21 – Pare Essentials

There are many woodworking tasks that can be done faster and more easily with hand tools. In many cases, you’ll want to flush up a particular surface or remove small amounts to sneak up on a fit. A common technique used to accomplish these things with a chisel is called paring.

While there are specific chisels available known as paring chisels, the paring operation can be done with just about any chisel. The basic operation involves holding the chisel parallel to the work and taking light passes, letting the flat back of the chisel rest on the surface. These low angle light passes typically produce fine shavings and are incredibly effective on end grain, as you’ll see in this video.

Ultimately, paring is an operation you should be intimately familiar with.