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A Chisel For Hard-To-Reach Places

By Benjamen Johnson

This odd-shaped chisel with two blades rotated 90˚ to each other allows you to cut square-sided mortises in tight places you’d never be able to reach with a conventional chisel.

Chris Becksvoort designed this modern reproduction of the traditional drawer lock chisel, and Lie-Nielsen manufactures it with 0-1 tool steel and precision-grinds it here in the USA.

You’ll pay $75 for a pair of these chisels.  We’re not sure why Lie-Nielsen sells these chisels in a set of two — from the picture we can’t see much difference between ‘em.  Maybe somebody can give us a clue in the comments.

Drawer Lock Chisel [Lie-Nielsen]


7 Responses to “A Chisel For Hard-To-Reach Places”

  1. Corwin Says:

    Mirror image. The one head is completely symmetrical and could be used either way. The vertical (lower head in the picture) would have to be a mirror image to get both sides of a recess.

  2. Harley130 Says:

    I would surmise that one is a left hand and the other a right hand. When working in tight spaces both would be required depending on whether you were working bevel up or bevel down. When cutting mortises, a greater amount would would have to be removed and plus needing to square both ends.

  3. Benjamen Johnson Says:

    OK, now I understand, one chisel head for each of the four sides.

    Thanks Corwin and Harley130

  4. fred Says:

    I have an old one manufactured by Spann Sage.
    This pair - like most Lie Nielsen products looks like the took an old design and did it one better

  5. Eli Says:

    Can’t see the…! One is a left and the other a right bevel, no?

  6. tj Says:

    but it looks like both chisels top heads are beveled the same way. flat on the top and an angle to it on the handle direction.

  7. spwiz5578 Says:

    If you watch the video they have demonstrating these, you can see the application where you’d need both the left and right. In order to get to both sides of a rectangular (or square) mortise in a closed box you need the the flat spot of the blade to be on opposite sides.

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