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

Chiselling use involves forcing the blade into some material to cut it. The driving force may be applied by pushing by hand, or by using a mallet or hammer. In industrial use, a hydraulic ram or falling weight (' trip hammer ') may be used to drive a chisel into the material.

A gouge is a type of chisel that serves to carve small pieces from the material; particularly in woodworking, woodturning and sculpture. Gouges most frequently produce concave surfaces and have a U-shaped cross-section.