Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago

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In this video, I teach you the principles and fundamentals of accurate, efficient and safe chiselling. Following this simple guidance will skyrocket your skills overnight, with only a few simple changes to your processes here and there.
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RECOMMENDED VIDEOS:
👉How To Sharpen a Chisel
youtube.com/watch?v=ip_MHACrqKs
👉Bevel Up or Bevel Down (Paul Sellers)
youtube.com/watch?v=ukJ2GgL50OQ
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PRODUCTS RECOMMENDED IN THIS VIDEO:
🔸 My Chisels
mattestlea.com/lie-nielsen-chisels
🔸 My Mallets
mattestlea.com/tools
🔸 Workbench Plans
mattestlea.com/product/roubo-workbench-plans
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CHAPTERS:
😤 Getting Impatient? Skip to the good stuff below: ⬇️
00:00 Intro
00:37 Don't Be an Idiot
01:27 Postitioning, Stance & Grip
02:00 Stance
02:52 Grip when Paring
04:27 Grip when Chopping
07:02 Line of Sight
09:40 Power Transfer
12:29 Efficiency and Accuracy
12:57 Halving Waste Material
14:56 Chisel Sizing
17:54 Understanding Grain
18:41 Severing Fibres
22:00 Splitting Grain
24:53 Bevel Up vs. Bevel Down
25:12 Outtro
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MY FREE ONLINE COURSES:
🚀 Purchasing and Using Tools Correctly
freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/tutorials/tutorials-hand-tools
🎁 How To Make a Dovetailed Box:
freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/projects/the-dovetail-box
🛠 How To Make a Cabinet:
freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/projects/the-cabinet
🧰 How To Make a Toolbox:
freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/projects/the-toolbox
✏️ How To Design Furniture
freeonlinewoodworkingschool.com/projects/the-sketchup-series
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HOW TO SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:
💪 Become a Patron - Donate a Regular Amount of Your Choice
patreon.com/mattestlea
👕 Purchase Merchandise - Premium Materials, Quality Design.
mattestlea.com/shop
🎁 Wishlist - Help us Purchase New Equipment & Resources!
mattestlea.com/wishlist
🍺 Send a Tip - Quick, Easy, and Massively Appreciated!
mattestlea.com/donate
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WOODWORKING BOOKS I RECOMMEND:
📘 Collins Complete Woodworkers Manual
mattestlea.com/the-woodworkers-manual
📖 Workbenches: Design & Theory to Construction & Use
mattestlea.com/workbenches-book
📚 The Overstory - My Favourite Fiction Books about Trees
mattestlea.com/the-overstory
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MY FAVOURITE TOOLS:
🛠️ Knew Concepts Fret Saw
mattestlea.com/knew-concepts-saw
⬜️ Faithfull Engineers Squares
mattestlea.com/faithfull-engineers-squares
⚙️ Veritas Wheel Marking Gauge
mattestlea.com/veritas-wheel-marking-gauge
🗡 Precision Marking Knife
mattestlea.com/markingknife
🎥 Lumix S1H Mirrorless Camera
mattestlea.com/panasonic-s1h

🔍 See EVERYTHING I Recommend HERE:
mattestlea.com/equipment

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KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ME:
🟪 Instagram: instagram.com/mattestlea
🟦 Facebook: facebook.com/mattestleafurniture
⬜️ Twitter: twitter.com/mattestlea
🟧 Patreon: patreon.com/mattestlea
🟥 Pinterest: pinterest.com/mattestlea


🌍 My Website / Blog: mattestlea.com
💌 Monthly Newsletter: mattestlea.com/newsletter
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🕵️‍♂️ WHO AM I?:
My name is Matt Estlea and I’m a Woodworker from Basingstoke, England. My aim is to make your woodworking less s***.

I come from 5 years of TRAINING at Rycotewood Furniture Centre in Oxford, 5 years of experience WORKING at Axminster Tools and Machinery in Basingstoke, and 3 years TEACHING both day classes and evening classes at Rycotewood Furniture Centre. All while trying to get this YouTube thing off the ground.

By September 2021, I packed it all in to focus on YouTube and my business full-time.

Want to know more about how I crammed all this experience into such a short period of time? See my experience and qualifications here:
🎓 mattestlea.com/blog/my-qualifications-experience-and-achievements

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GET IN TOUCH:
While I take time to read every single message I receive whether it's emailed, DMed or asked publicly on social media, sadly I do not have time to reply to everything. If you have a short message you’d like to send, it’s best to send me a message on Twitter.
🐣 Tweet me here: twitter.com/mattestlea

For longer messages, please drop me a message via the contact page on my website.
📨 Leave Me a Message Here: mattestlea.com/contact-form

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PS: Some of the links in this description are affiliate links that I get a lil’ commission from recommending at no extra cost to you. If you’d like to know more about how this works, and what businesses I work with, please read my affiliate disclaimer here:

😑 Affiliate Disclaimer: mattestlea.com/affiliate-disclaimer