Getting the most from your chisels

To hand-cut a mortise with a mortising chisel, begin by chopping out chips between your scribed lines, leaving ¹⁄₁₆ " at the ends. Move the chisel about ¹⁄₈ " at a time, and strike it with a mallet. Then pry out the chips. Make a triangular pattern to the desired depth; then begin back-cutting the rest to match that depth. Finish by cutting away the remaining ¹⁄₁₆ " at each end.

Step 1, begin by making a series of angled "chops," keeping back ¹⁄₁₆ " from the ends and back.

Step 2, hold the chisel parallel to the edge of the workpiece and pare away the chips.

Step 3, clean up the bottom and perimeter walls with light cuts until the hinge fits snugly.

Remove the socket waste with a bench chisel, keeping ¹⁄₁₆ " from the scribed sides and back.

After making a vertical cut, counter with a horizontal cut to remove the chip.

Pare the angled sidewalls down to the bottom of the sockets.

Using a clamped-on guide board, pare away the final material from the back walls.

Finally, use a skew chisel to clean out the corners to finish the sockets.

Now you have two perfect pin sockets for a project part, such as an inset drawer front.

For information on selecting the best chisel for your needs, view All about wood chisels.