Why Woodworkers Dull Their Chisels on Purpose

A look at a simple but widely used woodworking technique where a chisel is intentionally dulled to act as a scraper instead of a cutting tool. This old workshop method gives more control over material removal, especially in fine fitting work and planemaking, where a sharp edge can sometimes be too aggressive. We explore where the idea comes from, how it behaves in practice, and why it is still…