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Safety Week 2011: Safe Chisel Use

13 comments
13 years ago
Videos     Woodworking Safety

Woodworking Chisel SafetyChisels are used more than any other tool in the shop. They are also probably the sharpest (or they should be) tools in the shop. It is only natural that such a sharp blade out in the open like that be a major safety hazard. Only not much attention is paid to chisels. Maybe we feel that because they are hand tools they can’t hurt us like a power tool. That may be partially right, but the first time you cut yourself with a chisel you will rethink that statement.

Many people have brought up chisel safety to me and I hope this video can address some of those questions. I’m sure I didn’t even come close to covering everything so please share your safety tips in the comments below. If you have an injury story with chisel share with us what happened and how it could have been prevented.

Be safe everyone!

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Rob Bois

I can’t remember the last time I worked with my chisels for any protracted period of time without drawing blood. While these are typically “nuisance” wounds they are pretty frequent. So in aggregate, I’d have to agree my chisels are my most dangerous tool. Death by a thousand cuts?

Karl_S

I had a chisel blow out the side of a piece where I was cleaning a test mortise. It cut my left palm for a trip to the hospital and then many follow-up visits to a hand surgeon. My mistake, not taking the time to properly clamp the wood. I wasn’t pushing hard and didn’t think it a problem until I found that soft spot in the wood and went right through it and into my palm.

I know keep that bloody piece as a reminder to slow down.

Steve Jones

At the Marc Adams school, we were told that despite all the power tools, more injuries requiring medical attention were caused by chisels than by any other tool. The message was very clear – properly clamp every workpiece every time, no exceptions. Vises and holdfasts are my woodworking BFFs.

The “rotating pare” on the dovetail was a good tip. Nice Koontz holdfast, BTW.

Chris

Shannon, Great video. As a novice, it was informative on two aspects. 1. How to be safe with chisles and 2. proper techniques. Thanks.

bill schenher

One safety tip I heard long ago was to wear workout gloves when working with hand tools. One reason is to avoid the little cuts and pinches that come from using chisels. This also help with hand fatigue when using hand planes and many other hand tools for long periods of time. And with the workout gloves you have the ability to still use your fingertips to check your joints and smoothness of material. Cuts down on blisters too.

Just don’t wear them when working with power tools.

Alan Lilly

I was also thinking that a bevel down chisel on the bench is more easily snagged by you or objects your moving such that the chisel could be pulled to the floor and Murphy’s law almost guarantees that the sharp edge will hit the floor first (or whichever foot is closest).

Paul-Marcel

ha ha, love it… “other safety concerns like walking into walls”. A genuine LOL on that.

Lots of good info and a nice mini demo of clearing a dado.

I have some FlexWrap I put around my left index finger if I’m doing a lot of paring or carving. I’ll have to think about softening the edges of the chisel instead. The FlexWrap is more fun, though cuz I have a white roll and I sometimes drop red food coloring on it for effect 🙂

Mitch Wilson

It was a pleasure to pick up a few chisel technique tips, and especially so coming from a lefty. Thanks much.

Yaakov

Good post. Thanks!

Mike

I had a minor accident a few weeks ago. I was paring away some waste in some dovetails, when, suddenly, a small piece of wood flies away, right into my eye. It was sharp and hurt a lot, but fortunately didn’t cause any real damage.

And I do wear glasses (for my eyesight). The small piece of wood managed to find its way to my eye anyhow.

I’m currently looking for some eye protection that I can use without needing to remove my glasses.