Posted by
Easy WoodCraft on
Mar 16, 2017
There are three widespread grips used with chisels: underhand, overhand, and the blade grip. Each may be used to cut a single joint.
Underhand grip
I use the underhand grip most often when I'm making a paring cut. With this grip, the handle of the chisel rests in the palm of one hand while the fingers of the other hand guide the blade. As you lean forward, the blade begins to pare. At any point, you can quickly stop the cut by "pinching" the blade with your fingers.
Overhand grip
The overhand grip is especially useful for vertical paring cuts, such as when cleaning out a mortise or trimming the shoulders of a tenon. One hand wraps around the chisel (typically with the thumb resting on top), and the other hand guides the blade. This grip lets you get your shoulder and weight into the cut and works especially well when trimming stubborn end grain.
Blade grip
Another grip I often use is the blade grip. Here, I grip the chisel by only the blade so that I can use my other hand for the mallet to drive the chisel. This grip lets me position the chisel tip with pinpoint accuracy. Another version of the blade grip is the slicing cut, shown in the bottom photo on the opposite page.
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