Flat spoon bent carving chisel left corner Kirschen 3179

Flat spoon bent carving chisel left corner describes the Kirschen 3179 series exactly. The blade ends in a skewed edge angled towards the left corner. Its sweep follows cut 4, the shallow flat curve of the Kirschen profile chart. A crank behind the cutting edge raises the handle above the work surface. That geometry lets the edge enter recesses without the handle fouling the carving.

Two blade widths appear in the 2026 catalogue: 6 mm and 12 mm. The 6 mm chisel measures 230 x 20 x 20 mm and weighs 74 g. The 12 mm chisel measures 240 x 25 x 25 mm and weighs 92 g. Each blade is hand-forged in Germany, then set into an octagonal hornbeam handle. The eight-sided grip keeps the tool from rolling on the bench. Kirschen also lists these blades without a handle. Dimensions and weights may vary slightly, and cuts are not binding because of hand-forging.

Flat spoon bent carving chisel left corner in the Kirschen 3179 range

The 3179 sits beside the other flat-iron families on the same catalogue page. Where the straight 3104 works on open surfaces, the spoon bent 3179 drops its edge below the handle line. The left skew turns the corner of the edge into the leading point. Carvers use that corner to clean the left side of a recess or an undercut.

Blade geometry and cut 4 profile

Cut 4 is a wide, shallow flat curve rather than a deep gouge. Combined with the spoon bend and the left skew, it produces a controlled slicing action. The forged blade tapers from the ferrule towards the edge. The bent section gives clearance so the handle stays above the timber. Both widths share the same profile and bend direction.

• Cut 4 flat sweep, hand-forged blade
• Spoon bent (cranked) blade for recessed work
• Left corner skewed cutting edge
• Blade widths listed: 6 mm and 12 mm
• Tool lengths: 230 mm and 240 mm
• Right-hand counterpart listed as series 3180

The left and right versions are normally bought as a pair. One handles the left wall of a hollow, the other the right wall. Within the 3179 family the choice is simply blade width. The 6 mm size suits narrow detail, while the 12 mm size clears more material per pass. Both keep the same shallow curvature at the edge.

Handle and construction

Hornbeam is used for the handle, turned to an octagonal section. The flats give a positive hold when the chisel is rotated by hand. They also stop the tool rolling off a sloped bench. A metal ferrule secures the joint between tang and handle. Handle proportions follow the blade size, so the 12 mm model carries the larger section.

• Octagonal hornbeam handle with ferrule
• Handle flats resist rolling and twisting
• Blade available separately, without handle
• Hand-forged production, made in Germany

Hand work during forging explains the catalogue note on tolerances. Weights and sections may differ slightly between individual tools. Sharpening is done on the bevel side, following the curve of the edge. A slipstone or shaped strop helps maintain the inner face. Keeping the skewed corner intact matters more than a mirror polish on this pattern.

Common applications

Carvers reach for the 3179 when a straight chisel cannot follow the work. Typical tasks include hollowing bowls and trays, cleaning the floor of a relief, and shaping concave folds in figure carving. The left skew trims corners and undercuts that a square edge cannot reach. Pattern makers and restorers use it on mouldings and ornament. Furniture carvers apply it to shell, leaf and scroll details where the handle must clear the surface.

Catalogue reference, page 56

Page 56 of the Kirschen 2026 catalogue groups carving chisels in cut 4 with octagonal hornbeam handles. Series 3104 is the all-flat chisel, 3113 the flat curved chisel, 3125 the flat spoon bent chisel and 3134 the flat back bent chisel. Series 3179 covers the flat spoon bent chisel, left corner, listed in 6 mm and 12 mm. Series 3180 is the right corner version.