Dave

February 16, 2023

Excellent technique, as always, sir. I basically do the same, but I often leave a tiny bit of waste at the top, perhaps a 16th or so in both directions, and clean up this last bit with a nice sharp-tipped marking knife. Keep up the good work!
Dave,
Katz-Moses Disciple and Occasional Marking Knife Mis-User

Bob Clark

February 16, 2023

Jonathan’s explanation makes perfect sense to me – he’s simply discussing the act of paring the waste but using the pivot ing of the chisel to control the cut. In other words, “Paring instead of Chopping” at waste.

Carl

February 16, 2023

It may be semantics but “pivot” might better describe the action. In the picture, the right hand side (without the watch) is the pivot point and you pivot down into the mortise. The location of the pivot point is the width of the chisel.

Andrew Garello

February 16, 2023

I’m with Botch. Tough to visualize. Please do a short video

HasBeen

February 15, 2023

I found a video which may or may not be showing what he is talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v55rcQDEw4Q The relevant part starts at about 3:10 in the video

Alan

February 15, 2023

Thanks for these tips. But plus one on a photo or video for this one. I am not visualizeng what you mean.

Donald Kern

February 15, 2023

Great tip. The flat of the mortis side against the chisel’s flat side keeps it vertical and on the iine and the angle provides good control to “sneak up” on the corner line without going over.

Tim

February 15, 2023

It sounds like it would be very helpful, but would greatly appreciate a video demonstration. Love your content JKM!

J Scott Bell

February 15, 2023

II agree a video would be helpful. What I am visualizing from the description (which could be completely wrong mind you) is that with the back of the chisel registered against the flat cut mortise adjacent to the corner that you would need to angle the “top” edge of the chisel toward the corner line and lightly press or tap that top angled edge up to the corner line. Then reorient your chisel to approach that corner mark from the adjoining 90 degree flat cut of the mortise and carefully bring the leading edge of you cut at the top of the mortise to meet the previously line,

At this point you would hopefully have a near perfect right angle meeting of the two chiseled cut that just barely meet each other at the top of the corner. At this point no wood will have really been removed yet but as you increase the angle of the chisel coming in from each side being careful not to let the top leading edge ever go past the corner mark on top you would slowly pare away the wood from the inside corner and create a solid flat 90 degree reference point as you work your way half way down. I imagine in most cases you would need to flip the board and repeat the process from the other side.

Mike

February 15, 2023

I’m not seeing it. I agree with the above, video please!

Botch

February 15, 2023

I’m not understanding this one. To keep the chisel’s edge from going past the line, the chisel would have to be perfectly vertical when it hits the uncut portion of the wall, and you no longer have a “pivot” at that point.
Perhaps a video short of how this works?