Chisel vs. Gouge — What's the Difference?

A hand tool with a flat cutting edge used for shaping and carving materials.

A tool with a curved blade used in woodworking and carving.

A metal tool with a sharpened edge at one end used to chip or cut metal or stone.

A tool used for scooping or removing areas of wood or soft material.

A tool used in woodworking to create clean joints.

A carving tool used to create decorative curves and hollows.

A tool for precise cutting and material removal in crafts and construction.

A specialized tool for detailed woodworking, especially in creating rounded cuts.

A device used to cut or carve hard materials such as bricks or concrete.

A chisel-like tool designed to make round grooves in wood or stone.

A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge (such that wood chisels have lent part of their name to a particular grind) of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal by hand, struck with a mallet, or mechanical power. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or of wood with a sharp edge in it.

A chisel with a blade that has a rounded, angled, or troughlike indentation along its length.

A metal tool with a sharp beveled edge, used to cut and shape stone, wood, or metal.

A scooping or digging action, as with such a chisel.

To shape or cut with a chisel.

A groove or hole scooped with or as if with such a chisel.

To cheat or swindle.

(Informal) A large amount, as of money, exacted or extorted.

To obtain by deception.

To cut or scoop out with or as if with a gouge

To use a chisel.

To force out the eye of (a person) with one's thumb.

To use unethical methods; cheat

To thrust one's thumb into the eye of.

To intrude oneself without welcome

(Informal) To extort from.

A cutting tool used to remove parts of stone, wood or metal by pushing or pounding the back when the sharp edge is against the material. It consists of a slim, oblong block of metal with a sharp wedge or bevel formed on one end and sometimes a handle at the other end.

(Slang) To swindle.

Gravel.

Senses relating to cutting tools.

Coarse flour; bran; the coarser part of bran or flour.

A chisel with a curved blade for cutting or scooping channels, grooves, or holes in wood, stone, etc.

(intransitive) To use a chisel.

A bookbinder's tool with a curved face, used for blind tooling or gilding.

(transitive) To work something with a chisel.

An incising tool that cuts blanks or forms for envelopes, gloves, etc., from leather, paper, or other materials.

To cheat, to get something from (someone) by cheating.

A cut or groove, as left by a gouge or something sharp.

A tool with a cutting edge on one end of a metal blade, used in dressing, shaping, or working in timber, stone, metal, etc.; - usually driven by a mallet or hammer.

An act of gouging.

To cut, pare, gouge, or engrave with a chisel; as, to chisel a block of marble into a statue.

(slang) A cheat, a fraud; an imposition.

To cut close, as in a bargain; to cheat.

(slang) An impostor.

An edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge

(mining) Soft material lying between the wall of a vein and the solid vein of ore.

Engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud;

Information.

Deprive somebody of something by deceit;

(transitive) To make a groove, hole, or mark in by scooping with or as if with a gouge.

Carve with a chisel;

(transitive) To cheat or impose upon; in particular, to charge an unfairly or unreasonably high price.

To dig or scoop (something) out with or as if with a gouge; in particular, to use a thumb to push or try to push the eye (of a person) out of its socket.

(intransitive) To use a gouge.

A chisel, with a hollow or semicylindrical blade, for scooping or cutting holes, channels, or grooves, in wood, stone, etc.; a similar instrument, with curved edge, for turning wood.

A bookbinder's tool for blind tooling or gilding, having a face which forms a curve.

An incising tool which cuts forms or blanks for gloves, envelopes, etc. from leather, paper, etc.

Soft material lying between the wall of a vein and the solid vein.

The act of scooping out with a gouge, or as with a gouge; a groove or cavity scooped out, as with a gouge.

Imposition; cheat; fraud; also, an impostor; a cheat; a trickish person.

An impression in a surface (as made by a blow)

And edge tool with a blade like a trough for cutting channels or grooves

The act of gouging

Force with the thumb;

Obtain by coercion or intimidation;

Make a groove in

Sharpening a gouge requires specialized tools like slipstones to maintain its curved edge, whereas a chisel can be sharpened with more common sharpening tools due to its straight edge.

Gouges have a curved blade, which is ideal for scooping and creating rounded cuts, unlike the flat blade of a chisel.

Chisels are primarily used for cutting, shaping, or carving materials like wood, stone, and metal.

Yes, chisels can also be used on metal and stone for various crafting and construction tasks.

There are several types of chisels, including wood, cold, and masonry chisels, each suited to different materials and tasks.

While basic techniques can be learned quickly, mastering the use of chisels and gouges takes practice and skill.

Gouges are categorized by their sweep, which ranges from shallow to deep, affecting the curvature of the cuts they make.

While not always necessary, a mallet can be used with a gouge for added force, especially when working with hardwood or detailed carvings.

While primarily designed for woodworking, gouges can occasionally be used in soft stone or clay modeling.

Safety goggles and protective gloves are recommended to protect against chips and debris.

Regular sharpening and proper storage are key to maintaining the effectiveness and longevity of a chisel.

Yes, various techniques involve using a gouge to create different effects and textures, depending on the sweep and angle of the tool.

The handle design, often tailored to the tool's use, affects the grip and control during carving or cutting tasks.

These tools can be used for everything from intricate carving projects to DIY home improvement tasks involving wood or stone.

Both tools have a long history in woodworking and sculpture, dating back to ancient civilizations where they were essential for building and artistic creation.