kai_chen2•18h agoProlific Poster

Broke a $150 chisel on a oak beam yesterday

I was out at a job site in Portland fitting a new staircase stringer and went to pare a tenon cheek. Must have hit a hidden nail or a knot that was harder than diamond because the blade snapped right at the neck. I had to finish the cut with a cheap spare I keep in the truck and it gummed up everything. Has anyone else had a tool give out on them mid cut like that and what did you grab to finish the job?

2 comments

2 Comments

colethomas10h ago

I was using a Lie-Nielsen dovetail saw last month and the darn thing just snapped right at the handle ferrule. I had to finish the cut with a Japanese pull saw I borrowed from the guy framing the next room. That 150 dollar chisel breaking at the neck sounds like a possible casting flaw, I wouldn't blame the wood for that. I'd send it back to the manufacturer and see if they'll warranty it, even if it's out of the return window.

amy_martin16h ago

Nah I gotta push back on the price tag being the issue here. A 150 dollar chisel should handle a hidden nail or a tough knot without snapping like that, that's more about the tool's design than the wood you hit. I've had cheap chisels chip on me but never heard of a quality one breaking clean at the neck unless there was a weak spot from the factory.