What are wood chisels made of?

	Most wood chisels are made up of several parts and can be made from a variety of materials depending on their age or purpose. Below is a guide to help you decide which material is best for you.
Blades
	Tool steel Most wood chisel blades are made from a steel called tool steel (sometimes referred to as "carbon steel"). The addition of carbon to steel makes it much harder than regular steel, and there are many levels of hardness depending on what purpose the tool will be used for. The tool steel most commonly used for bits has a carbon content of 0.60-0.75%.
	Vanadium steel The blades of other wood chisels can be made from vanadium steel. By fusing a small amount of vanadium with steel, the hardness can be greatly increased, so it is often used in the manufacture of tools needed for precision cutting tasks. Many surgical instruments, taps, dies and chisels are made from vanadium steel with a vanadium content of 1-5%.
	What is vanadium? Vanadium is a metallic chemical element. It is a hard, silvery gray metal that is often alloyed with steel to create strong tool steels such as high speed steel.
Pens
	Hardwood handles Traditionally, handles have been made from hardwoods such as ash, beech, and boxwood. Hardwood handles are used because they are comfortable to hold, can withstand frequent hammer blows, and also absorb some of the impact from hammer blows to help protect the blade.
	plastic handles Many chisel handles are made from a plastic called polyvinyl chloride (or PVC for short). PVC is the third most widely produced plastic in the world and is used for chisel handles because it is impact resistant and rated for frequent hammer blows.
	Soft handles The softgrip handles are made from a mixture of hard plastic and rubber. They provide the user with a comfortable, secure grip and reduce vibration and hand fatigue.
ferrule
	The tip is a metal ring, usually made of steel or brass, that supports the handle. These metal rings are most commonly found on shank chisels because their main purpose is to reduce the chance of the handle breaking. For more information on shanks see the page titled: What are shanks and sockets for wood chisels?
end cap
	The end of a wood chisel can be made of hard plastic such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or metal such as steel. The end cap must be strong enough to withstand repeated hammer blows without breaking.