Choosing a point chisel for rough shaping
A practical check of a point chisel before rough shaping: the working end, the shank, the striking head and the edge.
A point chisel is the first tool most people reach for when a block needs rough shaping. Its condition decides how well it bites and how often it needs sharpening. Check the tool before the first strike, because a damaged point makes poor work and can throw fragments.
What to look at
- A working end with no chips or cracks
- A straight shank with no bend along its length
- A striking head that is flat and free of a raised rim
- A length that suits the hand and the hammer in use
- A tip that is clean and sharp, not blunt or rounded
Why the head matters
Over many blows, the top of a chisel spreads and forms a raised rim, a condition called mushrooming. A mushroomed head can send small fragments of steel off the strike. A file can take off a small raised rim. If the head has spread far, replace the tool rather than try to restore it.
Sharpening the tip
A point is best sharpened on a stone or with a file, keeping the angle steady and removing only enough metal to clean the tip. Heat can soften the steel at the working end, so work slowly and let the tool cool. A dull point slides rather than bites, and the hand works harder to make up for it.
A sound point is only one part of the set. The other tools are described in the toolkit, and the point's place in the rough work is set out in roughing out a block.