Is that a chisel? Is it a gouge? No, it’s a mortise. Despite the possible confusions, the mortise is the best tool for strong jobs. It may look like a traditional chisel or even a gouge, but we will explain you the main differences.
The mortise has a rectangular and sturdy blade, without bevelles and with a sharp point. In addition, its handle is thicker, thought to be gripped with force. Its function is making boxes or scrapes, from openings in the wood that allow making the laces. The embedded pieces are called tenon. Today, this process is usually done with a machine, but if you are interested to do it by hand, we will explain it.
How to use a mortise
1º.- We mark the wood that we want to perforate. We must remember that the mortise always cuts straight, so avoid shapes that are not rectangular. Once marked, think about placing a board under the wood you want to drill.
2º- We take the tool with the non-dominant hand (depending on whether right or left-handed) and also the tip of the leaf on the previous mark
3º- With the other hand we take a wooden mallet and we hit it hard. It is important a vertical hit, keeping the mortise completely perpendicular to the wood surface.
4º-With a reciprocating movement, we will skip the surplus wood, advancing in a controlled way until reaching the depth that we have marked. Remember to sharp the leaf for a better work. Repeat the process as many times as necessary to ensure a clean cut.
Practical tip for using a mortise
To finish, a tip: take your time. To make a correct cut the best way is to raise layers successively, with great tact and watching not get out of the mark we have drawn. Remember that the bevel face should point to the inner side.
And this is it for today. Thank you very much for following us! See you in the next post 🙂
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