one go, they are perfect for beginners to woodwork. They usually come in cases that protect and accommodate your chisels till the moment you need them. These sets will also usually come in handy cases that will keep your precious chisels safe and reduce the chance of them going missing.

Tips for Buying and Using Carving Chisels

Here are some additional tips to assist you to choose the best chisel for your tasks; 

• Buy your chisel based on your experience level. Are you a beginner, an intermediate, or an advanced woodworker? Be honest about where you reside on the spectrum of experience and this will help you make the wisest choice for you.
• Always keep the purpose of why you are getting your chisel in mind. Choosing your chisel based on its intended use is the best way to avoid wasting your time and money.
• If you need to make lots of specific joints your carving chisels won’t produce, you should consider more specialized chisels (like the mortise and paring). Try starting with a general-purpose set of bevel-edged bench chisels of varying sizes (especially ¼ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, and 1 inch)
• You should select a blade material based on how hard the wood is and how often you’re willing to sharpen it.
• Keep your eyes out for blades that can be sharpened easily.  Chisels that are easy to sharpen have much better value for money as they will last so much longer.

If you are a beginner woodworker, you may benefit from some extra tips and tricks. Wood and Shop has a great video for rookies who want to learn more about this awesome pastime: