The chisel requires special notice since it is frequently made of the most ill-advised shape (for either cutting smoothly or standing the effects of the blow), that is, hollow, as in Fig. 1, in which case there are two sections of metal, represented by the dotted lines, a a. which are very liable to break, from their weakness and from the strain outward placed upon them by the cut, which, acting as a wedge, endeavors at each blow to drive them outward instead of inward, as would be the case in a properly shaped chisel, as shown in Fig. 2, a being the cutting edge.

When using, hold it firmly against the cut, and it will do its work smoother and quicker.

The cape, or, as it is sometimes called, cross-cut chisel, is employed to cut furrows across the work to be chipped, which furrows, being cut at a distance from each other less in width than the breadth of the flat chisel, relieve the flat chisel and prevent its corners from " digging in" and breaking. If a large body of metal requires to be chipped off cast-iron or brass, the use of the cape-chisel becomes especially advantageous, for the metal, being weakened by the furrows, will break away in pieces from the force of the blow, without requiring to be positively cut by the chisel; but care must be taken to leave sufficient metal to take a clean finishing cut; for when the metal is broken away, by the force of the blow, it is apt to break out below the level of the cut. It is also necessary to nick deeply with a chisel the outside edges of the work at the line representing the depth of the metal to be chipped off, so that the metal shall not break away at the edges deeper than the cut is intended to be.