Fig. 134. Socket chisels
The four knife lines representing the edges of the grooves were next drawn, and squared half-way down on each edge, using the face with the pencil lines as a working face. The bottom of the groove was laid off with the marking gauge set at 1⁄4 inch. The wood inside the lines was removed by making a saw cut just inside the knife lines, and cutting out with a 3⁄8-inch chisel.
This led to a talk on chisels. Ralph explained that for fine work a "firmer" chisel was used, having a comparatively thin body.
There are two kinds of handles, known as "socket" and "tang." The chisels having "tangs" should never be hammered, as the tang acts as a wedge and splits the handle. Where blows are to be struck with the mallet, a socket handle should be used. ([Fig. 134].) For heavy work, where hard blows are to be struck, as in house-framing, and out-of-door work generally, the heavy framing tool should be used. The handle of this chisel has a heavy iron ring near the top to keep it from going to pieces.
Our boys' equipment at this time consisted of one half-inch and a one-inch firmer chisel with tang handles, a 1⁄8-inch and 3⁄8-inch socket firmer, and one 1⁄2-inch framing chisel. Later on they added a 1⁄4-inch firmer with tang handle.
The grooves for the nail box were cut with the 3⁄8-inch chisel without the aid of the mallet.
Ralph showed how, by inclining the tool at a slight angle, a paring action could be obtained, and by working from both ends of the groove no corners were destroyed.
When the four grooves were finished, the box was ready for assembling. This called for hammer and nails.
Wire nails are so cheap now that the old-fashioned cut nails have been largely driven from the market.