Skew chisel pair 45 degree bevel Kirschen 1056 for corner joinery

A skew chisel pair with 45 degree bevel handles the cuts a straight chisel cannot reach. The Kirschen 1056 family pairs one left-bevelled blade with one right-bevelled blade. Both blades are hand-forged from carbon steel and hardened in a molten salt bath. Measured hardness reaches 61 HRC. The grinding angle is 25 degrees to DIN 5139.

Working with two opposing bevels lets the user attack an inside corner from either side. Hinge mortises, shoulders, angled grooves and door frames all benefit from that freedom. The short blade keeps the cutting edge close to the hand for control. Bevelled edges ride tight against an adjoining face without skidding or bruising the surface. The pair is offered in three blade widths, so the buyer orders only the size actually needed.

Skew chisel pair with 45 degree bevel: construction and steel

The blade steel defines how long the edge holds. Kirschen forges each blade by hand, then hardens it in a salt bath for even structure through the section. The resulting 61 HRC edge resists rolling in hardwood. Faces are ground and mirror polished, so the chisel cuts on arrival without regrinding. The handle is turned white hornbeam with a flattened section that stops rolling on the bench.

Blade geometry and edge preparation

Geometry decides where the chisel can work. Both blades carry a 45 degree bevel, one skewed left and one skewed right. The 25 degree grinding angle follows DIN 5139 and suits general bench joinery in softwood and hardwood. Side bevels reduce the shoulder of the blade, letting the edge enter narrow angled recesses. Resharpening is simple because the profile is flat and the bevel single.

• Bevel angle: 45 degrees, symmetrical on both chisels
• Grinding angle: 25 degrees, to DIN 5139
• Blade steel: carbon steel, hand-forged
• Hardening: molten salt bath, 61 HRC
• Finish: mirror-polished face, sharpened ready to use
• Supply form: one left-skew and one right-skew chisel per set

Because the two chisels mirror each other, the worker changes approach direction without turning the workpiece. That saves setup time on assembled frames and fitted carcases. Paring toward a scribed line stays visible from the working side. Edge contact remains predictable, which reduces the number of correction cuts before a joint closes. A light honing on a fine stone restores the polish after extended paring in dense timber.

Handle and balance

The white hornbeam handle is turned round with a flat facet along the body. Hornbeam is dense and takes mallet work without splitting quickly. The flat stops the chisel rolling off a sloped bench. Weight sits close to the ferrule, so the tip responds to small wrist movements. Replacement is straightforward if a handle is ever damaged in service.

• Handle material: white hornbeam
• Handle shape: turned round with flattened facet
• Short blade format for close control
• Simple construction, easy to resharpen
• Blade widths available: 12 mm, 20 mm, 26 mm

Choosing by width matters more than buying a full set. A 12 mm pair suits small hinge recesses and inlay work. The 20 mm pair covers most shoulder and housing cleanup. The 26 mm pair clears wider angled seats in a single pass. Each width ships as a matched left and right pair under the same 1056 reference.

Common applications

Cabinetmakers use these chisels to clean dovetail corners and shoulder lines. Door and window makers pare hinge mortises and angled rebates. Restorers trim seats and housings where an existing assembly blocks a straight blade. Instrument and model makers cut small mitred recesses with the narrow width. The skew geometry also cuts end grain cleanly across angled joints, reducing tear-out before glue-up and final fitting.

Reference notes

The 1056 reference covers the left and right skew pair only. Related Kirschen chisel patterns exist under separate references for straight and V-profile work. Order by blade width using the variant table on this page. Technical data listed here follows the manufacturer catalogue.