The chisel is often used to pare down the surface of a piece of work to a given line, as shown in [Fig. 27].
Fig. 28.—Bevel.
The Framing-chisel should be held in the left hand, and the blows dealt upon the handle with the mallet in the right hand. In handling the framing-chisel the bevel of the blade should be toward the work, which is just the opposite from that shown in [Figs. 26 and 27]. Unless this is done the chisel will not cut down squarely but will cut in under, as it cannot be guided as easily as the firmer-chisel can, with both hands to hold it.
Chamfering and Bevelling are somewhat similar operations. They consist in cutting the edges of a piece of wood, as shown in Figs. [28] and [29].
Fig. 29.—Chamfering.
The corner of a block of wood is very often chamfered, when planing end-wood, to prevent the wood from splintering. It can only be done, of course, before the adjoining side has been planed up, that a square corner can be obtained again when the work is finished.