# What purpose do butt chisels serve?



## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

More specifically, what can a butt chisel do that a standard bevel chisel can't?? 
I saw a 6pc set of Craftsman butt chisels at my local Sears. It was sitting in the scratch/dent rack. For $18, I was tempted to buy them. While not absolute gems, they didn't appear to be complete junk either. I couldn't identify any reason they'd be in the scratch/dent pile. 
However, I also couldn't see any use for them that my current chisels couldn't handle. So I passed (after hiding the set under a couple boxes of pink pruning shears in case I changed my mind).


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

Installing hinges, among other uses.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

if you take crowns butcheisels they are just the right size for 
children and in thight space 
but they do have the advange when you want to have more control over the chiesel
with precissionwork 
again its all depending on what make and how you work that deside what tools you can 
add to the toolbox with advantages others is just a nice to have if the day come 
where it wuold be the right tool to snap out and have the job done in a minut
and if you not have it it just take longer

take care
Dennis


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

They are sort of useful for carpentry work I find. They are shorter
and you can stick one in an apron pocket. They aren't much use 
for trimming deep but the short length makes them easy to place
accurately enough (for carpentry) with one hand while you've 
got a hammer in the other. Thus, they're useful for hinge mortising
a door and frame where their shortness makes them maneuverable
in the task.


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## Lumber2Sawdust (Jul 22, 2010)

I inlaid some walnut diamond pieces in the work bench I built(you can see it in my projects), mostly to hide some holes in the top from its previous life. The butt chisels were perfect for that. They have better control for work like that.

Much like you, I wouldn't have paid for them, but I got them as a gift years ago. Since I don't use them much, they always seem to be sharp so they are easy to grab for detailed work like that.


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## superstretch (Jan 10, 2011)

When toilet paper just doesn't cut it.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

SuperStretch,

Thinking about it, I wouldn't ever want my toilet paper to cut it… That's why I use Charmin…

Herb


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

How else would you chisel your butt?
Sorry. Just had to.
Bill


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## kowtow (Feb 15, 2011)

I have a couple of butt chisels that I use on paring end grain of really nasty dense hard wood. In my job I work with a white oak and mahogany in tight spaces and sometimes your bench chisels are too cumbersome to get in and maneuver around. So the butt chisels fit. Also my hand fatigue less fast because the handles are shaped differently.

But all of that is really particular to what I'm doing (wooden boat restoration) and if you're working on a shelving unit, or a whatever it is you do, it might not be so useful.


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