ASVAB · Hand Tools

What is the proper use of a chisel?

Correct answer

To cut, shape, or carve material such as wood, stone, or metal when struck or pushed

  1. A To cut, shape, or carve material such as wood, stone, or metal when struck or pushed
  2. B To measure angles
  3. C To smooth large flat surfaces quickly
  4. D To turn screws

Why this is the answer

A chisel is a hand tool with a sharp, beveled cutting edge used to cut, shape, carve, or pare away material — wood chisels for woodworking, cold chisels for cutting metal, and masonry chisels for stone and concrete. It is driven by hand pressure or struck with a mallet or hammer. Keeping a chisel sharp makes it safer and more effective, and the cutting edge should always be directed away from the body. Recognizing the chisel as a cutting and shaping tool — distinct from a screwdriver, file, or plane — is part of the hand-tools topic.
Source: ASVAB SI, Chisels

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About this topic: Hand Tools

Hand tools questions ask you to identify a tool from a description or picture and name its job: types of hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, saws, chisels and files. Knowing which tool is the right one for a task is the whole section. This is one of 24 Shop Information questions on hand tools, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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