Chisel work

[Uncle Alvah]

My inletted and carved stock is back from Jacks Mountain Gunstocks. I could't be happier with the work, its great!`
This is my first build and I'm curious about the chiseling that will be required for the breech plug/tang, lock mortise and such. Do you tend to rely mostly on hand pressure to move the chisel, or are you more apt to drive it with a small hammer or mallet or whatever?
The stock is ash, if that matters.

[Dennis Glazener]

Mark does as good or better stock work than any I have used, highly recommend
 him.

I use a combination of hand pressure and light taps with a wooden mallet that I made for this purpose. Keep the chisels as sharp as possible. When I inlet the lock plate/tang/trigger plate I usually mark around the perimeter with a sharp knife or Exacto blade. Then I use a small Flex-cut chisel and use my mallet to deepen the outside perimeter. Then use hand pressure to remove the middle area.

I suspect with ash you may want to use the mallet/chisel around the perimeter several times before you get to the full depth. The reason I want the perimeter cut so deep is to be sure a splinter does not go past this border into the area I DO NOT want removed. I suspect Ash will be more prone to splinter than hard maple.
Dennis

Dennis

[Nordnecker]

Yours is a difficult question to answer. There's a lot of finess in chiseling. Sounds like you aren't very familiar with it. You probably should practice inletting (something) into some scrap wood.
How I hold, push, tap, or drive a chisel depends on a lot of variables. The bevel angle plays a role, too. If you place the edge of a chisel right on a line and drive it straight down into solid wood, the bevel will push the edge over your intended cut line. You need clearance for the waste wood to go. A narrow chisel will cut deeper with less effort. So will one with a steep bevel. If you push a chisel along the grain, you run the risk of it splitting the wood or worse, slipping and damaging the work. Tapping with a mallet reduces the risk.
A hammer is a poor choice for driving a chisel for a lot of reasons. Get a decent mallet.
It just takes practice for it to become intuitive.

[Uncle Alvah]

Sounds like you aren't very familiar with it.

For all intents and purposes, not at all.

[Joe S.]

while new to gun building I'm not new to wood working but some things are a given.Sharp tools are a must!!!if you need to put to much effort into a cut your asking for trouble.As was said a couple practice runs will serve you well as will keeping them chisels "scary" sharp.You will get a feel for how a particular chisel cuts,best angle,when its needs a touch up on the strop.While all the how to videos, books can help you get the theory down flat out doing it is the best teacher.Having your work secure and being able to come at it from comfortable angles doesn't hurt either.

[PPatch]

I too recommend you do some practice before cutting into your stock. Ash has alternating harder and softer wood along the grain, it requires a bit more finesse than most other woods. Mostly you'll be slicing with that chisel by the way, and only light taps with the mallet. Like Dennis mentioned I also use an exacto knife to outline before slicing to the line created.

For a tang inlet you begin at the base, the barrel end, and work your way back and down - if you try and do the whole length at once you'll end up with a gap at the rear of the tang, the same with any inletting on a curved surface - start at one end and inlet to the other end.

dave

[Joe S]

https://www.infinitytools.com/narex-premium-small-carving-mallet?gclid=CLCpp53Uk9MCFVaTfgod3ysALg

[Mark Elliott]

I use hand pressure for light cuts and a carvers mallet for heavy cuts.  I outline the inlet using a marking knife.  I also remove the bulk of the wood using a drill and depth gauge.  That way you can chisel into the opening created by the drill bit.  I use a stabbing chisel along the outline to start the inlet of a curved line such as with a lock plate.  I think there is a tutorial somewhere on making a stabbing chisel.  Like others said,  if you don't do some practice first, you are going to Ruin your stock.  Practice inletting your breechplug and tang into a piece of pine.