A good set of chisels is essential for carpenters, woodworkers, blacksmiths, masons, and even home enthusiasts. A lot of people use them for at-home DIY projects, sculpting, and other sorts of craftsmanship. But if you want to work with metal, you can’t just use any regular chisel. They’re not made for that. To be able to cut through and shape metal, what you need is a cold chisel. With a beveled edge, these special chisels can cut through any metal that’s softer than the material they’re made with.
So if you’re looking to buy a set of cold chisels, then we’ve made the perfect list of the highest-rated cold chisels of 2023 for you to browse through and pick your favorite product. Also, our buying guide will walk you through everything you need to know before you make your decision.
Before we talk about what you need to know before buying a cold chisel, let’s first talk about what a cold chisel actually is. Well, unlike a wood chisel, a cold chisel is specially designed to chisel or cut through cold, hard metals. More specifically, they’re designed to work with metals softer than the ones they’re constructed with.
Forged from tempered and hardened steel with an octagon-shaped handle and a beveled cutting edge, these chisels are not made from heating with heat torches, forges, or other similar methods. Since these tools are designed to work with metals, they’re made with a broader angle than the blade of the chisel, allowing them to cut through metal easily while not being as sharp as a woodworking chisel.
These chisels are commonly used to cut and shape bars and rods. They’re also used for cutting and reducing the surfaces of some sheet metals.
With a thin blade behind the chisel’s cutting edge, these tools are designed for shaping and cutting grooves and slots.
Round nose chisels are specially designed to work with semi-circular grooves for oil ways in bearings.
This cold chisel’s shape is incredibly useful in removing any unwanted debris and materials from corners, crevices, and other difficult areas.
The build quality of your chisel makes all the difference when it comes to how well these tools will perform and last. A good cold chisel typically uses a combination of carbon and steel to forge its sharp edge. There is also vanadium steel combined with stronger carbon options, but they lean more on the expensive side.
There are also chisels made with steel and manganese, which also work great at absorbing the impact. Going with a chisel with any of these combinations generally means that you’re picking a good item.
Cold chisels and chisels, in general, need to be extremely durable. A good cold chisel should not only be able to handle the blows from a mallet or a hammer but also have a good enough edge so that it can properly cut through and carve metal.
If you’ve ever worked with chisels, you’ll know how important it is for them to be comfortable to hold. With a comfortable grip, it’s easier to carve and shape your works with higher precision and for longer periods without tiring yourself out.
To use a cold chisel properly, make sure you’re grabbing the chisel handle properly. To do this, make a fist with your hand around the handle in a way that your thumb and forefinger are about an inch away from the top. Ensure that your grip is not too tight, as an overly tight grip will transfer more force than intended when hit with a hammer.
Now that you’ve grabbed the chisel properly, ensure you’re not rushing the carving process. Keep hitting the chisel with the hammer in a steady rhythm instead of one strong blow to ensure that you don’t make any mistakes and are cutting the metal with absolute precision.
If you’re looking for a great all-purpose chisel set made with excellent craftsmanship and is built to last, then the KENDO cold chisel set is your answer. With three pieces of chisels of different sizes varying from 25/32 x 8-inch, 7/8 x 10-inch to 1 x 12-inch, this set equips you with the tools you need to do any kind of carving work you want. All three pieces feature an octagonal-shaped body and handle that allows you to not just work with metal but also lets you carve through bricks, concrete, wood, and other materials.
When it comes to durability, these cold chisels are excellent in that department as well. They’re made with industrial-grade, top-of-the-line carbon and steel which makes them robust enough to work with all different carving work. The set even includes a numbered pouch made out of nylon that lets you store and carry your chisels around easily.
The Mayhew Select 89062 cold chisel set is another great option you can go for if you’re looking for a reliable product to work with metals. This set includes three different chisels, which include a 10302 cold chisel measuring at 3/8 x 5-inch, a 10402 at 1/2 x 6-inch, and a 10502 5/8 x 6-½-inch chisel. The different sizes are designed to allow you to work with a variety of metal crafting projects. These cold chisels feature an angled shape, imparting greater strength to the chisel and allowing you to chip away at the metal without too much effort.
The durability of Mayhew products has always been excellent, and these cold chisels are no different. With a shot-blasted and black oxide finish on these chisels, you can rest assured that these chisels will remain rust-free and serve you for a long time.
Forged and constructed with high-quality, hardened, and tempered carbon steel, the 1/2-inch cold chisel offered by TEKTON is excellent to work with in small spaces. This chisel is a standalone product in a range of chisels with different blade lengths, so they’re perfect for people who don’t want to invest in an entire set. The length is laser marked on the tip of its hardened blade, that’s been heat-treated and then roughly grounded to make the cutting edge as efficient as it can be. Not only that, but the striking end of the chisel is sturdy enough to take blows from a hammer without chipping away.
These cold chisels are excellent at what they do. They can easily carve through and chip away at metals, such as cast iron, brass, aluminum, bronze, or copper where other tools just won’t help you. Not only that, but the small size of these chisels can even be used to chop off rivet heads, cut off rusted bolts, and clean up burrs and other waste left after drilling or welding jobs.
Another great option for a good cold chisel is the Mayhew Select 12205 cold chisel. We’ve already talked about how reliable and high-quality Mayhew products are; this product doesn’t change that. With a 3/4-inch angled cutting edge designed for more efficient performance, this cold chisel can easily chip away at metals softer than the blade itself. The chisels are shot-blasted, ensuring higher durability, but they aren’t made for masonry work or any other job than metal crafting.
A great feature of this product is the 5/8-inch hex-shaped body of the chisel and handle, that’s made with hard plastic and a comfortable design. This does a great job at absorbing the impact from the hammering and allows you a safer grip for high-precision work. There’s even a limited 2-year warranty with this product.
If you want a cold chisel to last you a long time, then our vote is with the FINDER 12-inch cold chisel. Made with top-quality, hardened, and tempered chrome-vanadium steel that’s been heat treated, these chisels can definitely take a beating like no other. The anti-rust build of the chisel has a sharpened 3/4-inch blade that’s thickened flat, making it perfect for working with not just metal but also for masonry tasks.
This chisel has a 5.4-inch handle that features a soft rubber handguard and a nice, comfortable design that absorbs the impact well, protects you from any over-strikes or slips, and lets you work with high precision.
A: No, cold chisels are not designed with the purpose of being used for masonry. These tools work with metals, so using them for any other purpose would not turn out well.
A: You should definitely be wearing some sort of eye protection when working with a cold chisel. Small bits of metal can fly off when carving, which can actually result in a pretty bad injury if proper precautions are not taken.
A: Hold a cold chisel in your fist firmly, but not overly tight, as that’ll let more force be transferred to the chisel when hit with a hammer.
