How to take the best care of your chisels and hammers

• DO - Sharpen your chisel blade as soon as you notice it is working harder to achieve the same affect.
• DO - Grind the striking end of your chisel when it begins to distort - before it begins to "mushroom".
• DO - Choose a chisel width that allows full blade contact with the stone. Selecting too wide a chisel for rough or irregular stone can result in carbide breakage.
• DO - Allow bushing chisels to move freely (or "dance") on the stone. If held in one position they may jam, which can cause the carbide to break.
• DO - Use all bushing tools (especially 4-Points !) gently when they are new or newly sharpened to "break them in." Allow them to dull slightly before subjecting them to hard usage.
• DO - Bevel the corners on your carbide chisel blade slightly during sharpening, especially if you are using it on granite or other hard stone. The blade can be sharper if it is being used on marble or softer stone.
• DO - Use a green wheel to sharpen carbide blades and a steel wheel to grind or trim steel blades and shanks. The green wheel (silicon carbide) should be 80 grit or finer so as not to leave heavy grind marks on the carbide blade. Remember, when regrinding a chisel, never cool the carbide blade by dipping it in water or oil.
• DO - For safety reasons, use stone hammers only as they were intended to be used. Some are designed to strike stone, some to strike hand tools, some to strike another hammer, and some to be struck by another hammer.
• DO - Always use safety glasses when using any chisel or hammer.
  
  
• DON'T - Dip carbide-tipped chisels in water or oil when grinding.
• DON'T - Throw or toss carbide-tipped chisels into a toolbox or anywhere else. Place them down with care as they are brittle and can break, especially if they hit steel or another carbide blade.
• DON'T - Use the corner of any style chisel blade to strike stone. This is called "pointing" and can easily break the carbide. Use a Hand Point instead - it's designed to take the abuse.
• DON'T - Use a Striking Cap with a Carving Chisel. These chisels are intended for use with air tools only.
• DON'T - Use tooth chisel on granite or other hard stone. Rather, use a 4-PT or 9-PT solid-tooth bush chisel, rippers, flats or any other bushing tool.
• DON'T - Try to drill a deep hole with a Carver's Drill. Keep hole depth to 1" or less, otherwise the drill may break.
• DON'T - Strike the shank end of a pneumatic chisel unless you protect it with a Striking Cap, otherwise it will mushroom and be unfit for use with your air tool.