Here's a little insight into the life of the chisel, from their history through to modern day production methods and the relevant safety standards.

Chisels are a staple of woodworking. Despite the plethora of machines for the woodworker these days the chisel is still a basic tool for any serious woodworker or DIYer. It is also one of the most badly used and abused by amateurs and professionals and one of the most prized by people who are skilled in its use. These skilled workers cosset their chisels, keeping them hung up in a rack or rolled in a chisel roll, with the backs highly polished and the edges keenly honed.

The more common situation is that the chisel has been thrown in box or bag - without even a guard to protect it. It may have been used as a lever, screwdriver, pot opener, window putty remover and of course chiselling the odd bit of wood - and that sort of treatment I have observed from people in the trade who make their living from using tools.

The scenario for DIYers probably goes more like this: the buy the chisel, use it a few times, maybe without even sharpening it properly, and then consign it to the draw in the shed where it soon rusts and becomes useless.

Chisel manufacturers have a job on their hands to make and market a chisel for all these situations. The truth is that it can't be done. Professional craft users who value their tools look after them, want chisels that use hard steel that will hold an edge when chopping deep mortises, for example in English Oak. Hard steel is quite brittle steel, and may break if pulled or levered too hard.

So, to solve the dilemma of breakage in hard steel, lower carbon steel may be used, but these chisels tend to need sharpening more often.

Modern steels, by the careful addition of chrome or other metals, can be made hard, tough, sometimes relatively rust resistant or even slightly flexible. Most chisels made now in western European traditions are dia forged and use modern mass production techniques to finish and sharpen them to a razor edge that a careful user can sustain. Most mass manufacturers use the same or very similar steels in their cheaper chisels as in their more expensive ranges. The difference is likely to be found in the configuration and type of handle and that will determine most of the price differential as well.

Japanese chisels use a sandwich of high carbon steel and low carbon steel, where the hard steel provides the cutting edge, and the softer steel the flexibility. These chisels have been marketed in the U.K. for some years now and have proved popular in some specialist markets.

It appears that the main manufacturers are right to offer a range of chisels for sale, which may vary in quality and price. Thus all sectors of the market can buy what they want at the price that they want. To avoid disappointing their customers, retailers may have to ascertain the end use in order to avoid the situation where a customer ends up blaming the humble chisel rather than their own lack of skill at sharpening or using it.

The most common type of chisel and therefore then one most likely to be found in the shops is the bevel edge chisel. The bevel edge will weaken the chisel, so it is probably not a good idea to try deep mortices in oak, but on the other hand for general slicing and sharpening and cutting dovetails joints in particular, a bevel edge is a necessity, allowing the cutting edge to be placed right into the corners of the joint been cut.

Finally, customers might be aware that there is a British Standard 1943 and an ISO Standard which relate to chisels. In order to meet the ISO standard the chisels have to meet the striking test which tests the strength of the join of the handle to the blade. This test involves dropping a 5Kg weight 12 times onto the middle of the chisel. A torque test tests the rigidity of the chisel - it must take a force of 10NM without twisting. Finally the handle must stay attached to the blade even while being pulled apart by a 100NM force. I would say that any chisel which manages these tests ought to be considered a good, tough chisel.